Local charities are teaming up with B&NES Council, NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups and other partners to offer a range of support and activities to help improve people’s mental health.
A range of partners across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire are having a “Year of Mental Health”, which began earlier this year with Mental Health Awareness Week, 14th to 19th May.
Mental Health Awareness Week saw ‘Breathing Space’, a pop-up shop in Bath run by Bath Mind, a local independent charity working to improve the lives of people experiencing mental ill health and make sure anyone with a mental health problem has somewhere to turn for advice and support.
‘Breathing Space’ was run with support from Bath & North East Somerset Council and St John’s Foundation, a Bath-based charity focused on building resilience in people, enterprises and communities in and around the city.
Kate Morton, Chief Executive of Bath Mind, said: “We had an amazing four days with over 70 visitors both men and women of all ages.
“The art, yoga, mindfulness session and ‘make a move’ sessions were a huge success.”
The Year of Mental Health is seeking to bring together information and resources about the range of local services and initiatives aimed at promoting good mental health and wellbeing and preventing mental health problems in individuals.
Cllr Vic Pritchard, Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Cabinet Member for Health & Wellbeing, said: “Unlike having a physical condition – like a cough or a broken arm – a mental health condition can often go unseen by others. However, a mental health issue deserves our recognition and support just as much.
“It is really important that people know how to access mental health services when they need them and that those services work well.
“But we also want to move towards a more prevention-focussed approach to mental health so that people know how to improve their own mental health and how to recover during periods of mental health difficulty.”
A programme of events planned so far can be found via: www.bathnes.gov.uk/YearOfMentalHealth
