Council launches ‘Be Kind to your Mind’ campaign to help residents improve wellbeing

West Oxfordshire District Council is working in partnership with local mental health services to improve awareness and understanding of what help and support is available locally, and to share ideas about how habits that improve our wellbeing can be adopted at an early stage. 

Cllr Merilyn Davies, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities said:

“One in four people will experience a mental health issue of some kind each year in England; more so during these unique times when we are trying to navigate our way through the coronavirus pandemic.

“Poor mental health increased during the pandemic and this has shown to have a greater effect on certain groups in our communities. Young adults and women have been more likely to report larger fluctuations in self-reported mental health and wellbeing than older adults and men.”

“As a council, this programme delivers on our priority to facilitate healthy lifestyles and better well being for everyone and supporting and building prosperous and inclusive local communities. This campaign has been created to support residents with mental health concerns. Building on the relationships established during the Covid-19 pandemic, the campaign will also encourage residents to look out for one another.”

Each month, the campaign will select relevant topics and services in mental health to highlight and direct residents to. We will promote healthy eating, fitness and mindfulness, volunteering, ways to prevent loneliness and isolation, support for carers and new parents.

The campaign will help to improve wellbeing across the district by promoting early intervention and self-help support  and services that local people can access and use to improve their own mental health and wellbeing.