Look after your mental health, combat loneliness, flu vaccine and getting outside this half term

You don’t need to wait until you’re struggling with your mental health. There are lots of things you can do to protect yourself and others and prevent problems escalating, just as we do with our physical health.

From better sleep to volunteering, visit the livewell site to find out how you can improve your mental health.

As part of this, we have partnered with local community group Walk & Talk 4 Men, to hold the biggest simultaneous men’s walk across the district on Sunday 17th November at 10am in Great Notley, Witham and Halstead. For more information, keep your eyes peeled on our social media in the coming weeks!

Let’s connect our community with kindness

We have created a Chat a While bench in Braintree town centre, outside Natwest Bank on the high street. The idea is to sit here if you feel lonely and somebody will hopefully join you to chat. We’ll be rolling this out across the district if it proves successful.

Essex County Council has launched a campaign called United in Kind to help make Essex the friendliest county in the UK. United in Kind is a countywide awareness campaign highlighting the issue of loneliness.

Anyone of any age or background could at some point in their life feel lonely and this campaign encourages us to carry out small acts of kindness. It may be something as simple as speaking with your next door neighbour or saying good morning to someone as you pass them in the street.

To find out more about the campaign visit United in Kind.

One year of Meet up Mondays

Our first Meet up Monday venue, Coffee House in the Gardens (formerly Cool Beans), has a celebrated a year of being a Meet up Mondays venue. Check out our video where we talk to owner Rachel McMillan and regular visitors about how the first year has been.

Meet up Mondays are a chance for people to get out and socialise with other people from the district over a free tea or coffee.

Whether you’d like to attend a Meet up Monday in your area or sign your business up to the scheme, find out more here.

Have you booked your flu vaccine?

It feels like summer is certainly over and winter is on its way, and with it comes flu season.

If you are pregnant, over 65, have a long term health condition, work as a carer or within the health or social care frontline you’re entitled to a free flu vaccine from the NHS. Young children are also eligible and can have the vaccine administered through a nasal spray. Book your vaccine now – October to November is the key time to get the vaccine.

Flu vaccine is the best protection we have against an unpredictable virus that can cause unpleasant illness in children and severe illness and death among at-risk groups, including older people, pregnant women and those with an underlying medical health condition. Find out everything you need to know here.

Our Space

With half term coming up, we wanted to remind you of the Our Space scheme which aims to encourage residents to make the most of our green spaces and country parks. You can borrow free games equipment such as footballs, rugby balls, rounders, cricket, skipping ropes, tennis and more to play with – the perfect excuse to get outside and enjoy these spaces (weather permitting!).

You can pick up equipment from Braintree Library, Halstead Library and the Wagon & Horses in Great Yeldham.

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