What's happening in Bristol on Mental Health Awareness Week?

Mental Health Awareness Week will be taking place the week beginning 8th May 2017. Bristol’s theme is 5 Days of Wellbeing and there are lots of great events and activities happening all over the city. Read the official press release, or see below for a list of activities.

Want to run your own activity? We’d love to hear about it! Email us at info@cassbristol.org

Monday 8th

St Mungo’s Putting Down Roots team are hosting a ‘Plant Some Sunshine’ event. Join in at Champion Square, plant some seeds, decorate a pot and meet new people. 11am – 2pm, Champion Square, St Judes, BS2 9DB. Contact Jo on 07702 858243.

Are you a midwife living in Bristol? Come along to a Midwife Meetup to discuss your experiences of supporting women through perinatal mental health problems. Learn practical tips and referral routes from a panel of speakers and join in discussions. Run by Bluebell and New Life classes. 7.30 – 10pm, Bluebell Place, 2 Quay Street, Bristol, BS1 2JL. Sign up here.

Tuesday 9th

Join Bristol Walk Fest for a walk around Bristol’s historical docks. Get fit and take in the beautiful surroundings on a walk that’s suitable for all. Meet at the statue outside Central Library on College Green, 10:30am. Visit the Walk Fest website or contact Ben or Cynthia by calling 0117 9145 498.

Golden Key is running a workshop to help people learn practical tools to help them through anxiety and depression. 12pm – 2pm, Lawrence Weston Youth Centre, Long Cross, Bristol, BS11 0RX. Call 0117 9166551 for details.

ACE (Assertive Contact & Engagement) is running a workshop to help community groups learn more about how to support people with mental health problems. 9.30am – 12pm, Filton Avenue Primary School, Lockleaze Road, Bristol, BS7 9RP. Contact Letty on letty.anderton@cassbristol.org if you would like to attend.

Wellbeing Arts – Join in at this relaxed and friendly art session, led by an experienced artist, focused on creativity and wellbeing. Come along to explore and develop your creativity and learn new skills at your own pace. No previous experience necessary. 9.30am – 11.30am, Horfield Health Centre, Lockleaze Road, Bristol, BS7 9RR. Visit www.wellbeingarts.org.uk to book.

Bristol Wellbeing College is running a workshop looking at what confidence is, what we think characterises confidence and how we can improve our own. The workshop will look at our comfort zones and the relationship this has with confidence. Booking required, please call 0117 914 5498. 2pm, The Station, Silver Street, Broadmead, Bristol, BS1 2AG.

Wednesday 10th

Take part in an activity trail at Blaise Castle in an event that’s fun for all the family. Clues will be hidden at 8 points of interest around the site, encouraging you to take in your surroundings and enjoy the moment. 4pm – 6pm, Blaise Castle.

HHEAG and Positive Minds are running a Survive & Thrive coffee morning at the Roundhouse in Hartcliffe. Have a look at the new healing garden, try your hand at some whittling and plant some seeds to take away with you. 10.30am – 1pm. Through the green gates, next to 119 Crosscombe Drive, Hartcliffe, Bristol, BS13 0DA. Contact Helen on 0788 066 1239.

Recovery Café at the Lawrence Weston Baptist Church. Sometimes just relaxing with like-minded people can help your wellbeing. Meet the Recovery College team and try taster exercises from the Recovery College courses over coffee and cake. 9.30am – 12pm. Long Cross, Lawrence Weston, Bristol, BS11 0LU. Contact joanne.ambition@gmail.com

You can also join the Recovery College in North Bristol for their workshop ‘Ways to Wellbeing’ that will help you improve your mental health and wellbeing with 5 simple and practical tools for your everyday life. 2pm – 4.30pm, The Greenway Centre, Doncaster Road, Southmead, Bristol, BS10 5PY. Visit www.second-step.co.uk/recovery-college for more information and to sign up.

An Audience with Will Self. One of the UK’s leading authors, broadcasters and journalists, Will Self will be discussing mental health and homelessness and taking part in a Q&A session while raising money for the SOS Bristol Campaign. Visit their website to purchase tickets which are £10 each.

Getting back into being active – Come along to Glencoyne Square, Southmead, to find out how! You’ll get the chance to try out Walking Netball and Walking Football, a great way to get back into sport or activity if it’s been a while! 11am – 3pm. Find out more at www.themead.org.uk.

Junction 3 library will be running a Health Fair from 2pm – 4pm. Find out more about health groups/charities in the local area with stalls and information. Lower Ashley Road, Bristol, BS5 0FJ

There will be a stall of mental health information available at Bedminster library. Drop by and learn about support services in the local area with CASS Networker Natalie.

The Female Empowerment Network is running a panel discussion about the pressures women face to ‘do it all’ while maintaining good mental health. Submit your questions and join in the discussion. 6.30 – 9pm. The Kitchen, The Station, Silver Street, Broadmead, Bristol, BS1 2AG. Book your tickets here.

Thursday 11th

Come and learn more about how to look after your mental health and access local support services. Displays of information will be available in the Central Library foyer all week.

Did you know about the new reading aloud for wellbeing project, Bristol Shares Reading? These sessions are free to attend, so why not come along to relax and enjoy being read to and join in the conversations about what is being read? All reading material is provided, as are tea and biscuits. A taster session will take place at Bristol Central Library between 10:30am and 2pm.

Young people can take advantage of books from the shelf help scheme which offer help to cope better with pressures of life. These books have been chosen by young people and health experts and are available at all Bristol Libraries. A full book list can be found here: www.reading-well.org.uk/shelfhelp www.reading-well.org.uk/shelfhelp

Bristol is a UNESCO Learning City, which recognises the power of learning to transform lives, communities, organisations and the city. For more information visit www.bristollearningcity.com

Bristol Wellbeing College starts its three-week course on Coping With Anxiety exploring common causes of anxiety and some simple techniques to help relieve the symptoms of anxiety. Classes are kept small so please call 0117 914 5498 to book a place. 2pm, the RNIB Centre, 10 Stillhouse Lane, Bristol, BS3 4EB.

Friday 12th

Join in with a Give and Get session featuring Helpfulpeeps at the Galleries shopping centre. Find out how you can receive free practical help in the areas of the legal advice, cooking, technology, friendship, arts, languages, pet walking, house sitting and much more. all help is given free of charge – there’s no transaction or exchange, just good old-fashioned community help! If you have skills that would benefit someone in your community, why not come along and sign up to become a Helpfulpeep, or get involved in the 20 Acts of Kindness activity! 10am – 2pm, Galleries ground floor.

LifeCycle UK  is celebrating Mental Health Awareness week with a bike ride from Bristol to Priors wood to look at the bluebells. This is part of their Bike Minded Project – they run free, friendly and relaxed group cycle rides for anyone who wants to improve their well-being. Fresh air, socialise and exercise with a supportive group of cyclists! Find out more at lifecycleuk.org.uk/wellbeing. 10am – 2pm. Contact 0117 353 4580.

Saturday 13th

Feel Good Day in Henbury & Brentry. Come and join them in Barnard Park Library and Community Centre on Crow Lane for lots of fun health & wellbeing activities for the whole family. 10am – 4pm. Call Wendy on 07933155091 for details.

Viv Gordon presents an engaging theatre production I Am Joan at Circomedia. A woman finds hope after trauma by connecting with famous Joans through history – Joan of Arc, Joan Collins, Joan Jett – and learns about resilience and self-belief. 14+ only, 7.30 – 8.30pm, Circomedia, St Pauls Church, Portland Square, Bristol, BS2 8SJ. Book tickets here.

Other

Avonmouth-based Marina Morris is delivering free personal development courses for local residents in Lawrence Weston and the surrounding area. For Mental Health Awareness week her courses will be promoted through a Lawrence Weston-wide exhibition of artwork. Paintings will be exhibited at community venues across Lawrence Weston 8 – 14th May. 

How do you make time for yourself? Check out CASS’s display of community profiles at Horfield library and hear how local people relax and unwind in their busy lives. The project is about celebrating things that are good for our wellbeing and ensuring that we make time for them in our lives. Hear from people across North Bristol and be inspired!

Arts4Change will be running an interactive exhibition at Cabot Circus all through the week featuring artwork by people with experience of homelessness. The project is aimed at giving disadvantaged sections of the community the chance to gain confidence, develop skills and feel valued. Join the conversation at any time during the week.

Changes Bristol are running a Survive or Thrive art exhibition at the Vestibules, City Hall, College Green throughout the week. Visit their Facebook page for the latest updates.