mENTAL HEALTH nON-PROFIT
We are a non-profit organisation promoting activities for mental wellness. Our purpose is to prevent social exclusion and promote social inclusion.
We strengthen members of the group and the community through supporting, developing and empowering people with mental health issues. |
Overview
We are a non-profit voluntary organisation aiming to improve mental health and wellbeing by providing activities that offer mutual support and good times.
We meet every Thursday from 10:00am until 3:00pm in a local church hall and offer a variety of activities to our service users; including Tai Chi, games, quiz, sewing, craft work and table tennis. We also provide a safe and non-judgemental environment in which our service users if they choose to, are able to chat, listen to music and socialise in the company of others.
The group has been running for two years and we have an average attendance of about 30 service users. Some of our service users are initially accompanied by their support workers or carers until they are able to attend on their own. Speakers are invited in accordance with the needs of service users. There are facilities for service users to have individual sessions with their support workers. A light lunch is provided for a reasonable charge.
The group is run by dedicated volunteers mostly retired, from a variety of professional backgrounds. We also have at present two volunteers who were previously service users and we hope to recruit more service users as volunteers in the future.
From the time of setting up the group we have established links with our local health and mental health services and groups that provide a similar service to ours in other parts of the city. As a result we have been able to learn from each other and share clients as we operate on different days.
Due to their mental health issues and the stigma associated with this our service users often struggle to find a safe space other than their own home to feel welcome and express themselves as well as build their confidence. We have learnt from them that remaining at home and not venturing out can lead to depression and/or exacerbate their mental health issues as well as long term and chronic health issues.
The St Denys Activity Group therefore strives to be welcoming and safe and allowing service users to self-determine in terms of how they wish to spend their time. We do however provide some encouragement for them to try out the activities that are on offer.
We meet every Thursday from 10:00am until 3:00pm in a local church hall and offer a variety of activities to our service users; including Tai Chi, games, quiz, sewing, craft work and table tennis. We also provide a safe and non-judgemental environment in which our service users if they choose to, are able to chat, listen to music and socialise in the company of others.
The group has been running for two years and we have an average attendance of about 30 service users. Some of our service users are initially accompanied by their support workers or carers until they are able to attend on their own. Speakers are invited in accordance with the needs of service users. There are facilities for service users to have individual sessions with their support workers. A light lunch is provided for a reasonable charge.
The group is run by dedicated volunteers mostly retired, from a variety of professional backgrounds. We also have at present two volunteers who were previously service users and we hope to recruit more service users as volunteers in the future.
From the time of setting up the group we have established links with our local health and mental health services and groups that provide a similar service to ours in other parts of the city. As a result we have been able to learn from each other and share clients as we operate on different days.
Due to their mental health issues and the stigma associated with this our service users often struggle to find a safe space other than their own home to feel welcome and express themselves as well as build their confidence. We have learnt from them that remaining at home and not venturing out can lead to depression and/or exacerbate their mental health issues as well as long term and chronic health issues.
The St Denys Activity Group therefore strives to be welcoming and safe and allowing service users to self-determine in terms of how they wish to spend their time. We do however provide some encouragement for them to try out the activities that are on offer.
Main Objectives
'Improving mental health and wellbeing'
- To provide a safe place where people with mental health issues can come and just ‘be’
- Support people to make well informed choices about their lives
- Prepare people to cope, manage and improve their own mental health
- Improve understanding of mental health and of the experiences of people with mental ill-health
- Facilitate access to activities which are fulfilling and identified by the members
- Provide safe and stimulating activities when people are most vulnerable
- Provide a secure place for relevant agencies (social care, mental health services, education and recreational) to support the members of the group in a secure environment
We are open:
Thursday 11AM – 2:30PM
Priory Road Hall, 65 Priory Road, St Deny's, SO17 2JQ
Tel: 07399 877141
Priory Road Hall, 65 Priory Road, St Deny's, SO17 2JQ
Tel: 07399 877141