This annual event is hosted by the Mental Health Foundation and takes place 9-15 May 2022.
This year’s theme is Loneliness which is something we can all feel at times but when it continues or affects our daily lives it can have an impact on our mental health.
Loneliness is not about the number of friends you have or how much time we spend on our own. Loneliness is the difference between the social connections we have and those we need or want. Some people enjoy spending time on their own and some feel lonely in the company of others.
Loneliness has been a particular problem over the last 2 years, when many of us have been stuck at home during the pandemic and unable to meet up with family, friends or go into work leaving us feeling isolated. Even since restrictions have lifted it has been hard for many people to reconnect with others.
However, there are some practical steps we can take;
- Talk about your feelings with a friend or family member
- Practice mindfulness
- Walk in nature
- Volunteer
- Join a social group
It can sometimes be too much to talk to people close to you, but support is out there. developmentplus has a number of projects that support people who are feeling lonely or isolated;
The team at Better Together supports people to improve their personal health and wellbeing through one to one support. They also have a number of social activities including gardening, cooking, art and mindfulness.
We have two men’s group; The Pitch hosts a variety of activities including playing pool, boardgames, quizzes along with outings such as bowling and visits to local places of interest. The guys that attend the Men’s Group enjoy a whole variety of artistic activities including film making, art, music and tech as well as a Dropbox music project. Both project provide an opportunity for men to get together to make new friendships and connections.
The Feel Good Project is a 12 week course using mindfulness based techniques including meditation, and 
mindful walking with the aim of improving participants mental and health and wellbeing. The course is held on Zoom and face to face along with fortnightly social catch ups at a local coffee shop for a chat and support.
As you can see, we have a number of projects that might help anyone feeling lonely or isolated. If you would like to know more take a look at our Current Projects page here on the website.
You can also contact the office to find out more about the individual projects;
E enquiries@developmentplus.org.uk
M 07508292808
