Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Adults Mental Health Support

News

2024

March 2024 - Rural Mental Health Support YANA Launches Live Helpline +

YANA, the rural mental health and suicide prevention charity in East Anglia, is excited to announce the launch of its new live helpline which aims to provide immediate support to individuals and remove the barrier of leaving a message.

YANA

Starting from Monday, March 18th, the helpline will be active every Monday to Friday between 10am and 1pm. During these hours, callers will have the opportunity to speak directly to YANA's trained and experienced helpline team. 

Additionally, YANA recognises the importance of accessibility and ensuring their helpline is available outside of these hours. To achieve this, the helpline will continue to provide support through their team of dedicated helpline callers with its callback system.

Henry Kilvert, Chair of trustees tells us “The aim for the YANA Helpline is to reach as many people as possible. By making it more accessible we believe more people will contact us to receive the support we provide.”

Over the last three years, YANA has witnessed a significant increase of 216% in the number of requests for help through its helpline. This highlights the importance of providing a neutral space for individuals to talk about their struggles and seek professional help where it is needed.

YANA remains committed to improving the quality of life and, at times, even saving lives through their mental health and suicide prevention support and training efforts.

The live helpline is available from 18th March, Monday to Friday from 10am to 1pm. You can reach YANA’s help by calling 0300 323 0400 or emailing helpline@yanahelp.org

February 2024 - Volunteer Cambs Launch a New Website +

A new website has been launched by Support Cambridgeshire, promoting exciting opportuVolunteer Cambsnities for residents of Cambridgeshire to explore volunteering near them.

Whether you have 10 minutes to spare or 10 hours, in a few clicks you can be matched with an organisation or group in the community which inspires you to make your mark, expand on the skills you already have, discover new ones, unlock your potential or create lasting friendships with like-minded people.

All you need to do is visit the Volunteer Cambs website at volunteercambs.org.uk, create an account and hey presto! At the click of a button, you can find the ideal cause to support right on your doorstep.

"Volunteering is not just about helping others”, say the creators of the new volunteer matchmaking service – “it’s also about what they’ll get in return. This includes a sense of purpose, wonderful experiences, and a whole lot of thanks from the causes they are helping”

Volunteer Cambs works by asking organisations and groups to load up their opportunities and profiles directly so there’s always something new for a volunteer to look at every time they visit the site. And the good causes who are promoting their work benefit by having a continuous stream of potential volunteers.

The website has also had backing from the Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough. Speaking about the launch of Volunteer Cambs, Dr, Nik Johnson said: "The role of volunteers in supporting our local communities is crucial, and it’s always humbling to see the efforts of our residents who give up their time and skills to support the causes that are important to them. I'm hugely excited about the impact the Volunteer Cambs portal is set to make in matching volunteers with the organisations that need them - and am proud to see our region leading the charge and shining an even brighter light on the importance of volunteering and making connections like never before."

An enquiry form featured on the website will help groups and volunteers match up, contact each other, and there is even a chat function for those who want to dip their toe in first. Would be volunteers can search for opportunities by location if transport is an issue, for instance, or by topics that match their skill set and interests.

Mark Freeman, CEO at Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service, Volunteer Cambs lead partner continued: “Volunteers benefit from knowing they can make a real positive difference and have a strong impact on their local area. And anyone can volunteer, you could be retired, a skilled professional, a student, a family who want to volunteer together, or even a corporate team. Sharing talents with others connects all of us in a really special way and can boost our mental health and well-being too by helping us to feel valued, knowing that what we do as volunteers is appreciated and respected.” 

The Volunteer Cambs team will be out and about across in Cambridgeshire over the coming year. You can also keep an eye on the site for more information and inspiring stories and photographs of great volunteer/group matches transforming lives and raising awareness of the value, impact and importance they’re having in their local area. 

To find out how you can match your precious time to local good causes visit volunteercambs.org.uk. It all starts with one act of kindness.

February 2024 - Big Sleep Outs 2024! +

Peterborough

The Light Project are excited to launch a Big Sleep Out event which will take place on Friday 8th March 2024 at Peterborough United’s football stadium. This event will give participants an insight into what homeless people experience every night.

By taking part, you’ll make a big difference in increasing awareness of homelessness as well as raising vital funds to help those who are in desperate need within Peterborough.

The Sleep Out will also be supported and organised with the Posh Foundation who are passionate about helping those who are homeless or sleeping rough within the city. Funds raised will be split between the two charities. 

Click here to register and raise money for a very important cause.

Cambridge

Wintercomfort for the Homeless and Cambridge United Foundation are once again joining forces to create their biggest and best sleepout event yet! 

Join us at the Abbey Stadium on Friday 1st March and sleep away from the comfort of your bed for just one night. A small act that can raise awareness of the challenges people who are homeless face every day.

Click here to register and raise money for a very important cause.

January 2024 - Recovery College East Wellbeing Hub New Winter Timetable +

RCE timetable posterThe Recovery College East Wellbeing Hub has a new timetable schedule for January - March, with sessions running online and face to face. 

They have some new courses included in their timetable:

  • Let’s Talk About…OCD
  • Living Well With OCD - 1 session
  • Identifying Identity - 2 sessions
  • Let’s Talk About Mental Health
  • Men’s Mental Health
  • Making Every Penny Count

For course descriptions please see their full Information pack! To enrol for these FREE courses simply visit their website here and click the ‘Apply now’ button.

If you have already registered as a student with them please drop them an email at RCEWellbeingHub@cpft.nhs.uk to book your places on these courses.

2023 +


December 2023  +

Illuminate Charity Sessions +

Here is a run down of Illuminate Charitie’s free online sessions open to anyone 18 and over, unemployed, out of work or taking a break from work for any reason.

December Sessions

 Self-Care & Wellbeing online – 13th December 10.30 to 12.00

Movement improvement with Fay includes gentle breathing, stretches plus more to improve your health & happiness. Suitable for all mobilities and abilities. 

  A special one-off; Beat the Christmas Holiday Stress online - 14 December 10.30am to 12.00pm

A welcoming and interactive pre-Christmas online session with Maria looking at how we can get through the holiday period. Maria will share self-care tools, information on stress and the brain plus ways we can remain resilient through Christmas or any holiday or significant period.

 January 2024 Sessions

 Is Imposter Syndrome a Mindset? online – 16th January 10.00 to 12.00 

Vikki is back and if you’ve missed the last one, do book in as this is final one for Illuminate. What is imposter syndrome and how we can manage or even dismiss it. Vikki will share her experience, research and strategies to manage the imposter syndrome.

Self-Care & Wellbeing online – 17th January 10.30 to 12.00

Movement improvement with Fay includes gentle breathing, stretches plus more to improve your health & happiness. Suitable for all mobilities and abilities. 

Find Your Values and Build your Boundaries online – 25th January 10.30 to 12.00

Led by Maria, a step-by-step session to identify your values and see how they help you become clear with your boundaries. Boundaries are crucial in protecting you from burnout and nurturing your wellbeing. 

Stress Less with Jeremy online – 31st January 12.00 to 1.30

Jeremy will be sharing his knowledge and expertise on managing stress. This includes sharing quick tools and activities that you can use straight away. In this upbeat managing stress session we explore good stress / bad stress and defining resilience. 

To apply for any of the above and read more pop over here and choose your course or session 

Carers Event from the East of England Association of Adult Directors of Social Services (ADASS)  +

The East of England Association of Adult Directors of Social Services (ADASS) would like to welcome all carers, carers organisations, and commissioners to our FREE yearly online Carer’s event.

The day will be facilitated by Simon Stockton and a carer in the East of England, Sherone Phillips who is also a National Voices Trustee. The event is themed around the importance of “listening and responding to the needs of unpaid carers”.

Date:          24th January 2024

Time:          9:50 to 14:35

Location:   MS Teams – it is an online event

How to join:         Book conference here

What will you gain from the day:

  • Meet like minded people over a cup of tea
  • Opportunity to listen and have a sing along with a choir (you don’t have to join in if you don’t want to)
  • Hear about the success and challenges across the East and what it is like for carers, carers organisations and local authority commissioners
  • Hear from several key speakers including people who are accessing care and support or who have experience of being a carer.
    e.g., NHSE Peer Leadership Programme, Mobilise, “Together Matters”
  • Hear about examples of engagement work happening in local authorities across the East
  • Help to influence and shape the work of the East of England Carers Network across the next year.

Who is the event for?

This event is for people who are caring for loved ones as well as those who are working with and supporting informal carers.

Why come along?

We’d like to provide an opportunity for people to share their experience and to help influence the work of the region which will in turn also improve local delivery.

Recording of the day

We will not record the day, but we intend to provide some graphics which explain the key messages from the event, the presentations from the day and we will also undertake an evaluation so we can learn and improve our events going forward. All material can be used in local work and shared.

Final comments

We will make sure you can break away from your computer when you need to and will give everyone the opportunity to have their say if they wish to contribute to the day.

Please come along, if you find once online, the event is not for you, then please feed that back. If you don’t come along, you won’t know what you are missing!

If you have any queries, please email Jayne Cole, Events Manager, East of England LGA, email; events@eelga.gov.uk 

November 2023  +

Healthy You Free Training  +

Healthy You have some free upcoming training dates. Our training sessions are suitable for any health professional or individual who supports the public to improve their health and wellbeing. You can book onto any of their training offers here: Everyone Health - Booking by Book when.

Full Mental Health First Aider courses:

9th and 11th January at Eaton Socon, St Neots

30th January and 1st February, Online

20th and 22nd February at Pinnacle House, Peterborough

18th and 20th March, Online

Making Every Contact Count (MECC Lite)

8th January, Online

If you have any questions, please Healthy You us at; eh.trainingcp@healthyyou.org.uk

Help shape the future of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough's mental health information and support website by coming along to our workshops! +

Keep Your Head Refresh workshop banner poster

Recently we asked for your feedback on what you would like to see from the refresh of the Keep-Your-Head.com website, and now we've heard your experiences of using the website, we'd like to invite you to come along to some workshops we're holding so we look at how you would like the new website to look!

We're holding two workshops with the help of The SUN Network at the Maple Centre in Huntingdon on the:

We're holding a workshop for healthcare professionals online on the:

We're holding a workshop for teachers and school professionals online on the:

If you would like to come along to a workshop, you can sign up here: bit.ly/KYHWorkshops


Please fill out this survey and help us refresh the keep-your-head.com website! +

Keep Your Head Refresh social media post - An image promoting a survey where people can have their say and shape the future of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough’s mental health website Keep Your Head

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough’s flagship mental health signposting and support website (keep-your-head.com) has been active since 2016, providing reliable advice and signposting to mental health support available both locally and across the country.  The site is very popular and has thousands of hits every month with the number constantly growing. The need for a trusted local guide to find out about different mental health symptoms and illnesses and where to go to find services has never been greater.  

To help shape this refresh project, mental health leads in Cambridgeshire & Peterborough are eager to learn from all residents about their current preferences for accessing mental health information and support. They are interested in knowing where people would look for advice and support on mental health symptoms and illnesses, and how they would find out about what mental health services are available in their area and nationally.

Here is the link to the survey: bit.ly/KYHSurvey

Here is the QR Code:Keep Your Head Refresh QR Code

The survey will take no more than 10 minutes of your time. If you would prefer to share your views over the phone instead, kindly contact victoria.morton@sunnetwork.org.uk before 30th July 2023 to arrange a time and date to take part.

Your feedback will inform the refresh of the Keep-Your-Head.com website and enable the team to develop an improved all-age, single point of access mental health website, with advice, information and signposting to mental health services and support in the region and highlight recent updates, changes and useful activities.

Cambridge Community Arts Spring Courses +

Cambridgeshire Community Arts logoCambridge Community Arts have a range of 8-week short courses that start the week of the 29th January 2024 with a half-term break from the 19th-23rd February and then ending the week of the 25th March 2024. 

The following courses are available:

For more information about the courses please visit the Cambridge Community Arts website here.

If you'd like to apply for a course please click here.

Illuminate November Courses +

Illuminate have an update on their sessions and events for November including a free in-person workshop morning in Cambridge at the end of November. All below are free to those 18 and over, out of work, in between jobs, or unemployed.

Illuminate logoFind Your Values and Build your Boundaries online – 7th November 10.30 to 12.00

Led by Maria a step-by-step session to identify your values and see how they help you become clear with your boundaries. Boundaries are crucial in protecting you from burnout and nurturing your wellbeing.

Self-Care & Wellbeing online – 8th November 10.30 to 12.00

Fay Durrant shares her movement improvement techniques, gentle breathing, stretches, self-massage techniques, plus more to improve your health & happiness. Suitable for all mobilities and abilities. 

Is Imposter Syndrome a Mindset online – 13th November 10.00 to 12.00

Is imposter syndrome a mindset? What if it is and we can conquer it by changing our mindset? What if our feelings of anxiety and low confidence because of imposter syndrome can ease… or even end? An exploration with Vikki Pratley and what we can do about it with ease.

Self Confidence Inside and Out online – 14th November 10.30 to 12.00

An introduction to understanding the elements that contribute to self-confidence with Maria. She will look at the impact of our body language and non-verbal clues on others and more importantly on ourselves. The benefits of being an introvert and insights into managing our self-doubt.

Goals to raise your Confidence and Resilience online – 21st November 10.30 to 12.00

An introduction with Maria, looking at definitions of resilience and importantly how you can nurture it through setting goals that gently stretch you to build confidence. You will finish this session with more understanding and insights into what makes you resilient.

*In person event*  Confidence Check-In with Maria – 28th November, Cambridge City Centre 10.30 to 12.30

Join Maria for an enjoyable morning to remind you or introduce you to the fundamentals of building self-confidence without having to change your personality or be someone you are not. Maria will take you through step by step and cover topics such as managing self-doubt, body language, introvert and extrovert myths and mindset.

Stress Less online – 29th November 12.00 to 1.30

Jeremy will be sharing his knowledge and expertise on managing stress. This includes sharing quick tools and activities that you can use straight away. In this upbeat managing stress session, we explore - Good stress / bad stress, stress signature, universal factors that lead to stress, and defining resilience. 

To apply for any of the above pop over here and choose your course or session 

Any queries regarding the application process please contact their chief office manager - jane@illuminatecharity.org.uk

Join their monthly course news mailing list - Please contact Jane to be added to their mailing list. You will be updated monthly and be the first to know about their courses and online sessions - jane@illuminatecharity.org.uk

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October 2023  +

Recovery College East Wellbeing Hub Timetable  +

Recovery College East has a new timetable schedule for their November and December sessions which are running online and face to face at their Peterborough and Cambridge Hubs. 

For course descriptions please see their full Information pack! To enrol for these FREE courses simply visit their website and click the ‘Apply now’ button. If you have already registered as a student with them please drop them an email at RCEWellbeingHub@cpft.nhs.uk to book your places on these courses.

RCE timetable

It All Counts – stay hydrated and healthy - resources for carers  +

It all counts poster

Staying hydrated is so important for your health and wellbeing. It can help prevent constipation, urine infections, headaches and other illnesses.

In August of this year, a new NHS campaign, ‘It All Counts’, was launched with aims to raise awareness of the importance of hydration, in particular in those over the age 65 living in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Following the successful launch of this campaign, a new page has been added for carers and other healthcare professionals with a wide range of resources around staying hydrated and healthy. Find out more about the resources available online at www.cpics.org.uk/hydration.

World Mental Health Day  +

World Mental Health Day

The 10th October is #WorldMentalHealthDay, and is a day to talk about mental health and talk about why mental health matters. It's also a day where we let people know that it's okay to ask for help, no matter what you're going through.

This years theme is all about protecting, promoting, and respecting good mental health in your home, school or workplace.

September 2023  +

New Creative Programme in Cambourne! +

Natural Cambourne FlyerArts and Minds is a small arts and health charity, working to support the positive mental health of individuals and communities across Cambridgeshire. This new initiative is being run in collaboration with Cambourne Library.

Natural Cambourne is an exciting new programme launching in November, aiming to bring residents together to meet new people and explore the village through arts-based activities. Using locally foraged materials, texts, imagery and books, participants will use nature as an anchor point as they create connections.

With nature as a communal anchor point, feel more connected to where you are - create art using natural and locally foraged materials, text, imagery and books. Natural Cambourne is running on Thursdays 11.00 to 12.30 at Cambourne Library. No previous experience needed and no need to book - just drop in! Join as many sessions as you like - it’s FREE!

  • A Sense of Place - 2nd November - create a zine using natural inks, poetry and mindful patterns.
  • Read the Landscape - 9th November - create a tapestry from text, local foliage and repurposed fabric.
  • The Magic of Natural Inks - 16th November - slow painting using inks made from local natural materials.
  • Your Memory of Place - 23rd November - logging your memories of nature in concertina books with natural ink.
  • Contemplate and Connect - 30th November - reflect while weaving a paper tapestry.
  • Self Portraits - 7th December - use nature as a lens in your collaged self portrait.

Contact Arts and Minds through admin@artsandminds.org.uk or you can go to their website www.artsandminds.org.uk.

August 2023  +

It All Counts – stay hydrated and healthy +

It All Counts Logo

Staying hydrated is so important for your health and wellbeing. It can help prevent constipation, urine infections, headaches and other illnesses.

A new NHS campaign, ‘It All Counts’, aims to raise awareness of the importance of hydration, in particular in those over the age 65 living in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. 

Staying hydrated isn’t just about drinking water. Hot drinks, fruit juices, even bowls of soup and other fluid rich foods such as yoghurts, jelly, ice lollies and some pieces of fruit can all help keep you hydrated – it all counts.

So whether that is having a glass of juice at breakfast, extra milk on your cereal, having soup or a yoghurt with your lunch or enjoying an ice lolly whilst out in the garden – all of these drinks or fluid rich foods can help keep you hydrated throughout the day.

The recommended minimum amount of fluid intake for an adult is between 1,600 and 2,000 mls (3-3.5 pints) which is around eight glasses or mugs of fluid per day. All fluids count apart from alcohol, which can actually cause dehydration.

For those taking regular medicine, it’s important to take with a full glass of water to help wash them down and ensure they are absorbed as intended. Always ask your pharmacist for advice if you are unsure on how you should take your medicine.

Find out more about the importance of good hydration online at www.cpics.org.uk/it-all-counts

Results Day +

Whatever the result! A level results day banner

Well Done …whatever the result!

It’s exam results time again and many young people across Cambridgeshire & Peterborough will be receiving their GCSE, B-Tec and A-Level exam results.  Many will have struggled through their exams with the legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns interrupting their school learning.

This year we have produced a dedicated page on our local mental health information website www.Keep-Your-Head.com. The page is aimed at young people receiving their exam results, and is packed full of advice, support and information for young people during this challenging time in their lives. 

Not all young people will receive the exam results they hoped for, but let’s remind those young people we care for, they should be proud of how hard they’ve worked whatever their result. Journeys in life frequently change course and things don't always go to plan, but to remember today is just the beginning of an exciting journey, whatever the route.

Support available:

KYH Children and Young People logo

Keep Your Head website provides information on mental health and wellbeing support and local services available for young people and adults across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.



Spread the word | Shout 85258 SHOUT text line - The UK's national 24/7 text service for anyone in crisis. Get free, confidential mental health support anytime, anywhere. Text 'SHOUT' to 85258.


Qwell & Kooth Support Families in Knowsley - Peregrinate School Qwell and Kooth - Free online wellbeing services offering chat-based counselling, peer support and self-help. qwell.io – for ages 18+ www.kooth.com – for ages 11-25.


ChatHealth : Hampshire Healthy Families Chat Health Text Line - 07480 635 443 (open Monday - Friday  9.30-4pm) - Run by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Healthy Child Programme and is a secure and confidential text messaging service for young people aged 11-19 across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who are struggling with a range of health issues.


National Careers Service gave me so much more than just ...

CAREERS ADVICE - The National Careers Service have advice on their website and a helpline you can call on 0800 100 900. They also offer a free call back service via the website.

July 2023  +

NHS launches new Specialist Gambling Services for the East of England +

The East of England Gambling Service is free and run by the NHS. Whether you are affected by your own gambling or someone else's, you are welcome to go and talk to them. They offer support to individuals and families experiencing the negative impact of gambling. It can feel difficult to reach out for help, and this may be the first time you have, but they want you to know that you are welcome there. Their team is made up of lived experience peer support workers, psychologists, therapists, nurses and psychiatrists.

What they offer:

  • An assessment to help them understand how they can help you
  • Specialist Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
  • ools and techniques to help you stop gambling
  • Couple and family therapy
  • Individual support for family members
  • Psychiatric reviews
  • Support from people who have gone through/are going through it too

Whether they see you individually or as a family/support network, they can meet with you online or face-to-face. In some cases, they may work alongside other services involved in your care to ensure you receive the most appropriate help and support.

Who can access the service?

They support adults aged 18 and over, individually, as a couple, or as a family who want to change the impact gambling is having on them. They cover the East of England including Bedfordshire; Luton and Milton Keynes, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; Hertfordshire and West Essex; Mid and South Essex; Norfolk and Waveney; Suffolk and North East Essex.

They accept referrals from:

  • Individuals experiencing problems with their own gambling
  • Individuals experiencing problems as a results of someone gambling
  • Professionals

You can refer yourself or others by filling out the online referral here. For more information you can email the service on cnwl.eofegambling@nhs.net or call them on 01908 724287

You can view the service poster here and you can request the poster in other languages by contacting communications.cnwl@nhs.net

National Patient Safety Alert – potent synthetic opioids +

Red Drug Alert With BellWe have been sent a National Patient Safety Alert in respect of an elevated number of overdoses (with some deaths) in people who use drugs, primarily heroin, in many parts of the country.  Testing in some of these cases has found nitazenes, a group of potent synthetic opioids.

Please be aware of the increased risk associated with, in particular heroin and poly substance use, and be sure to check the steps below to reduce or mitigate risks at this time.

The below harm reduction advice applies:

  • Don’t use alone, always have someone with you.
  • Go low and slow – take less than you normally would and wait before continuing.
  • Smoke heroin rather than inject.
  • Have a naloxone kit to hand.
  • Don’t use heroin with other depressants – Particularly avoid consuming other depressants such as alcohol, pregabalin, gabapentin or other opiates – These can amplify the risk of respiratory arrest.
  • Be ready to call for help – urgent medical intervention may make all the difference.

Naloxone should be made widely available and is effective against synthetic opioid overdose. Due to the increased potency of synthetic opioids repeated administration may be required.

More detail on specific advice and guidance can be found @ Fentanyl: preparing for a future threat – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) which applies equally to other synthetic opioids.

Please share local intel and report any concerns through to Joe Keegan joseph.keegan@cambridgeshire.gov.uk or Susie Talbot Susie.Talbot@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

New campaign launches to help older people ‘Feel Brighter’ by seeking NHS Talking Therapies +

Are you 65 or older and feel like life is less colourful than it used to be? If you haven’t been feeling yourself, don’t suffer in silence.

Feel Brighter Campaign image with an older woman smiling‘Feel Brighter’ is a new NHS campaign that aims to encourage older people aged 65 and over in Cambridgeshire & Peterborough who have symptoms such as anxiety, loneliness, or low mood to reach out and access free NHS Talking Therapies and other local support to help them feel brighter again.

NHS Talking Therapies are effective treatments that involve speaking with an experienced mental health professional to understand feelings and learn ways to manage them. Sessions are totally confidential and can be one-to-one, in a group, online, or over the phone.

To find out more, simply visit the Feel Brighter webpage at www.cpics.org.uk/feel-brighter for more information about NHS Talking Therapies, other support available, and how to refer yourself.

Dr Emma Tiffin, GP and Clinical Mental Health Lead at the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Integrated Care System said: “We know that older people can think feeling low or anxious is just part of the ageing process, but if you haven’t been feeling yourself don’t suffer in silence, there is a wide range of help and support available locally.

“We want our older population to enjoy life to the full, so if you or someone you know is struggling with mental health symptoms like anxiety, loneliness and low mood, do reach out because sometimes a professional listening ear is all it takes to turn things around.

Deborah Lloyd, 79, from Milton near Cambridge took part in NHS Talking Therapies. Mrs Lloyd, had suffered from anxiety for several years. She had tried medication, but it didn’t have the impact she wanted so her GP referred her to NHS Talking Therapies.

Mrs Lloyd said: “The therapy and support I received have made me more active. The talking therapies helped me to change my behaviours when faced with certain situations. It gave me mechanisms to cope and how to act with situations that would previously have been an issue. It’s much more manageable now and I feel comfort from knowing that the service exists.”

A 67-year-old man said: “The treatment has lifted me so much so, that I don’t seem to have as many bad moods.  Talking about my symptoms really helped me to be stronger and I am now at the point where I feel I can deal with things better.”

The campaign also aims to reach out to family, friends and carers of an older person, who hasn’t been feeling themselves recently and would benefit from accessing free support like NHS Talking Therapies.

All the information that older people aged 65 and over need is available on the campaign website www.cpics.org.uk/feel-brighter, or they can call this number to make an initial referral: Tel 0300 300 0055. Phone lines are available 9am-4pm, Monday to Friday (closed on Bank Holidays).

May 2023  +

Rethink Mental Health and Families Workshops +

Rethink Mental Health and Families posterRethink are holding a course with two workshops on mental health and families to give people a chance to improve their skills in supporting family members with mental health conditions.

The workshops will be held at Storey's Field Centre, Eddington Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 1AA.

Session 1: Tuesday 23rd May 2023, 2pm - 5pm
Learning from Professionals
Presentations by:
• Dr Emilio Fernandez Consultant Psychiatrist Psychosis Service CPFT
• Dr Pamela Peters Consultant Psychiatrist Personality Disorder Community Service CPFT

Session 2: Monday 12th June 2023, 2pm - 5pm
Learning from Each Other
Presentation by Jonathan Wells Rethink Carer Support.
Sharing our expertise in small groups.

For the families and friends of people with mental health conditions. People with mental health conditions, other carers and professionals also welcome.

Free event. Refreshments included.
To find out more or book contact
Jonathan Wells Rethink Carer Support
Call 07342 691768
Email jfgwells57@gmail.com


February 2023  +

Eating Disorder Awareness Week +

If you're struggling with eating and/or body image challenges it can be difficult to reach out for some support, but there are lots of people who want to help you.

When considering who to talk to about any concerns you might have with food, eating, your weight or shape, it is important to find someone you can trust and who can listen to you without judgement. This might be a teacher, a friend, a colleague, or a family member. You might also want to talk to a healthcare professional such as a GP. Choosing a time when you don't feel rushed can be important, and perhaps avoiding mealtimes or other potentially difficult times can be helpful too. 

Here are some helpful phrases and conversation starters:

  • ‘I am struggling with…’ 
  • ‘I am finding things hard …’ 
  • ‘I think I need help…’  
  • ‘I am worried that I am not coping, can I talk to you…’ 
  • ‘Have you got some time for me to talk about something I’m going through…’ 
  • ‘I am not feeling myself at the moment. Can I talk to you?’ 
  • ‘…I’m actually not fine’ – you don’t have too always be ok 

    You can ask someone to come to an appointment with you.

    Helpful things to know:

    • People may not understand or react how you’d hope or expect. Try not to let this put you off. Try someone else. Trust someone will listen  
    • Their reactions are about them and their understanding, it is not about you. It depends on their mental state and capacity at the time but does not mean they will never understand, listen or be there

    For more helpful advice and information on support you can reach out to click here.

    You can also hear stories from people who have lived experiences of eating disorders here. This eating disorder awareness week has a focus on eating disorders and men, and we spoke to Adam about his experience of an eating disorder and stigma which you can view below. You can listen to all of Adams story here.

    For more information and advice around eating challenges please see our eating disorders section.

    2022 +

    New Domestic Abuse Outreach Service from 1 October

    Survivors of domestic abuse across Cambridgeshire will be able to access a new countywide support service from 1 October.

    Following a procurement exercise, Cambridgeshire County Council has commissioned IMPAKT Housing and Support to provide a countywide mobile advocacy/outreach service offering a range of support to victims and survivors.

    The new Domestic Abuse Support Service (DASS) will work in a trauma informed way to understand the needs and wishes of the individual and develop appropriate support and safety plans. DASS will offer support with issues around home security to help survivors remain safely in their own homes where appropriate, accessing benefits and signposting or referral to specialist services such as legal representation, mental health and substance misuse. DASS will also be offering drop-in services in partnership with other specialist services across the county.

    Survivors can self-refer to the confidential service by: Email: DASSreferrals@IMPAKT.org.uk

    A freephone number will be available soon, in the meantime please use 01234 264109

    Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Partnership have information on their website to support victims/survivors, friends and family and professionals www.cambsdasv.org.uk


    Good Life Fund

    The Good Life Fund will open again on the 4th of April offering grants of up to £500 pounds for groups of people in the community to start a group, club, activity or create an event that connects people while learning something new together for positive mental health.

    You can watch our information video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3HrFZfT6l0

    2021 +

     CPSL Mind GoodLife Service

    As part of our Good Life Service, we offer a number of community initiatives aimed at encouraging community connectivity and increasing wellbeing skills.

    These ordinarily take place in cafes and other locations at the heart of our communities. However, we are now bringing these directly to you to participate in from home using Zoom video calls.

    You can sign up to join the virtual sessions detailed below by emailing us at goodlife@cpslmind.org.uk  or calling us on 0300 303 4363.

    We’ll then send you a private link and password which you can use to safely and securely join.

    Virtual Good Mood Cafes

    Good Mood cafes are informal ‘get togethers’ designed to connect individuals to other like-minded people within their communities; offer wellbeing support and share interests and skills.

    We hope to connect people who live in the same district and begin to build a community online that eventually will migrate back into their local Good Mood Cafe and continue to connect in person.

    We’ll have a cuppa and chat and while it’s okay not to be okay, we hope that by joining you’ll feel a bit better than you did before you came:

    Virtual Open Door calm space

    Our Open Door calm spaces offer somewhere to turn if you’re looking for a bit of space and tranquillity.

    These sessions offer guidance on self-help techniques which can help you to ‘ground yourself’ and feel better – both in that moment and in the future.

    Join in, relax and connect with others looking to develop their wellbeing practices:

    Virtual Peer Support Groups

    There are currently spaces available on a number of our Peer Support Groups, which we’re currently hosting online, including our Hearing Voices group, Five Ways to Wellbeing and Personality Disorder groups. 

    Qwell – Online Wellbeing Support

    Adults in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough can now sign up to Qwell – a free online support and wellbeing community – as part of our Good Life Service.

    You can join Qwell immediately and anonymously through any connected device to gain access to the following support:

    Chat based counselling

    Counsellors are available on Qwell between 12pm and 10pm on weekdays and between 6pm and 10pm on weekends. You can either drop in to a chat queue or book a specific time slot for a future date.

    Online peer support

    Qwell’s moderated online forums provide a strong community, offering advice and support.

    You can join to start your own topics or be there for others who are already looking for support.

    Self-help resources

    You have the option of keeping your own, confidential online journal to track your mood.

    There is also the opportunity to set and track your own goals to support your recovery or maintain your wellbeing.

    Visit https://www.qwell.io/ to sign up and login.

    Coming soon

    We are happy to communicate that the following will be offered in the near future:

    • Peer mentor training
    • Anger management workshops
    • The GoodLife fund (this will be an opportunity for individuals to apply for a small grant of money in order to set up your own community group.)
    • Tool kit cafes- a chance to build and create your own recovery and wellbeing toolkit within a group setting.
    • A personality disorder specific support service.

    Good Life Service- Group Programme                                              

    MONDAY

    TUESDAY

    WEDNESDAY

    THURSDAY

    FRIDAY

    Personality Disorder

    Support Group – Wisbech

    (11:00am till 12:30pm,

    Fortnightly)

    Good Mood Café – South

    Cambridgeshire

    (10:00am till 11:00am,

    Weekly)

    Good Mood Café – City

    (10:00am till 11:00am,

    Weekly)

     

    Good Mood Café –

    Cambourne(10:00am till

    11:00am, Weekly)Good 

     

    Personality Disorder

    Support Group –

    Peterborough (11:00am till

    12:30pm, Fortnightly)

    Personality Disorder

    Support Group – Cambridge

    (1:00pm till 2:30pm,

    Fortnightly)

     

    Good Mood Café –

    Cambourne

    (10:30am till 11:30am,

    Weekly)

    Personality Disorder

    Support Group – Cambridge

    (11:00am till 12:30pm,

    Fortnightly)

    Fives Ways to Wellbeing

    Support Group – St Neots

    (11:30am till 1:00pm,

    Fortnightly)

    Personality Disorder

    Support Group – Ely

    (11:30am till 1:30pm,

    Fortnightly)

     

    Fives Ways to Wellbeing

    Support Group – Cambridge

    (1:00pm till 2:30pm,

    Fortnightly)

    Personality Disorder

    Support Group –

    Huntingdon (11:00am till

    12:30pm, Fortnightly)

    Hearing Voices Support

    Group – Huntingdon

    (1:00pm till 2:30pm,

    Fortnightly)

    Personality Disorder

    Support Group – St

    Neots(12:30pm till 2:00pm

    Fortnightly)

     

    Fives Ways to Wellbeing

    Support Group – Ely

    (11:30am till 1:00pm,

    Fortnightly)

    Good Mood Café – Huntingdon

    (3:00pm till 4:00pm, Weekly)

     

    Fives Ways to Wellbeing

    Support Group –

    Huntingdon (11:00am till

    12:30pm, Fortnightly) 

    CURRENTLY ON HOLD 

    Open Door Calm Space

    (2:30pm till 3:30pm, Weekly)

     

    Personality Disorder

    Support Group –

    Peterborough (1:30pm till

    3:00pm, Fortnightly)

     

    Good Mood Café – Fenland

    (1:00pm till 2:00pm Weekly)

     

     

    Hearing Voices Support

    Group – Cambridge

    (2:30pm till 3:30pm, Weekly)

     

    Good Mood Café – East

    Cambridgeshire

    (3:00pm till 4:00pm, Weekly)

    Personality Disorder

    Support Group – Sawston

    (2:30pm till 4:00pm,

    Fortnightly)

     

    Hearing Voices Support

    Group – Peterborough

    (1:30pm till 3:0pm,

    Fortnightly)

     

     

     

    Hearing Voices Support Group – Wisbech (2:00pm till 3:30pm, Fortnightly)

    CURRENTLY ON HOLD

    Fives Ways to Wellbeing

    Support Group –

    Peterborough (11:00am till

    12:30pm, Fortnightly)

     

     

     

     Good Mood Café – Peterborough 

    (3:00pm till 4:00pm, Weekly)

    Hearing Voices Evening

    Support Group – Countywide (7pm-8pm)

     

    •  To see more information please visit our website www.cpslmind.org.uk , call us on 0300 303 43 63 or email us at goodlife@cpslmind.org.uk All groups are currently running online via Zoom.

    2020 +

    Now we’re talking - coming together in isolation

    Organisations across the county have joined forces to launch a wellbeing campaign and additional mental health support for people during the coronavirus outbreak.

    ‘Now We’re Talking’, encourages people to get talking to combat loneliness whilst self-isolating, and to seek help if they are struggling with their mental health.

    The campaign, led by the local authority, NHS and third sector also directs people to increased mental health support available including:

    • Lifeline Plus - a mental health and wellbeing helpline for people aged 18 and over living in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, is available Monday-Friday between 9am and 2pm via freephone 0808 808 2121. The line will support people to manage their wellbeing, provide self-help advice or signpost to other organisations for particular concerns.

    7 days a week, between 2pm and 11pm the same number is Lifeline, managed by Lifecraft who provide support for those in mental health distress: 0808 808 2121.

    • Qwell - an online wellbeing support, including educational and self-help articles and peer-topeer support via forums. Adults are also able to receive help from qualified counsellors via dropin or scheduled online chat sessions. qwell.io

    • Keep Your Head – this website brings together all the mental health support available across the county - www.keep-your-head.com/now

     

    Dr Liz Robin, Director of Public Health at Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “Local people are making a huge contribution by following the government’s instruction to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives. But we recognise these measures mean that nearly all of us will have made changes to our daily routines, and many of us may be experiencing uncertainty, anxiety, or stress.

    “Maintaining our mental health and wellbeing is incredibly important, especially at times like this. So taking time to call a friend or family member, and talking about the way that we feel, and some of the things that we may be worried about will help”.

     

    Aly Anderson, CEO of CPSL Mind adds: “Recognising the power of talking, charities and services have partnered to develop a new helpline during coronavirus. We will provide a listening ear for people to share how they are feeling or issues they are facing right now. We will support people to manage their wellbeing, learn self-help skills or to access other support for particular concerns; such as bereavement, employment or those that are caring for others.”

     

    Tracy Dowling, Chief Executive at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is a challenging time for everyone, and this campaign highlights how we can all look after our mental health and each other. CPFT continues to provide specialist mental health support for those who require further help. In the current climate we’ve had to adapt our services and are already offering video consultations rather than face-to-face appointments where appropriate. We have also increased the support in our crisis services to ensure people who need urgent help can access it quickly.”

     

    The campaign is led by Cambridgeshire County Council, Peterborough City Council, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group and a number of charities including Cambridgeshire Peterborough and South Lincolnshire Mind, and Lifecraft.

    The mental health campaign, Now We’re Talking, is supported by BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.


    Tuesday 7th April 2020

    Charities bring additional mental health and wellbeing support to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

    Two local mental health charities are responding to this time of incredible change and challenge for our communities. Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and South Lincolnshire (CPSL) Mind has launched an online wellbeing service and Lifecraft have extended the hours of their Lifeline mental health helpline.

    Adults in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are now able access a brand new free online mental health wellbeing service, Qwell, via the charity website www.CPSLMind.org.uk

    Individuals will be able to access a range of materials to support and assist them with their psychological wellbeing, including educational and self-help articles and peer-to-peer support via forums – with the option to contribute their own articles or forum entries.

    Adults are also able to receive help from qualified counsellors via drop-in or scheduled online chat sessions.

    Lifeline, the established confidential and anonymous mental health helpline has extended its hours of support by an extra five hours a day and is now available from 2pm onwards – 11pm on Freephone 0808 808 2121.

    For people that already face significant stresses in their lives, the level of anxiety can be difficult to contain in this environment and both charities are seeing increased levels of distress.

    “At CPSL Mind, our vision is a society in which everyone has positive mental health and feels part of a connected community – when Qwell was planned as part of our Good Life service we could not have imagined social distancing and dramatic changes impacting on the way we are currently living”, explains CPSL Mind CEO, Aly Anderson.

    “We are all adapting to the online environment to stay in touch. So connecting individuals with both each other and trained professional counsellors in safe, supportive online communities via Qwell will truly enhance the support on offer to our community.”

    Dr Lynne Green, XenZone’s Chief Clinical Officer says, “we encourage adults to use this service as a source of support during this difficult time. We would urge people not to wait until they are at crisis point before reaching out for help - we can provide support through the peaks and troughs but prevention is always the best way forward”. 

    By launching now as part of a countywide joined-up health response to the coronavirus crisis there will be a choice of additional mental health support which is as accessible as possible for everyone, regardless of their circumstances.

    Both services are available across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Gemma Barron, Chief Executive Officer of Lifecraft says, “We are really pleased to be able to further support residents at this time. Support and information to someone experiencing mental distress or anyone supporting someone in distress is hugely important, providing a listening ear alongside other partners and health services can only be a good thing particularly at this time”.


    Qwell, a new online addition to the Good Life Service that is now avaliable.

    To find out more please watch this short video presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxU6iFJDAvo

    CPSL MIND: "Qwell is a free, online support and wellbeing community for adults in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. By providing online support in addition to our community-based services, we are ensuring that mental health support is as accessible as possible for everyone regardless of their circumstances."


    Coronavirus Updates

    In these difficult times it can be hard and stressful trying to keep informed and connected with updates on the coronavirus, so Learning Disability England have put together a dedicated page on their website with up to date information that is easy to understand and read. You can go to their pages on the coronavirus by clicking here.

    Photosymbols have put together an easy to read and clear poster you can download here. And Inclusion North have also put together a clear document with everything you need to know about the coronavirus and how to stay safe which you can view and download here.

    Covid 19 poster


    Groundwork East LogoGet Outdoors; Get Active

    Taking time to enjoy green spaces and increase physical activity can have profound positive impacts on our physical health and mental wellbeing, but sometimes it may be difficult to find things to do or people to do them with. If you’re looking for ways to feel more relaxed and connected with nature and other people in your neighbourhood, then Groundwork East’s “Get Outdoors, Get Active” sessions might be a great place to start.

    Over 6 weeks, starting from 17th March we will be getting our hands dirty and enjoying time outdoors with others in the community to help rejuvenate green space in Whittlesey. If you would like to get involved, get in touch with Ashley (ashley.lydiate@groundwork.org.uk) for more information and to book your place.

    About Groundwork

    At Groundwork, we’re passionate about creating a future where every neighbourhood is vibrant and green, every community is strong and able to shape its own destiny and no-one is held back by their background or circumstances. We help people gain confidence and skills, get into training and work, protect and improve green spaces, lead more active lives and overcome significant challenges such as poverty, isolation, low skills and poor health.


    The popularity of walking versions of sports is growing and Living Sport are looking to help establish further opportunities across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough with local partners.

    As part of our strategic priority to increase physical activity levels amongst older people and help make sport and physical activity more accessible, Living Sport want to help develop a coaching workforce that is skilled and confident in helping those around 50+ be physically active. Walking Sports play an important element within the strategy.

    In partnership with the Governing Bodies of Sport, Living Sport are organising two walking sports activator workshops which are suitable for any organisation wanting to develop a walking sport offer within their setting. Walking Sports do not have the high impact or strenuous level of activity that standard versions of the same games require so are an ideal opportunity for people looking to return to sport, recover from injury or simply play the sport they loved at a slower pace.

    The activator courses will take place at the Hive Leisure Centre, Ely in March and April 2020.

    The courses would be suitable for ex players, sports coaches, community workers, health and social care workers and sports centre staff. The time will be spent getting a feel for the walking version of the sports, how to lead, enthuse and promote activity and deliver safe and enjoy sessions. This is not a coaching qualification. 

    For more info please visit the Living Sport website

     

    Sunday 1 March 2020

    Walking Cricket Activator Course in partnership with ECB

    Hive Leisure Centre, Ely

    10.30am-1.30pm

    Cost: £40

    Sunday 26 April 2020

    Walking Basketball Activator Course in partnership with Walking Basketball UK

    Hive Leisure Centre, Ely

    10.30am-1.30pm

    Cost: £40

    Please feel free to pass on this information to anyone you feel these courses might be of interest too.

    To compliment these Activator courses we have the Coaching Older People workshop, running on 19th May, 6.30-9.30pm at Milton Community Centre, Cambridge, if you haven’t yet booked your space book quickly, spaces are filling up. Information about the workshop can be found on our website were you can also book places. Cost is free for volunteers and £20 for any professional staff / paid coaches. If you are a volunteer or wish to book volunteers on please contact Tom Oliver for a discount code. If anybody has any questions then please contact Tom Oliver. If anyone wishes to book on both an Activator course and the Coaching Older People Workshop please contact Tom Oliver for a discounted price.



    ocd event


    Every Mind Matters logo

    Football activity with Heads Up - 3rd to 6th January 2020

    Since the successful launch of the Every Mind Matters campaign on the 7th October 2019. There have been over one million completions of “Your Mind Plan”, designed to help people deal with stress and anxiety, boost their mood, improve their sleep and help them feel more in control.

    This month Every Mind Matters are collaborating with the Heads Up campaign, a partnership between Heads Together and The FA, to harness the power of football and start the biggest ever conversation on mental health amongst the football community.

    As announced by The FA on 2nd December 2019, the kick-off of all Emirates FA Cup Third Round matches (4th - 6th January 2020) will be delayed by one minute. A new film narrated by His Royal Highness, The Duke of Cambridge will be played before the matches, encouraging football fans to ‘Take A Minute’ to start taking action to look after their mental health and that of their family and friends. The one minute film features famous faces from the world of football, including Frank Lampard, Harry Maguire and Alex Scott. 

    2019 +

    It was World Mental Health Day on the 10th October!

    It was a great day of fighting against the stigma around mental health challenges and coming together to help support one another. We took our stall to an event on the Friday in Peterborough where we had loads of meaningful conversations with people around the topic of suicide prevention and where you can go for support with your mental health. 

    Peterborough event board


    Every Mind Matters

    Public Health England launches ‘Every Mind Matters’, the first national NHS mental health campaign.

    We don’t need to wait until we are struggling with our mental health; there are lots of things we can do to protect ourselves and prevent problems escalating, just as we do with our physical health.
    The new Every Mind Matters campaign encourages adults to be more aware of their mental health and helps them to discover simple steps to look after their mental health and wellbeing.
    Every Mind Matters offers a range of useful resources that help spot the signs of common mental health concerns, provides practical self-care tips and guidance and, importantly, explains when to seek further support.
    It also has a free NHS-approved online tool on the Every Mind Matters website, which helps people build an action plan to deal with stress and anxiety, boost their mood, improve their sleep and help them feel more in control.

    To learn more about how to look after your mental health and create your own action plan, visit: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/

    Every Mind Matters


    Cambridge & Fenland Community Arts Creative Courses 2019/20 - there's still time to apply!

    Cambridge & Fenland Community Arts Creative Courses is still taking expressions of interest for their yearlong accredited programme, with courses starting w/c 9 Sept.  The programme and expression of interest form can be downloaded here, or submit online at https://www.camcommarts.org.uk/join-a-course.

    FENLAND - MUSIC FOR PERFORMANCE / DRAMA / DIGITAL ART & DESIGN

    CAMBRIDGE - MUSIC FOR PERFORMANCE / DRAMA / PHOTOGRAPHY / DIGITAL ART & DESIGN / DRAWING & MIXED MEDIA / MUSIC PRODUCTION

    Check out these short videos to find out more about our drama and music courses and for info on how to get involved and how we work, enabling people to improve their mental health using creativity – especially helpful if you missed meeting us at our Open Days!


    Psychological Well-being Service Virtual Reality Therapy

    OVR BBC Breakfast 21st May 2019 from Oxford VR on Vimeo.

    Here's a snippet about the therapy from the CPFT website: "The Psychological Wellbeing Service have added virtual reality (VR) to our digital therapies’ library.  This is state-of-the-art technology is currently being used for treatment of Height Phobia. We have partnered with a company called 'Oxford VR' to bring this ground-breaking technology into the service. VR treatment is based on a computer-generated environment which creates powerful simulations of real-life scenarios that trigger similar psychological and physiological responses as experienced by patients when distressed i.e. the mind and body behave as if it were real. Therefore, the lessons learned in VR are transferable to everyday life situations."

    Click here to read more..


    Recovery and Inclusion Contract Rentender

    As you may already be aware, CPSL Mind has just been awarded the county-wide Recovery and Inclusion contract funded by Cambridgeshire County Council, Peterborough City Council and Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

    This new service will replace several different contracts that are currently delivered by a number of different providers across the county. This includes the Wellbeing and Stepping Forward Services delivered by CPSL Mind; the Specialist Mental Health Home and Community Support Services delivered by CPSL Mind (Support2Recovery) and Metropolitan and some of the services currently provided by Lifecraft, Red 2 Green and Richmond Fellowship.

    Between now and the start of the new service on 2 September 2019, referrals into all of these services will be affected to some degree. Below we outline the current position on referrals to CPSL Mind services.  Please contact the other providers directly for information about their services between now and the new contract start date.

    CPSL Mind Referrals

    While, on the one hand, the new Recovery and Inclusion contract presents a unique opportunity to provide a new and exciting service across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, on the other it does mean that there will be changes in the way services are accessed and delivered both during and after the transition period.

    We hope to minimise any frustrations and/or concerns by communicating with our clients, staff and stakeholders on a regular basis and answering any questions in an open and honest way throughout this transition process.

    Please see information below on ‘next steps’ in relation to referrals into our existing Wellbeing Service, Stepping Forward and Specialist Mental Health Home and Community Support (Support2Recovery) clients.

    Next steps:  Specialist Mental Health Home and Community Support Referrals

    Individuals who are assessed as requiring specialist mental health care packages will continue to receive support as part of the new contract; though the way in which that support is delivered will change and develop over time.

    Between now and the start of the new service, new specialist mental health Home and Community Support referrals can still be made to CPSL Mind. However, it would be very helpful for us to have involvement at the assessment stage wherever possible, particularly during this transition period. Please contact either myself or Linda Leigh – Linda.leigh@cpslmind.org.uk – in the first instance

    Next steps: Wellbeing and Stepping Forward Services Referrals

    As from Monday 13 May, we will no longer be taking referrals for 1:1 support from the Wellbeing and Stepping Forward services. This is so that we can meet the 1:1 needs of those individuals already in service together with those on the current waiting list.

    However, we will still be taking referrals for our wellbeing workshops and peer support groups across the county and have recently increased the capacity of these aspects of the service. Please email us at wellbeing@cpslmind.org.uk or phone us at any of our three offices for more information:

    Cambridge

    01223 311320

    Peterborough

    01733 362900

    St Neots

    01480 470 480

    Further information

    Over the coming weeks we will be sending you more information about the new Recovery and Inclusion Service, usually by email.  We would be very grateful if you could cascade this and future emails so as to ensure that everyone receives this information in a timely way.

    We will also be arranging a number of stakeholder events to introduce the service in more detail and answer any questions. Details of these events will be sent by email, but will also be posted on our website – www.cpslmind.org.uk. Please note that for more information about CPSL Mind in general, you can also sign up for our E-bulletin via the website.

    We really appreciate your support in helping us to make this service transition as smooth as possible for everyone, so please do let us know if you have any questions or concerns either by contacting me direct on 01223 311320 or emailing me at hannah.turner@cpslmind.org.uk 

    Please note: Referrals into our IAPT service (Changing Lives), Perinatal Service and Sanctuary (via FRS 111 Option2) will continue unchanged.


    The Advancing Mental Health Equality Resource has now been published and is available to download from the Royal College of Psychiatrists website. The AMHE Resource was commissioned by NHS England to support delivery of the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health and the NHS Long Term Plan.

    The resource is a tool which outlines comprehensive and practical steps for commissioners and service providers to reduce inequalities in an achievable and measurable way. It provides detailed guidance and methods on how to identify and reduce inequalities related to mental health support, care and treatment. It will also support commissioners and service providers to evaluate and review their services, to measure the impact of changes and to identify areas for improvement.

    The AMHE Resource has been coproduced with a wide-range of stakeholders including experts by experience, ALBs, commissioners, providers and third sector organisations.

    For questions on the resource and accompanying appendices and helpful resources, please contact the Project Manager at Dominique.gardner@rcpsych.ac.uk.

    You can view and download the Advancing Mental Health Equality Resource here.


    Arts on prescription for adultsArts on Prescription are looking for people interested in Arts on Prescription at the Norris Museum in St Ives again - They start a new series on Wednesday 9th of January and I still have spaces. These are free art workshops for people with anxiety, depression or any other mental health problems. 

    They also have spaces on the rolling programmes of Arts on Prescription art workshops at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Cambridge from 1-3pm on Tuesdays, and at the Norris Museum in St Ives from 1-3pm on Wednesdays, both of which have funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to continue until July 2019.  They will run another ten week series of art workshops at Peterborough Museum from 3-5pm on Thursdays starting on 7th of February, as the pilot series at Peterborough Museum has gone really well with many positive responses written in evaluation, such as:

    'This course has brought me out of myself and given me something to look forward to each week.  I wish it could continue.'

    'I have loved it...  Thank you again for an inspiring and nurturing course.'

    If you would like to take part in one or more workshops please fill out a referral form here.


    physical vs mh

    BTS Anxiety

    BTS - Depression

    Personality Disorders stigma

    2018 +

    Ways to relax in 5 minutes

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    Anxiety Myths Blog Post Banner

    Ways to Sleep Better Blog Banner

    10 Self-care tips to try Banner

    BBC Radio Blog Banner

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