The theme of this year’s Mental Health Foundation campaign is loneliness and, across the country, people will be reflecting on loneliness and how it impacts their mental health.
A series of activities are taking place in Wolverhampton next week and residents are being encouraged to get involved and find out about the support available locally for those who are experiencing loneliness or have any other concerns about their mental health and wellbeing.
The City of Wolverhampton Council's Community Support Service is inviting people along to its Talking Points Tea and Chat session, designed to enable participants to build meaningful connections with other members of the community, which is taking place at Central Library from 10am to noon on Monday (9 May).
People will have the opportunity to meet a range of service providers who will be in attendance at a special exhibition taking place in the Mander Centre from 10am to 3pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (10 to 12 May).
Starfish social hub will be holding creative writing workshops at Penn Library from 10am to 11.30am and Warstones Library from 2pm to 3.30pm on Thursday (12 May), with participants able to explore how making new connections with others can benefit their mental health. To book a place, please email jennifer.lees@wolverhampton.gov.uk.
On Friday 13 May, Head 4 Health is hosting a Tea and Toast drop in for like minded people to meet one another. It takes place at The Mews, Shaw Road, WV14 9PU from 9.30am to 11.30am. There will also be a scrabble and chess session for adults at Central Library on the same day from 2pm to 3.30pm; to book a place, please email jennifer.lees@wolverhampton.gov.uk.
Finally, the Black Country Healthcare NHS Trust is inviting people to meet service providers and explore the theme of loneliness. It is hosting two sessions, one on Monday (9 May) from 10am to noon (to register, visit Eventbrite-9 May) and a second on Wednesday (11 May) from 3pm to 5pm (to register, visit Eventbrite-11 May).
Meanwhile, people are encouraged to share their experiences of loneliness on social media using the hashtag #i’vebeenthere in order to help others.
John Denley, Wolverhampton’s Director of Public Health, said: “We know that loneliness is affecting an increasing number of people, not helped of course by the isolation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Reducing loneliness is a major step towards creating a mentally healthy society and so, during Mental Health Awareness Week, we are highlighting the impact loneliness can have on our mental wellbeing, and the practical steps we can take to address it.
"There are a range of events aimed at helping to lift people out of loneliness taking place throughout over the next few days, so please get involved.
“We also need to talk more about loneliness and so we’re calling on everyone who has struggled as a result of being lonely to share their experiences using the hashtag #i’vebeenthere.”
For more details please visit Mental Health Awareness. For details of local services which can support people facing loneliness or mental health issues, read our previous news story Talk about loneliness this Mental Health Awareness Week.
