Your September newsletter from A Better Medway

All the latest from A Better Medway can be found below, including Stoptober information.

New mental health campaign coming soon

Medway is supporting the launch of a major new nationwide campaign this October.

Mental health issues can affect any of us, at any time in our lives.

Sometimes, if a problem with our mental health doesn’t go away, we might need to talk to our GP, but sometimes there are simple things we can do to take control and improve our wellbeing.

We are excited to support a major new mental health campaign, Every Mind Matters, which will be launching on Monday, 7 October.

The new campaign will help everyone discover simple steps to achieving good mental health and will be available on the A Better Medway website.

 

Split up with smoking this Stoptober

Gillingham resident Keith Anderson had just finished his cigarette when he felt a terrible pain in his chest.

Fortunately Keith made a full recovery following his heart attack, but it was the turning point he needed to give up smoking.

We’ll be sharing Keith’s quit story on our Twitter and Facebook page, along with motivation and tips on how to stay smoke-free this Stoptober. Keith is just one of 1,428 residents who gave up smoking with our help in 2018/19.

Residents wanting to give up smoking can choose from a mix of services:

• traditional face-to-face sessions with one of our advisers,
• a free app called My Quit Route,
• a free text message service, or
• a video call with one of our stop smoking advisors from the comfort of your own home or while you’re on the go.

If you or someone you know is thinking of giving up smoking this Stoptober, visit quit.abettermedway.co.uk to find out how we can support you.

 

Time to Change Medway Hub funding available

The Time to Change Medway Hub launched this summer and is a partnership of organisations who are working together to end mental health stigma in Medway.

The hub will be distributing £10,000 through the Bright Ideas fund to activities that allow conversations around mental health to take place.

The hub has a particular focus on targeting men, as men are less likely than women to seek help with their mental health and more likely to commit suicide.

The hub is supported by Medway Council and Porchlight, working in partnership with local voluntary sector organisations such as The Sunlight Trust, North Kent Mind, MEGAN CIC, Nucleus Arts and Medway Diversity Forum.

Find out about the Bright Ideas fund and application process.

This month, find us at…

Kent Construction Expo 

Thursday, 3 October
9am–4pm, Kent Event Centre, Kent Showground, Detling

We’ll be talking to businesses about how they can embed good mental health and wellbeing in their work place practices, from support with writing a mental health strategy, to free resources for HR and line managers to support their staff better.

 

Take a seat and have a natter on our chatty bench

As part of our campaign to tackle loneliness in Medway, A Better Medway Together, we are launching a chatty bench. The bench will be a place to sit and chat, to meet new people and make friends. The bench has been handmade by the brilliant Men in Sheds team and will be making its debut at the Kent Construction Expo on Thursday, 3 October, before touring Medway during October and November. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for future bench dates and locations. 

 

 

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