Mindspace Week at the Virtual Village Hall to offer free mental health support
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THE Royal Voluntary Service (RVS), the national volunteering charity, will be marking World Mental Health Day with Mindspace Week.
This will comprise a week of free sessions to support mental wellbeing at its Virtual Village Hall, a free online activity hub and community.
World Mental Health Day – which is on Tuesday, October 10 – is organised by the World Health Organisation to protect and improve mental health across the world, and from October 9-13, RVS is inviting anyone that might benefit to take a little time for themselves for some mindful self-care.
Mindspace Week at the Virtual Village Hall offers a full daily programme of caring content, from advice sessions by GPs, mental health experts and coaches to mindful activities like journalling, yoga, meditation and gentle exercise.
During the week, menopause experts, Newson Health, will be discussing the effects of menopause on mental health, Mental Health UK will be discussing workplace stress and how to have conversations with colleagues about mental health, and the ADHD Foundation will be exploring how to live well with neurodiversity. All sessions are free to join, with no profile, sign up or subscription required.
Developed by RVS with support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, the Virtual Village Hall helps people stay physically and mentally active, connected and having fun. Activity sessions are livestreamed daily on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, and are led by expert tutors and presenters, including some well-known faces. Followers can take part in real time or can view on-demand.
There are more than 1600 sessions available to view, from exercise and dance to arts and crafts, upcycling, meditation and cooking, with new content added regularly. Where activities require equipment, ingredients or materials, these are low-cost and easy to source. The Virtual Village Hall is open to everyone and is also used by health and social care professionals.
Sam Ward, Deputy Chief Executive, Royal Voluntary Service, said: “These continue to be challenging times for many people’s health and wellbeing, particularly as we head into the colder, darker months of the year.
"World Mental Health Day is an important time to focus on how we are feeling. For anyone in need of gentle support from mental health experts, soothing activities to calm the mind, and a real sense of community, Mindspace Week at the Virtual Village Hall is a warm and welcoming place to come.
"We designed the Virtual Village Hall specifically to help people support their health and wellbeing, and we want as many people to benefit from it as possible. That’s why it’s completely free to use.”
Find the Virtual Village Hall live on Facebook, YouTube or Twitter, or catch up on demand, search @VirtualVillageHall. To receive an email copy of the Virtual Village Hall weekly timetable, contact virtualvillagehall@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk
To find out more about local volunteering opportunities with Royal Voluntary Service, visit royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/volunteering
To donate to support the charity’s work, visit royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/donate
Follow the RVS on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram – @RoyalVolService, #MakeADifference
