Mental Health Awareness Week Stories of Kindness
The theme of Mental Health Awareness Week (18-24 May) is kindness. To celebrate the everyday kindness in our communities, we have put together some stories of kindness from around Cheshire during the Coronavirus outbreak.
Kindness from the local refuse collector
A story from a Healthwatch Cheshire volunteer:
“I had put out my Apple iPad to be recycled as it had stopped working for months, I was unable to recharge it. I returned from a brief journey to find my iPad perched against my front door.
There was no note with it or any suggestion as to who had put it there. When I plugged it in it worked perfectly. I could not believe it. So I went through my CCTV at the front of my house, and low and behold, it was the refuse collection man knocking at my door (I was out) then leaving the iPad against the front door fully working!
He had taken it out of the green bin, took it home and repaired it, how fantastic is that?! As you might imagine I was overwhelmed and made my thanks known at the top of the tree – this man did this to help me cope during Covid-19, he knows I have Mental Health issues.”
Sunflower seeds in Willington
Sue, a Healthwatch volunteer, has reported that people in Willington have set up a community support service to assist vulnerable residents. The volunteers have acquired over 1000 sunflower seeds which they will plant to bring an abundance of colour to aid mental health in their community.
Mid Cheshire Mind
Mind are currently working with over 250 people across Cheshire. They have daily videos of walks through nature and this is combined with a mindfulness session that anyone can watch. People who are shielding have found this very enjoyable as they get to see more of the world, improving their wellbeing. They are also doing tea and talk sessions and quiet zones on Zoom where they introduce sleep and meditation techniques. They have also dropped off buckets and seeds to the houses of those who are shielding to promote gardening and wellbeing. They have made this into a competition. To find out more, visit Mind.
Delivering tablets to keep people connected
Healthwatch Cheshire staff have supported Hinderton Mount Care Home in Neston and Telford Court in Crewe with reducing isolation by providing Android tablets to the care home. The staff at the home say the tablets help residents to keep in touch with family and friends on a regular basis.
Chatter and Natter
Storyhouse in Chester are continuing to offer support over the phone during lockdown. They understand that people are feeling very lonely and socially isolated, and are offering regular Chatter and Natter calls with members of their staff for anyone who is missing life’s little chats – supporting people’s positive mental wellbeing.
Free Body Shop Products in Winnington for Local NHS Staff
The local Body Shop at Home provider in Winnington, Northwich, who is also a member of Cheshire Police support staff, has been giving some hand creams and chocolates to local NHS staff in Winnington, following donations from her customers.
Twiddle Muffs
A volunteer kindly provided Healthwatch Cheshire with 8 Twiddle Muffs. We are going to place them into a number of care homes car
ing for residents with dementia across Cheshire. Already, Healthwatch Cheshire have dropped off a Twiddle Muff at Telford Court in Crewe and will this week drop off more throughout Cheshire East and Cheshire West.
The Nightingales Choir
The Nightingales Choir at Mid Cheshire Hospital Trust have continued to offer their support to staff throughout the Coronavirus Crisis by sending a Zoom Message to staff and by purchasing items from the Mid Cheshire Hospitals Charity Amazon Wish List to send comfort gifts to their staff.
Mid Cheshire Hospitals Trust
Mid Cheshire Hospitals surprised a small number of staff with compassion awards for regularly going above and beyond to celebrate International Nurses Day on 12th May. For updated information on Mid Cheshire Hospitals visit our page here.
Be Kind to Your Mind
A new campaign has been launched across Cheshire and Merseyside with people urged to be kind to their minds during the Coronavirus outbreak. The ‘Kind to your mind’ campaign will promote the new ALMA wellbeing website, an online portal with a suite of mental and physical wellbeing resources, that has been exclusively developed by Cheshire and Merseyside for Cheshire and Merseyside residents and workers.