Tomorrow (9 May) is the start of Mental Health Awareness Week, originally created by the Mental Health Foundation. It is an annual event providing the opportunity for us all to focus on working towards good mental health, as well as encouraging people to seek support when needed.
This year's theme is loneliness, something which can impact us all, and can be a challenging emotion to navigate. The Mental Health Foundation report found that loneliness is affecting more and more of us, and that it has had a huge impact on our physical and mental health. We recognise that reducing loneliness is an important step in developing a mentally healthy society.
Looking after our mental health is particularly important during the exams and assessments period. Led by our Wellbeing department during Mental Health Awareness Week, we will be providing ideas and opportunities for you to take short breaks from your study to refresh and re-connect with others. On Tuesday (10 May), from 2-4pm in the Large Boardroom, Founder's West, we will be running a 'Look After Your Mate' workshop, which aims to empower students to support friends experiencing mental health difficulties. On Wednesday (11 May) there will be a drop in event in the Davison building from 11am-3pm where you will be able to meet staff from Wellbeing and CeDAS to participate in short activities and taster sessions, such as understanding anxiety, mindfulness, yoga breathing and singing. You can find all the details of the sessions here.
Helen Groenendaal
Head of Wellbeing