The cost-of-living crisis, NHS cuts and dark winter days are increasing mental health challenges. Help improve the community’s mental health and wellbeing this winter by supporting our volunteering programme and the vital green space we run it in, reducing loneliness and isolation.
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Beneficiaries
Situation
We can all feel low sometimes, in fact 15% of all adults in south Bristol have depression – the highest rates in Bristol. The dark winter evenings and shorter days only make moods worse, with the lack of outside time leading to low energy levels. We are living through a cost-of-living crisis and increasing costs are hitting vulnerable people the hardest. Our mental health and wellbeing programme has the highest referrals during the winter months at over ten each week as people struggle to cope.
Solution
This winter, we want to continue offering mental health support by: 1. Running a supported volunteering programme for people experiencing mental health challenges, loneliness, isolation, addiction, learning disabilities or with other needs, providing purpose and routine through animal care and gardening. 2. Continuing to provide a much-needed peaceful, safe green space in an urban area to run our volunteering programme and other activities from, looking after the gardens and farm animals.
