Mental health enables people to cope with everyday life. Our mental health is important to handle stress, ability to learn, work, and contribute to our community. It’s an integral part of health and well-being and impacts the ability to make decisions, build relationships and can shape the world we live in. Having positive mental health or access to resources to help improve our mental health should be a basic human right as it impacts us personally, socially, our community and our development.
Each person has different degrees of difficulty and distress. People may have disorders and psychosocial disabilities or experience significant distress, impairment in functioning, suicidal thoughts, or self-harm.
It is essential that we all work together to destigmatise conversations around mental health, creating a safe place for all individuals to feel empowered to seek help without the fear of judgment or discrimination.
World Bipolar Day is on 30th March 2024. Bipolar UK is a great organisation that provides peer support services to empower people affected by bipolar to live well. Learn more about their services here.
Healthwatch Wandsworth has written a report on mental health and homelessness which shares the community in Wandsworth stories and lived experiences of mental health and homelessness and much more.
Read the report.
Resources:
Wandsworth Wellbeing Hub: This is a great resource sharing various health and wellbeing services in the Wandsworth Borough.
To learn more click here.
Portus: This organisation is a safe space for understanding self-harm allowing young people to get the right support to help with the difficulties they are facing.
Learn more here.
Ethnicity and Mental Health Improvement Project(EMHIP): Is an attempt to reduce ethnic inequalities in access, experience and outcome of mental health care.
Learn more here.
Mind: Mind in Brent, Wandsworth and Westminster. Mind works in the community to provide support, advice and information to empower anyone who may be experiencing a mental health problem.
Learn more.
Sound Minds: They are a charity helping improve the lives of people who are overcoming mental health issues, particularly from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.
Learn more.
Events:
Wandsworth Warm Spaces: They offer sanctuary to those struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. Learn more here. 
Walk Wandsworth: An event hosted by Enable offering a free walk led by volunteers, guiding and encouraging people to build up their physical activity at a pace that suits them. Learn more here.
Home Instead, Sunflower Café: A café that runs every Wednesday from 2-4pm. A free and friendly informal group for over 65’s and their carers to enjoy tea, cakes, and activities. Learn more.
Do you have more resources to share on this article on mental health? Email communications@wandcareall.org.uk so we can share resources and support one another.