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We’re excited to announce Heart of England Mencap has been chosen as one of Johnsons Coaches Charities of the Year for 2025!

Thank you for choosing to support us and the people that we support.

Read all about our partnership on their website https://bit.ly/4ikIB0R

Click below to see the video of our coach trip!

Thank you so much, Sam, for sharing your experiences with us! It truly requires bravery to speak in front of a camera, and you executed it perfectly; you’re a natural!

We eagerly look forward to reconnecting with you soon to learn more about your adventures and insights.

If Sam’s story has inspired you and you’d like to share your own, we encourage you to reach out – we would love to hear from you!

You can contact us at: KButtrick@heartofenglandmencap.org.uk

01789 298709 / 07791 394276

Introducing the wonderful and super knowledgeable Russell Harriman who would like to talk to you about his passion for Formula 1 racing and all things car related!

How did your love of cars, especially F1, come about?

My brother’s Robert and Peter introduced me to F1 when I was little and my love has grown from there. It’s not just F1 I love, it’s all cars. It really is my number one passion!

This sounds like your perfect day out – Tell us more!
I found out about the event on a YouTube video and I asked my Mum if I could go. Mum kindly bought me two tickets, one for me and one for my support worker Andrew. I bought a programme when I got there so I had something to read and look back on.

What types of car did you see there?

I saw loads of different cars from rally cars, F1 cars, junior dragsters and some super cars.

I got to see Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 car which made me feel super excited – I think it’s the closest I’ve ever been to an F1 car in my life! I also met a reserve driver for the American Haas team called Oliver Bearman who filled in for Carlos Sainz Jr when he was poorly.

Are there other races you’ve been to that you’d like to share with us?

A really memorable trip I had with another support worker (Kate & Dave) was to Chateaux Impney in Worcestershire. This is a Hill Climb race where lots of different sports cars (usually old cars) race one at a time, to see who is the quickest from the bottom to the top of the hill. It’s a really big event and when we were there I couldn’t believe who I saw – I pointed out to Kate and said ‘Isn’t that Fuzz from Car SOS?’ We all watch that programme and agreed it was definitely him. I went to meet him and found he was a really nice chap and very friendly. He gave me a signed Car SOS cap and I had my photo taken with him. This photo is in pride place on my bedroom wall.

Now time for some random questions!

What’s most important to you?

Having good friends is the first thing that comes to mind. I used to be very nervous and shy, but now that I have some good friends I feel so much better. My friends helped me through a difficult time when I was poorly in hospital not so long ago. I don’t know what I would have done without them. I was scared at the time, not knowing whether I would get over it, but with help from my friends and family I’m nearly fully recovered!

Which football team do you support?

The Villa! My brother Robert got me supporting them. I’ve seen a few of the games live but mainly watch them on tv with my flatmate Jon.

Thank you, Russell, for generously sharing your incredible story with us! Your extensive passion and knowledge about everything related to cars is truly remarkable. We barely scratched the surface!

If you’ve been inspired by Russell’s story and would like to share your own, please do get in touch, we’d love to hear from you!

For more information please contact Kate on: KButtrick@heartofenglandmencap.org.uk

Introducing the amazing Jon Scott!

With help from his friends and support team, Jon would like to tell us a little about what makes him happy – you’ve guessed it…FOOTBALL!!!

‘My favorite sport is Football. I play every Friday evening at either the high school or Stratford Town football club, for a team called Stratford Special Football. One of my support workers (Geordie) helped me to get a place on the team and I’ve now been playing with them for nearly 8 years.

I’m happy to play in lots of different positions! Anywhere where I can run quickly and burn off lots of energy!

I like the referee, I shake his hand at the end of each game. I do tell him off occasionally though if I think he’s made a bad decision – thankfully he’s not sent me off for this yet!

I’ve made lots of new friends by playing football. It’s a great way for me to stay fit and healthy, something that is really important to me.

As a team, once a month, we play league games or one-off competitions with lots of other people from around the Midlands and beyond. We often play at Portway Leisure Centre in West Brom, this makes for a great day out!

In the top picture (and below) you can see I’m holding my prize for being runners up in the Sandwell Inclusion League! I’m super proud of this!!!

Many thanks for taking the time to read my story. It’s been really enjoyable to talk about something that means so much to me. I hope this inspires other people to share their stories too!’.

Thanks so much Jon for sharing your story, it’s been a joy to support you with this!

If you’ve been inspired by Jon’s story and would like to share your own please get in touch with us. You can contact us on: KButtrick@heartofenglandmencap.org.uk

What a month it has been!! #MoveinMay has been a huge success.

We have seen so many people participating and sharing their photos on Yammer. Big THANKS to everyone who has got out and about and moved more this month for their mental and physical health!!

Thursday 16th May was such a brilliant morning!! There were so many smiling faces and so many people there to join in with the cycling. We had a brilliant half a mile walk around the Rec and along the river, which so many people participated. Lots of steps and lots of moving! Well done to all who came along. The smiles on faces really do go to show that physical movement is good for your mental health! 

So many brilliant photos were uploaded to Yammer – if you added a photo and used the #MoveinMay then your photo has been entered into the competition. We will be selecting three winners and they will be announced in next months newsletter and on Yammer.

Here’s just a few of the great photos from this month! Could one of these be a winner….find out next month!

What does it mean to struggle with your mental health?

Every month the Mental Health First Aid Team will post here and, in the newsletter, some information about mental health or how you can build your mental health strength.

If you had a physical ailment, you’d book an appointment with your GP or physio. Mental health issues should be viewed the same: without stigma.

Symptoms can present themselves in a range of ways and can appear gradually, over a few weeks and it’s normal to occasionally experience a low mood or anxiety. If you’re feeling low, irritable, and stressed or having trouble concentrating or remembering things; finding everyday life difficult to manage, or maybe sleeping less, or too much, these may be signs to look out for in yourself or you loved ones.

Nothing can replace the face-to-face therapy or talking with a professional if you are struggling. You can always contact a Mental Health First Aider, and remember that the Samaritans are always at the end of the phone, any time, day or night and they promise to listen without judging you or telling you what to do. A Mental Health App can be an initial starting place for you though, these listed below are some free options to check out:

Name: Thrive

Best For: Wellbeing.

Price: Free, available on Apple or Android. Thrive is an NHS-recommended mental wellbeing platform helping you to manage stress, anxiety, and those days when you just feel a little down. By helping to track your moods and educate you on the best coping mechanisms for managing the down days, You can equip yourself with the best tools to manage stress, sadness, and negative thoughts.

Name: Wysa

Best For: For teenagers.

Price: Free, available on Apple or Android. Wysa combines anonymous, personalised AI chat with guided support from qualified mental health professionals. It’s essentially a therapist chatbot designed for teens aged 13 to 18 years old. You’ll also benefit from hundreds of courses spanning anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and bullying.

Name: Catch It

Best For: Anxiety.

Price: Free, available on Apple or Android. If you think you may be suffering from more minor symptoms of anxiety or depression, like nervousness or lethargy, an app like Catch It could educate you on the many different indicators of an underlying mental health condition and how to identify them in yourself. It will teach you how to recognise these symptoms, and how to manage your feelings by encouraging you to look at problems in a different way and, more generally, turn any negative thoughts into positive ones.

Name: Chill Panda

Best For: Mental health app.

Price: Free, available on Apple or Android. If you’re feeling overworked and run down or have noticed heightened feelings of fear and anxiety, Chill Panda will help with a whole host of breathing exercises, distracting techniques and worry management. While it’s primarily a game, the app monitors your heart rate and suggests the appropriate tasks for your current state of mind. Suitable for both children and adults.

Name: Cove

Best For: Helping you express how you’re feeling.

Price: Free, available on Apple or Android. One of the biggest challenges, when you are struggling with your mental health, is expressing how you’re feeling to friends, family, or professionals who can help. That’s because mental illnesses normally convince you to isolate yourself from others. Cove helps you to express yourself in a totally different way, via the medium of music. Capture your mood and express your feelings, whether that’s happiness, sadness, peace, or frustration. Whether you create for yourself only or to communicate with others is up to you.

Name: WorryTree

Best For: CBT

Price: Free, available on Apple or Android The main aim of the WorryTree app is to help you manage, record, and take control of your mental health issues. It’s essentially an interactive online journal, encouraging you to jot down your worries and fears and then using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to help you recognise and tackle your worries. That’s your worry action plan, sorted.

Name: My Possible Self

Best For: NHS-approved app.

Price: Free, available on Apple or Android. Designed by the world’s leading mental health experts, this app is clinically certified and approved by the NHS. The app features a wide array of tools to promote happiness and wellbeing, from an everyday ‘mood tracker’, to learning modules for a better understanding of what aspects of life are causing anxiety.

Name: Talkspace

Best For: For talking.

Price: Free, available on Apple or Android. Always been keen on the idea of therapy but not so keen on the in-person aspect? Talkspace offers therapy via text – all it takes is filling out a short questionnaire and they’ll match you with a qualified therapist, on hand to text you throughout the day. Their therapists cover a broad range of mental health services, offering advice and support for everything from anxiety to depression.

If you are struggling with your mental health, remember that there are always people to turn to. The Heart of England Mencap team of Mental Health first aiders are a first place to look for support. Click here for the poster with all our numbers.

Or at any time of the day or night The Samaritans are available to listen and to support you. You can call them on 116 123, or alternatively, click here to see their website.

This May, Heart of England Mencap are encouraging movement, and we want our staff and customers to ‘move’ for their mental health.

Being physically active is great for our bodies and our minds.

Exercise is a natural and effective anti-anxiety treatment. It relieves tension and stress, boosts physical and mental energy.

Better physical health can lead to better mental health. Exercise can help your mental health by increasing your levels of motivation, distracting you from worrying thoughts, and improving self-confidence. It can even help you sleep better.

Exercise has been proven to reduce anxiety and depression, and it can help us to prevent physical illnesses.

Despite the evidence that keeping physically active can promote good mental health, there are barriers preventing us from being more active.

Mental Health Awareness week from 13-19th May 2024 is focusing on Movement for your well-being and to improve mental health.

Movement doesn’t need to look like going to the gym, it can be as simple as getting off the bus a stop early, having a walking meeting, pushing your child on a swing, dancing in your kitchen while you cook dinner.

Be creative about the way you move and be proud of yourself!

What can you do?

Get out and about and get moving in May! Share a photo of yourself and use the hashtag #MoveinMay!

Our wonderful partners Pink Connect are sponsoring our initiative to Move for Mental Health in May. Get out and about with friends, family or with customers and get moving!

We can’t wait to see your photos!

And…

On Thursday 16th May from 11 am – 12 pm, you are invited to join us at Stratford Rec for a #MoveinMay walk. This will be at the same location as Cyc-ability (Parkrun Building), which customers can still take part in, but in addition to this, we will be hosting a walk to get our steps in and #MoveinMay. Working towards improving our mental and physical health.

See you there! 

Map for the #MoveinMay walk…

Hi, We’re your Mental Health First Aid Team at Heart of England Mencap.

We are here to help you as a first point of contact and to help sign post you to organisations and places where you can receive support if you are struggling with your mental health.

The role of a mental health first aider is to:

·        Recognise the obstacles to good mental health and realise that anybody can drift towards poor mental health.

·        Provide mental health first aid when it is needed.

·        Provide support and signpost someone experiencing poor mental health to the support available to them.

·        Reduce stigma and promote positive mental health in the workplace.

·        Deal with anyone at work suffering from mental health issues, providing a key point of contact, as well as advice and guidance in seeking the professional help that the individual may need.

If you are struggling with your mental health, remember that there are always people to turn to. The Heart of England Mencap team of Mental Health first aiders are a first place to look for support.

Or, at any time of the day or night The Samaritans are available to listen and to support you. Click below to go straight to their webpage, or you can call them anytime on 116 123

Introducing the fabulous and inspiring Diane Mills – aka Di. Di would like to share her experiences of leaving her long term volunteer role to then joining Stratford Pathway Day Services at Heart of England Mencap.

Q: Tell us a little bit about your previous volunteer role.

I was an activities helper at a care home close to where I live. I worked there for over 29 years and I really enjoyed what I did. I liked helping other people. I used to help do their hair at the hairdressers and help with meals and drinks. It was important to me to have this job as it gave me a purpose and made me feel proud. Towards the end of my time there, I was bullied by some of the other staff members which really upset me. I told my manager and although she defended me and looked after me, I felt I didn’t want to go back to work again. It made me feel sad and angry that I was treated like this, especially after being there for so long.

Q: That sounds like a really difficult time for you towards the end, what happened next?

Just as this was happening Covid happened and I could no longer work anyway – this gave me time to think about what I wanted to do instead. With help from my sister, Louie and my social worker, we looked at what else was available. I had lots of old school friends that went to Pathway in Stratford and they told me about a free Karaoke session that I could join every Wednesday at the Yard of Ale. When the lock down eased I went each week which I really enjoyed – it was great to be with my friends again and to be back out, I made new friends too! I’d made my mind up that Pathway was were I wanted to be so my social worker arranged for me to go on a regular basis – I now attend 5 days a week!

Q: That’s brilliant, I’m glad you had control over your future! What do you most enjoy about Pathway?

I love doing the up-cycling. We make old things into new, like pieces of furniture. We get to sand them down and paint them and when they’re finished and looking really good we try to sell them. I find it really relaxing and enjoyable, something I like to do with my friends. I also like the Hockey and the Cycling sessions. It’s good to get outside and be in the fresh air. I like that it helps me to keep fit and that I can do it with my friends. I’m also a member of the Reach Out group, which I really enjoy, we meet other groups and talk about our own experiences.

Q: That sounds really interesting, tell us more!

We talk to other people in Mencap to see what they would like to do and then as a group we try to organize them. We’ve helped to organize the Cycling and the Hockey sessions in Stratford and we’re hoping to get some new activities for the summer. We also meet with other groups like Grapevine and ARC. We share what it’s like to have a learning disability and then we try to find ways we can make our community a better place to live. I’ve made lots of new friends by being in the Reach Out group. It’s really interesting and a great way to help others.

Q: Tell us something we may not know about you.

I’ve always loved ladybirds since I was very very young. I saw one in the garden with my mum and I’ve loved them ever since. I bought a radio in the shape of a ladybird! I was told you can tell how old a ladybird is by counting how many dots it has on it’s back, 1 dot equals 1 year- this might be a myth though! I like to do jigsaw puzzles too. Mum helped me to buy my first puzzle, starting with 500 pieces, now I do 1000 pieces! It’s a really relaxing thing for me to do at home.

A massive thank you Di for sharing your story with us. It takes courage to share a personal story with everyone – life isn’t always easy and there are times where we may need to re-evaluate what is best for US! You have shown us that having the right support network behind you, people who encourage and empower you to be the best that you can be, is hugely important for our personal development – physically, mentally and emotionally!

If you’ve been inspired by Di’s story and would like to share your own, or you would like to have further details on the types of activities you could be involved with, please contact Kate on KButtrick@heartofenglandmencap.org.uk or call on 07791 394276.

Todays blog comes from the legend that is, Connagh Aspinall! Below, Connagh describes his move from Lancashire to Warwickshire 3 years ago and how it has impacted his life today!

“I moved with my family from Lancashire to Warwickshire in 2020 due to my Dad relocating with his work at the brewery. We had the choice of either moving to Cornwall or to live near our friends in Shipston on Stour and as I’d visited Shipston before and felt comfortable there, we decided that this is where we would call home. I’m so glad we did as it’s given me lots of opportunities to meet new people, try new things and to achieve my goal of being more independent”.

With Connagh’s inquisitive nature and his desire to ultimately live independently he googled what was available close by. Up popped Heart of England Mencap which gave Connagh a great insight in to what services were on his doorstep. With guidance from our admin department, Connagh was introduced to our Supported Living Service and our Day Service Programs.

“We spoke to Simon who manages Rosedale Independent Living in Shipston who was so helpful – he put me at so much ease, it was like talking to my dad! Simon introduced me to Shivorne and Rachael at Pathway Day Services in Stratford and although at the time we were still in lock down from Covid, I felt so much happier as I could take part in activities by joining in with their online sessions – we did have a few technical issues but we got there in the end!

As soon as the lockdown had lifted I was keen to get started and meet the people I’d only seen via screen. My first day on 13th September 2021 was a bit nerve racking but I soon felt at ease with the help from Pathway staff and customers. From here I’ve made 3 best friends, Russell, Glenn and Jon who I see at least 3 times a week. I’m the happiest here as I feel part of a big family and I get to take part in some great activities and projects. I most enjoy helping other people and building on my independent living skills, in preparation for me having my own home.”

Connagh is a regular at many of our Pathway and Community activities such as Walking Hockey and Cyc-Ability. He is also a founder member of The Reach Out Group which empowers people with a learning disability to share their own experiences to help influence decision-making in local and national services such as the NHS and County/District Council. The group also work alongside Heart of England Mencap management team and Trustees to ensure the services we provide are co-produced with the people who use them.

Connagh making much use of our brand new Green Dragon Trike with Volunteers Derek (left) and Rod (right).

If you’ve been inspired by Connaghs story and would like to share your own, or you would like to have further details on the types of activities you could be taking part in, please contact Kate on KButtrick@heartofenglandmencap.org.uk or call on 07791 394276.