Poringland becomes a Mindful Village

Members of local groups, including the Men’s and Women’s Shed and Poringland Cinema attended the free training session that provided mental health awareness and education and gave participants the skills and resources they need to help support people suffering with mental health issues. Jennifer Hall, who runs an extend exercise class at Poringland community centre for older adults and Henry Gowman and Peter Stuart from Poringland Men’s Shed received the Mindful

Village certificate from local South Norfolk Council members, Lisa Overton-Neal and John Overton. Lisa Overton-Neal, said:

One in four people will experience mental health issues in England this year, so the more people we can train to support them, the better. Having wellbeing champions in the community means that people can get help immediately and this could make a huge difference to our residents' wellbeing.”

The scheme, which is already up and running in towns and villages across the district, also challenges the associated stigma around the illness, with Wellbeing Champions encouraged to have open conversations about mental health in the community.

The Council works with the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust’s Wellbeing Service and workplace health provider Thriving Workplaces to train Wellbeing Champions, with funding from the South Norfolk and Broadland Health and Wellbeing Partnership.

All groups will receive branding that shows they have Wellbeing Champions in recognition of their commitment and training.

Find out more here.