BID announces Mental Health Awareness Week programme

As lockdown and the Covid-19 pandemic continues to have an impact on people’s mental health, this May, Colmore BID is launching a week-long programme of events for Mental Health Awareness Week with the aim of providing support and coping mechanisms to deal with anxieties.

Running 10-16 May, Business Improvement District, Colmore BID has partnered with experts from Birmingham based Wellbeing in Your Office to curate a programme of workshops, promoting mindfulness, meditation and positive mental health.

This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week follows the theme of nature, which research says through immersion, can have long lasting positive effects on mental health, as it is central to our psychological and emotional health.

The weeklong activities begin on Monday 10 May at 6pm with Mindfulness and Mental Health; a session that discusses the practical application of mindfulness and how it helps with improving mental health. The session will include meditation and practical takeaways that will help participants improve their mental wellbeing.

On Tuesday 11 May at 8am, start the day with Yoga and Mindfulness meditation, where participants will be encouraged to practice in their garden or local park (weather permitting) The session will finish with guided meditation utilising the sights, sounds and smells of the outdoor space you’re in.

Thursday 13 May at 12pm is a face-to-face session of Guided Outdoor Meditation in Church Street Square. Participants will be guided through a mindful meditation utilising the experiences within the outdoor environment. This will include both a sitting and walking meditation, where attendees will absorb the sounds, smells and sights of the area they are in.

The programme concludes on Friday 14 May at 12pm with Mindful Walking and Creative Writing. This session will start with a short introduction to Mindfulness and Mindful walking in nature. The instructor will then encourage participants to go outside and walk for 15 minutes and then return to the session where they will note and discuss each others experiences. People can use their experiences as part of the creative writing session.

Michele Wilby, CEO of Colmore BID, said: “Covid-19’s impact on the population’s mental health may not be as visible as the physical symptoms, however that does not make it any less serious. Anxieties caused by financial concerns, unemployment, isolation or even bereavement have seen a dramatic increase during lockdown.

“By working with leading mental health experts, we hope that our programme for Mental Health Awareness Week will provide participants with the tools and techniques to either identify signs of anxiety or in some cases help manage them. If, as an employer, you are unsure of how to support your team, we’d urge you to speak to the experts to see what practices could be put into place.Zach Fairbanks, Co-Founder of Wellbeing in your Office, said: “We are very excited to be providing some wonderful sessions for Mental Health Awareness week. We have created sessions that involve movement and mindfulness and bringing this into the context of this year’s theme – Nature.”

Timetable

Monday 10 May
6pm
Mindfulness and Mental Health
Book Here

Tuesday 11 May
8am
Yoga and Mindfulness
Book Here

Thursday 13 May
12pm
Guided Outdoor Meditation
Book Here

Friday 14 May
12pm
Mindful Walking and Creative Writing
Book Here