Coronavirus Support Update

Our Adapted Support at Rochdale and District Mind

We are facing a very difficult time as a nation and the need for support with mental health and wellbeing is heightened. We have always been a very hands-on organisation and we are having to review this approach entirely in response to the Coronavirus pandemic and look at how we support people in a different way. Rochdale and District Mind has supported the mental health and wellbeing of our communities for over 30 years, the passion and commitment we have as a team means we will not stop now.

In line with government advice, our offices have closed and we have suspended all our face to face and group activities. Our Compleat Cafes in Rochdale and Middleton have also closed and this has had an impact on funds coming into us.

Because of this, we have adapted how we work and how we deliver our services. Our Wellbeing Coordinators are in contact with all of our service users, checking in on them and seeing what help they need through this difficult time. Their feedback is invaluable and is helping us shape our future services so we can be there for our community in the most appropriate way possible.

The wellbeing of our colleagues and volunteers is important to us, we are working hard to ensure we remain connected and look after our wellbeing while working from home.

We understand that the current situation may be causing concern and anxiety for our communities, and we want to reassure them that we are changing how we deliver our services and we will continue to be there for them. 

How we have adapted our support

We are adapting to the situation not only to help people cope with the impact of the pandemic but also recognising the effects that this will have far into the future. We are planning this carefully by listening to the needs of our community and responding to them in the best way possible. We will continue to plan, review and revise our strategy to adapt to the community’s needs as they change.

Our face to face services have moved to telephone, email, messaging and video. Our Men’s and Women’s Support Groups, Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse Groups, Social Cafes, Living Life to the Full Courses and Yoga Classes are being delivered via telephone, messaging and video. We are creating podcasts for our Relaxation Classes and our Creative Writing Groups are continuing with their creativity by emailing their words each week.

We are preparing for increased demand in our mental health services within our community in the coming months and we welcome donations to help us fund this increase. We would also like to thank our community of donors, fundraisers, and volunteers, their passion to support us is truly valued and appreciated. Although many fundraising events have been cancelled, we will look forward to the future when we can work with our fundraisers on their journey with us.

In the meantime, there are fun ways to raise funds for us from home, from donating your commute money to creating isolation challenges like a sponsored run in your back garden! We have lots of ideas so please get in touch for a friendly chat.

We are still here for you 

We want to reassure everyone within Rochdale, Middleton and Heywood that although our offices are closed we are still very much here for them. It’s important to look out for one another, please check in with others, in a safe way, and if anyone is struggling with their mental health and wellbeing, please contact us. We have an online self-referral form here:

Self-referral

Our Information Line remains open during this difficult time and can be reached on 01706 752 338.

Further Online Support

We have created a dedicated page to provide up to date information throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, including ideas on how to support your wellbeing.

Read more

Below is further information from Mind and the Government that you may find useful:

Mind have useful information to help support your wellbeing during these difficult times:

Read more

Mind have guidance on mental health and work during the Coronavirus pandemic:

Read more

Mind have information for young people who are worried about Coronavirus:

read more

You can keep up-to-date with current government advice, published daily here: 

Read more

Author: Paula Hall
Posted on: 23rd March 2020

Women Only Wednesdays

Wednesdays are changing at Rochdale and District Mind…

From 1st April 2020 our Wednesdays will be known as Women Only Wednesdays.

Feeling safe is important. We are creating a safer and supportive space for anyone who identifies as female to access support with their mental health and wellbeing.

Women are more likely to have experienced abuse, in the forms of childhood sexual exploitation and domestic abuse.

• 20% of women have experienced some type of sexual assault since the age of 16.
• 3.1% of women (510,000) aged 16 to 59 had experienced a sexual assault in the last year. 
• 31% of young women aged 18-24 report having experienced sexual abuse in childhood (NSPCC, 2011).
• 26% of women have experienced some form of domestic abuse since the age of 16.

All of our current women’s groups will be held on Wednesdays. We will continue to offer all of our current services for males, with any appointments and support groups being held on other days of the week.

Help us spread our message, if you know a female who would like support with their mental health and wellbeing you can download our leaflet here:

Source: rapecrisis.org.uk/get-informed/about-sexual-violence/statistics-sexual-violence/

Author: Paula Hall
Posted on: 6th March 2020