Participating in Mental Health Awareness Week
Last week (9-15th May) our team got together to raise money and awareness for Mental Health Awareness Week, a national event hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, in its 22nd year. Altogether Access staff raised £289 for Mental Health UK!
This year, the theme for the week was ‘Loneliness’. Across the country, people reflected on the impact of loneliness on our mental health. Long-term loneliness is closely linked to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. The Mental Health Foundation has produced a report that looks into those links. This includes case studies of different people who are more likely to experience severe and enduring loneliness. The report also shares coping mechanisms and ways to address the barriers to connection if we want to reduce the impact of loneliness on our mental health.
During the week, we had an office bake sale, a “wear something green” day, virtual coffee and a Friday quiz to round off the week and complete our fundraising week for Mental Health UK, just one of many organisations seeking to tackle the issue of mental health. You can find out more about their work across the UK here.