Preston Wellfest – World Mental Health Day 2019
Preston Wellfest – for World Mental Health Day 2019
World Mental Health Day is on 10 October. Working together, local healthcare organisations, charities and peer-led mental health groups planned Preston’s first Wellfest in 2019 at the Harris.
The aim was for the day to be led by people who have experience of a mental health challenge. It was also felt important for a public organisation like the Harris to talk publicly about mental health as a way of reducing stigma and raising awareness.
The day began with bacon butties and a game of table football in our Chatty Café led by local peer-support group Dadsnet. Visitors could also have an informal chat to advisors from debt, housing and welfare services in the Chatty Café, and there was support on hand from Mental Health First Aiders and the Samaritans.
- In our Children’s Space there was a special focus on family wellbeing – with perinatal health specialists on hand to talk to parents and fun creative activities for all ages.
- Big White Wall – an online mental health community – came to the Harris to ‘bring the wall to life’ asking everyone to share tips for living well.
- Mindsmatter offered free workshops on relaxation and positive psychology. And Be Bliss Yoga gave classes on ‘sneaky yoga’ – gentle stretches to do when standing at the bus stop or sitting in a boring meeting at work. There were also lots of drop-in creative activities led by specialists in art therapy.
- In a private discussion area people with experience of mental health challenges, addiction issues, and overcoming thoughts of suicide shared their stories.
- The day finished with performances by local choirs of uplifting songs.
- The day was featured widely in the media – especially by Rock FM who extensively covered Preston’s first mental health festival.
- It also resulted in a 50% increase in visitors. For example, on a regular Thursday our visitors are around 1,000. On Thursday 10 October this figure increased to 1,585.
Some quotes from our partners:
“This was the first time, in my experience, in Preston, that such a variety of different organisation around mental health were brought together all in one room, with one vision. We need to celebrate that and sustain and develop it. As a small charity we talk to so many different organisations.”
“I was really struck by how many people were willing to share deeply personal stuff with someone just because they were wearing a badge saying ‘here to help and listen’. I think that says a lot about need and isolation.”
Partners who were involved on the day include the following, who have now formed into Preston Wellfest Community Network:
Addaction; Art & Mind Group; Big White Wall; Dadsnet; Chatty Café network; Community Gateway; Green Close Arts; Happy Daze Support Group; Homestart Lancashire; The Harris; The Haven; Inspire; Lancashire and South Cumbria Foundation Trust; Lancashire County Council Public Health & Community Projects Teams; Lancashire Recovery College; Lancashire Libraries; Lancashire Mind; Lancashire Women; Let’s Grow Preston; Men Hear; Mental Health Learning; Mindsmatter; Mood: Mums United Movement; Notes to Preston; Our Lancashire; Peer Talk Preston; Positive Futures; Preston Clinical Commissioning Group; Preston Samaritans; Preston City Council Community Engagement; Red Rose Recovery; Release into Victory Adult Support for CSA; UCLAN Mental Health & Wellbeing Teams – along with many local people who have experienced mental health challenges.
