Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 is focusing on nature and the benefits it has on mental health, even just going for a walk can boost your mood! The CEO of the Mental Health Foundation, Mark Rowland, explains here why nature is so important in assisting with mental health. 


You can download a free background to use for your Zoom or Teams meetings throughout Mental Health Awareness Week. Click for the blue or yellow theme. 

There are many incredible organisations throughout Argyll & Bute working hard to put an end to mental health stigmas and support those affected. We reached out to them and asked how they were getting involved in Mental Health Awareness Week with their services.

A&B HSCP

The Primary Care Mental Health
Argyll and Bute team A multi-disciplinary team comprising Primary MentalHealth Care Workers, Specialist OccupationalTherapists, Guided Self Help Workers and PrimaryCare Mental Health Nurses employed to provide aservice to patients within GP practice populationsacross Argyll & Bute. For more information on the wrok that they do, click here.

Acumen

Acumen have a Supported Self Care Planning Service which is open to all.  The service is about building resilience and empowering people who may be feeling under additional pressure and strains and who are struggling with their emotions and mental wellbeing.  The website is here   https://sscp.ramh.org/  and you can find the Self Care Planning flyer for the service here and the Self Care Template flyer here. 

Calums Cabin

Calum's Cabin post a meaningful post on their social media channels daily to encourage good mental health. You can follow them on facebook and twitter. They run mindfulness zoom classes which they strarted during lockdown which are very well received too. For more infomration contact enquiries@calumscabin.com 

Lomond and Argyll Advocacy Service (LAAS)

LAAS are doing a walk/run during May to promote their Recovery Advocacy Project. They are keen for folks from across Argyll to take part, people seeking or in recovery, individuals and services supporting people. The idea is to raise a positive image for mental health. For more info, you can view the poster here.  

Ewen's Room 

Ewen's room run a freephone helpline and textline where they are happy to listen to anything that might be on your mind.
While it can feel overwhelming to share your concerns with someone you don't know, they believe it can make a huge difference speaking to someone new, with a different perspective, and absolutely no judgement, just a friendly ear to chat through any difficult thoughts and feelings. For more info on the helpline and textline click here.
One of the volunteers, Hugh, has provided us with some information on the work he undertakes. To read, click here.

Martyn's Monday Club

The team at Martyn's Monday Club have teamed up up with the happy wee health club in Oban to do a pop up walking group from Monday to Friday during mental health awareness week. We will be adding in a few very simple activities and finish on Friday with coffee at Oban’s war memorial. For more information on the walk see the poster here.

Jean's Bothy

The team at Jean's Bothy are busy this month with lots going on, see their programme of events here. You can read a copy of their latest newsletter, The Bothy Blether, here too, which has a section on gardening jobs in May, another great way to get involved with nature! 

Young Minds

Young Minds have written a blog on coping with anxiety when restrictions ease, You can read the blog here and share it with your networks. 

Recovery Across mental Health (RAMH)

RAMH deliver a free weekly webinar on a Wednesday evening at 6pm. During Mental Health awareness Week they have a special guest attending to discuss alcohol misuse and the effect on mental health. More information here.

Woodland Trust 

The Woodland Trust have a great article on their website about how connecting with nature can benefit your service users. Click here to read more. 

Wildlife Trusts

The Wildlife Trusts are asking people to connect with nature using this handy guide! 

NOBU NAKAMURA

Oban, Lorne and the Inner Isles have created a mental health directory to make it easier for those living in the area to access resources for mental health. View it here.

Males Tales

The team at Males Tales in Helensburgh have made up this useful flyer with numbers to call for support. Great for sharing with your networks!
They're also inviting you in for a yap on Wednesday afternoon, more info here.