Hello fellow geeks!
We hope you are doing well and are keeping safe during the ongoing pandemic. As you know, we are back open and trading, and want to thank everyone who supported us both online and in store during this time. We are wishing all the cafes and pubs a successful reopening next week from Monday 17th.
What you may not be aware of is that this week (10th-16th May) is Mental Health Awareness Week. Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual event when there is an opportunity for the whole of the UK to focus on achieving good mental health. The Mental Health Foundation started the event 21 years ago. Each year the Foundation continues to set the theme, organise and host the Week. The event has grown to become one of the biggest awareness weeks across the UK and globally.
This year's theme is Nature. Connecting with Nature has been more important than ever before. During the pandemic, many have sought out solitude and peace of mind by going for walks and generally enjoying the outdoors.
Nature is our great untapped resource for a mentally healthy future. Despite this, many of us are not accessing or benefitting from nature. Teenagers in particular appear to be less connected with nature and around 13% of UK households have no access to a garden. We want to challenge the disparities in who is and who isn’t able to experience nature. Nature is not a luxury. It is a resource that must be available for everyone to enjoy - as basic as having access to clean water or a safe roof over our heads. Local and national governments need to consider their role in making this a reality for everyone, and we will be talking about how they can do so during the week.
Many people take for granted the beauty of Nature that is all around us, so during Mental Health Awareness Week, we are asking you to do three things:
Experience nature: take time to recognise and grow your connection with nature during the week. Take a moment to notice and celebrate nature in your daily life. You might be surprised by what you notice!
Share nature: Take a photo, video or sound recording and share the connections you’ve made during the week, to inspire others. Join the discussion on how you’re connecting with nature by using the hashtags #ConnectWithNature #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
Talk about nature: use our tips, school packs, research and policy guides to discuss in your family, school, workplace and community how you can help encourage people to find new ways to connect with nature in your local environment.
If you are suffering from poor mental health at the moment, please reach out to friends, family or charities (e.g. Samaritans, Mind) that are available to you.
Much love,
Team Geek x