National mental wellbeing campaign for the Summer of World Athletics

Celebrities, including Matt Johnson, Anna Williamson, Nick Bright and four-time Olympian Donna Fraser, have teamed up with England Athletics and Mind to launch a national campaign to highlight the importance of getting physically active for mental health and wellbeing.

#17MinutesForMe is a pioneering 8-week campaign that encourages participants to take the time for 17 minutes of physical activity 3 times a week during the World Para Athletics Championships and the IAAF World Championships taking place in London in July and August.

The challenge is part of Team Personal Best – one of the projects created under the Inspiration Programme which will harness the impact of hosting the World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships through a series of grassroots athletics projects.

The purpose of the campaign is to enhance mental wellbeing and encourage ongoing participation in running and athletics. Young, old, active or inactive, this is a challenge that everyone can take part in either individually or with others!

Welsh TV star Matt Johnson, a Mind ambassador, spoke of his own struggle with depression and why he’s involved with #17MinutesForMe. Johnson said:

“17MinutesForMe is going to bring together mental and physical wellbeing – two things that have a big personal meaning for me.

“The challenges we face in our lives are all different. And so are our minds and our bodies. But what we do know is that being active, in a way that works for you, can help reduce the risk of depression by up to 30%.

“And this is what #17MinutesForMe is all about – looking after your body and your mind.”

Each week, a #17MinutesForMe ‘team leader’ will take the lead to motivate and encourage participants to keep going throughout the challenge, through emails and social media content. All of the team leaders have their own reasons for why mental wellbeing is so important to them. Mind ambassador and TV presenter Anna Williamson feels passionately about the benefits of exercise on mental wellbeing having used exercise to overcome anxiety. Also an author, counsellor and mum, Anna truly feels that taking time out for yourself is crucial for good mental health.

Anna and Matt will be joined by a Dudley Mind volunteer, John who has a heart warming story to share about how running changed his life and helped him to manage his depression at the age of 72, and also Lucy who is a England Athletics Mental Health Ambassador and RunTogether Run Leader. Lucy leads several running groups in her community that aim to help people de-stress and relax.

Radio 1xtra’s Nick Bright and Four-time Olympian Donna Fraser will also feature in the challenge.

#17MinutesForMe launches on the 26th June. Head to 17minutesforme.com and sign up to receive your first week of emails, packed full of exciting content and activities beginning on the 3rd of July.

Pitchcroft Parkrun Starts Saturday

A new Worcester Pitchcroft Parkrun has been initiated and developed by one of our current Sport Business Management students, Sam Payne. The run launches on Saturday 10 June 2017 at 9am, with a 8.45am meet at the grandstand

Sam first developed the idea through his second year Sponsorship & Fundraising module, and has since focused on the initiative for his Sport Development Project (IS equivalent), raising the required funding, linking local partner organisations and undertaking the time consuming and gruelling processes of application, planning and risk management procedures.

Please do attend and offer your support for this 5k event and for Sam.

If you are currently registered with parkrun then remember to bring your barcode details on the day, but if not and you would like to register to get an official time, then please visit http://www.parkrun.org.uk/register/

Be Clear on Cancer

Public Health England has launched a ‘Be Clear on Cancer- respiratory symptoms’ campaign which is running across England with the aim of raising awareness that breathlessness could be a sign of lung or heart disease, or even cancer.

Those who get out of breath doing simple everyday activities, such as getting dressed, are encouraged to go to their GP as early diagnosis and treatment can improve the quality of life of those living with long-term conditions.

Many people in England suffer from breathlessness, but may not have seen their doctor. Instead, they might have developed coping mechanisms, such as taking short breaks, giving up hobbies or not leaving the house as often.

While it may well be nothing serious, the campaign highlights that if you are experiencing breathlessness doing things you used to be able to do, you should go to your doctor. For further information search ‘Be Clear on Cancer’.

Best wishes

Lou
Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor Educational Partnerships & Strategic Director for Health and Wellbeing University of Worcester

McClelland Centre for Health & Wellbeing Spring Programmes

McClelland Centre programmes spring 2017

Booking places NOW!

Spring into action & get into the best possible shape!!!

Choose from any of our programmes that include:

1. The Healthy Lifestyle, Breakfast workout
2. Senior’s Supervised Gym sessions and circuit training
3. Lunchtime High Intensity Interval Training – HIIT
4. Body Control Pilates classes
5. Body Dynamix Pilates toning class
6. Lunchtime Tai Chi de-stressor sessions
7. Stretch & tone classes
8. Fighting Fit workout
9. Stroll or Stride Power Walk sessions

Classes run by experienced and fully qualified instructors.

Everyone Welcome!

To find out more and reserve a place email: wellbeing@worc.ac.uk or call: 01905 542001.

Study Happy Meditation in Movement Sessions

 

 

 

 

 

 

Helping students in Worcester study healthier, happier, smarter

Study Happy Meditation in Movement Sessions

Weekly from Thursday 26^th January 2:30-4:00pm

Free of charge, The Hive

As part of our Study Happy programme, we will be holding weekly Meditation in Movement workshops at The Hive to help combat study stress.

At this workshop you will participate in some exercises that quickly release the physical and mental tensions that are caused by stress. The exercises will culminate in a very effective meditation. Provided you are able to stand-up, lie-down, and move your arms, legs, and spine, you should be able to participate without any problems.

The session will be led by Dr Marc Price

For more information and to book your place visit: library.worc.ac.uk/study-happy/timetable

More information about the Study Happy Programme

Study Happy is a year-round programme of events co-ordinated by University of Worcester Library Services and designed to help students in Worcester study healthier, happier and smarter.

For more information, online resources and the full programme of events visit the Study Happy webpages:

Library.worc.ac.uk/study-happy

If you are currently co-ordinating or have an idea for an initiative that you feel could sit under the Study Happy banner please don’t hesitate to get in touch to discuss your ideas with Madalene George, Study Happy Co-ordinator: m.george@worc.ac.uk

Occupational Therapy Student-Led Wellbeing Clinics

£5 for 1 hour assessment session plus refreshments.

* Free to all undergraduates

We are second year students from the University offering a student run clinic with support from qualified professionals. As occupational therapists we are able to support you to find ways of improving your well being.

We will be offering:

• Occupational therapy based screening, which aims to introduce you to the service available to you.
• To improve your general well being.
• Advice on different resources, opportunities and approaches tailored to you to help improve your understanding of health and well being strategies and options available to you.

We will be carrying out individual assessments. Following an assessment and identification of goals, students will be able to develop strategies or signpost to other services in order to achieve the specific goals.

Clinics will be running from February on Monday mornings – contact 01905 542001. Please leave a message for the occupational therapy students with your name and contact details.

student led clinic poster

Free Mental Health Awareness events at The Hive

Free Mental Health Awareness events at The Hive

Tuesday 4 October 2016 is Bipolar Awareness Day and Monday 10 October is World Mental Health Day. Join us on these dates from 2 – 4pm to learn more about:

• How mental health conditions affect people’s everyday lives
• The work of the University of Worcester’s Mood Disorders Research Group and the McClelland Centre
• Sources of support and information

Places are limited, reserve a seat online http://www.thehiveworcester.org/events.html

Understanding the Adolescent Mind – Wednesday 26 October, 2 – 4pm In our faster moving world research has found that…

 

As young people are faced finding their own identities and places in society; stress, anxiety and depression are no longer conditions associated with working age people.

This event is aimed at parents and carers and will explore

• Conditions that can present in adolescence
• Factors that may cause them to present in young people
• The work of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
• Sources of support and information

Places are limited, reserve a seat online http://www.thehiveworcester.org/events.html

Quick Guide to Wellbeing

15-minute-wellbeing-flier

The Counselling & Mental Health Service is offering a new ‘Quick Guide to Wellbeing’ for the beginning of Semester 1 as part of their contribution towards World Mental Health Day on Monday 10 October.

You can invite a member of their professional team to attend one of your teaching sessions for 15 minutes to:

·         Come along to meet you and your students

·         Introduce the ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’

·         Explain how and when to contact the Counselling & Mental Health Team

·         Demonstrate a quick way to help calm anxiety and focus attention

The offer is open to all cohorts, so the larger the group, the more students we can reach in the first few weeks! Please see the attached flier for details.

Please contact Nikki Tobin at n.tobin@worc.ac.uk or Ext. 2063 to arrange a date and time.

 

Mindfulness Day – Today

Mindfulness Day is intended to raise awareness to the general public about the profound value and benefit of mindfulness.

We want to promote some of the mindfulness opportunities that exist on campus for staff and students to access on 12 September and many of these you can use or access throughout the year.

There are a number of Mindfulness opportunities available on St John’s Campus:

1. The Counselling & Mental Health Service in conjunction with Fiona Haworth, the UoW Chaplain, runs a weekly Introduction to Mindfulness course open to staff and students each term – next one starting at the beginning of October. More details from Rod London Tel: 01905 85 5417 Email: r.london@worc.ac.uk
2. The Counselling & Mental Health Service staff also teach some skills (breathing, sensory grounding etc.) in their psycho-educational workshops. More details from Rod London Tel: 01905 85 5417 Email: r.london@worc.ac.uk
3. There is also a meditation labyrinth marked into the grass at the bottom end of Woodbury by the car park – (although it tends to disappear as the grass grows until the grass is re-cut).
4. The University Labyrinth is a perfect place to go to relax, it provides a walking meditation area in which to reflect and relax. For more information on the labyrinth contact f.haworth@worc.ac.uk
5. There is also a nature trail around St Johns Campus, marked on the campus  map, which you can follow to see what you may be likely to see in Summer and Autumn/Winter.
6. There are a number of campus areas that have been identified as good places to be mindful including the low pollen garden in the corner between Edward Elgar and the Pollen Unit which is a very quiet and underused spot and the student/staff allotment with an earth ‘cob’ oven which is in the garden of Forensic house.
7. We are also discussing the potential development of a mindfulness garden and are looking for staff and student volunteers who would like to assist with this. Contact Dr Di Haigney in Psychology, Bredon – Email: d.haigney@worc.ac.uk if anyone wants to get involved.
8. Rod London is running a 30 minute ‘Introduction to Mindfulness’ session at lunchtime on 12 September in the Chaplaincy Prayer Room, Bredon 179 from 12.30-1pm.
9. There is a Mindfulness website that offers free mindfulness exercises to download and a link to mindful poetry and short stories which you can access to ‘Be mindful on Mindfulness day’!
10. There is a very useful Mindfulness site for students http://mindfulnessforstudents.co.uk/ which you may want to look at and direct students to.
11. Mindful Nation UK is a useful report by the Mindfulness All-Party Parliamentary Group (MAPPG), 2015. This report:

•   reviews the scientific evidence and current best practice in mindfulness training
•   makes policy recommendations for government, based on these findings
•   discusses the role of mindfulness and its implementation in public policy

University of Worcester to Feature in BBC Health Programme

The University of Worcester is to feature in a BBC television programme looking at the impact of a gluten-free diet.

A study carried out by experts at the University for BBC2’s Trust Me I’m a Doctor series will be screened in this week’s episode on Thursday September 8.

The Trust Me I’m a Doctor series covers a variety of health and medicine related issues from exercise and diet to future medicine.

The programme airs at 8pm.

 

Mindfulness Day September 12th 2016

This is the annual date intended to raise awareness to the general public about the profound value and benefit of mindfulness. We want to promote some of the mindfulness opportunities that exist on campus for staff and students to access on 12 September and many of these you can use or access throughout the year.

There are a number of Mindfulness opportunities available on St John’s Campus:

1. The Counselling & Mental Health Service in conjunction with Fiona Haworth, the UoW Chaplain, runs a weekly Introduction to Mindfulness course open to staff and students each term – next one starting at the beginning of October. More details from Rod London Tel: 01905 85 5417 Email: r.london@worc.ac.uk
2. The Counselling & Mental Health Service staff also teach some skills (breathing, sensory grounding etc.) in their psycho-educational workshops. More details from Rod London Tel: 01905 85 5417 Email: r.london@worc.ac.uk
3. There is also a meditation labyrinth marked into the grass at the bottom end of Woodbury by the car park – (although it tends to disappear as the grass grows until the grass is re-cut): http://www.worcester.ac.uk/discover/relax-well.html The University Labyrinth is a perfect place to go to relax, it provides a walking meditation area in which to reflect and relax. For more information on the labyrinth contact f.haworth@worc.ac.uk
4. There is also a nature trail around St Johns Campus, marked on the campus  map, which you can follow to see what you may be likely to see in Summer and Autumn/Winter.
5. There are a number of campus areas that have been identified as good places to be mindful including the low pollen garden in the corner between Edward Elgar and the Pollen Unit which is a very quiet and underused spot and the student/staff allotment with an earth ‘cob’ oven which is in the garden of Forensic house.
6. We are also discussing the potential development of a mindfulness garden and are looking for staff and student volunteers who would like to assist with this. Contact Dr Di Haigney in Psychology, Bredon – Email: d.haigney@worc.ac.uk if anyone wants to get involved.
7. Rod London is running a 30 minute ‘Introduction to Mindfulness’ session at lunchtime on 12 September in the Chaplaincy Prayer Room, Bredon 179 from 12.30-1pm.
8. There is a Mindfulness website that offers free mindfulness exercises to download and a link to mindful poetry and short stories which you can access to ‘Be mindful on Mindfulness day’! www.freemindfulness.org
9. There is a very useful Mindfulness site for students http://mindfulnessforstudents.co.uk/ which you may want to look at and direct students to.
10. There is a useful report by the Mindfulness All-Party Parliamentary Group (MAPPG), 2015 called ‘Mindful Nation UK’ which:

•   reviews the scientific evidence and current best practice in mindfulness training
•   makes policy recommendations for government, based on these findings
•   discusses the role of mindfulness and its implementation in public policy

Click the following to review this report in full: https://gallery.mailchimp.com/c4f6b2fca0e12e49c424dea9f/files/Mindful_nation_UK_Committee_2015.pdf

Wychavon Ageing Well Event

Quick Guide to Wellbeing

15 minute wellbeing flyer

The Counselling & Mental Health Service is offering a new ‘Quick Guide to Wellbeing’ for the beginning of Semester 1 as part of their contribution towards World Mental Health Day on Monday 10 October.

You can invite a member of their professional team to attend one of your teaching sessions for 15 minutes to:

·         Come along to meet you and your students

·         Introduce the ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’

·         Explain how and when to contact the Counselling & Mental Health Team

·         Demonstrate a quick way to help calm anxiety and focus attention

The offer is open to all cohorts, so the larger the group, the more students we can reach in the first few weeks! Please see the attached flyer for details.

Please contact Nikki Tobin at n.tobin@worc.ac.uk or Ext. 2063 to arrange a date and time.

 

McClelland Health & Wellbeing Centre programmes and timetable

Please see below for the McClelland Centre’s programmes and summer timetable:

McClelland Centre A4 programmes

McClelland timetable and prices

Workplace Challenge rounders tournament

Over 250 people from 14 companies from across Worcestershire took part in a Workplace Challenge rounders tournament, organised by the Sports Partnership Herefordshire and Worcestershire, on Wednesday 24^th May.

Hosted at the Lakeside Campus (formerly Top Barn), the aim of the evening was to give workplaces a great opportunity to have some fun and get active with their colleagues as part of Workplace Health Week.

Businesses from across a variety of sectors participated including teams from Compco Fire Systems, Worcester City Council, Bromsgrove District Housing Trust, Action for Children, Interserve, plus a number of different departments representing the University of Worcester and the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust to name but a few.

With over 50 games of rounders played over 5 pools, the overall winners of the tournament went to a staff team from Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College closely followed by a team from Worcester Warriors and Tudor Grange Academy.

Jude Wild, a member of the University of Worcester’s Finance team, said “We had a real laugh, and got in some exercise too! Despite nursing various bruises and minor injuries (I think I have whiplash from a particularly spectacular fall last night) we have all made it in today with huge grins on our faces having had a really good evening. We can’t wait for the next one!”

Dr Susie Hart, Director of Sport Partnership and Community Engagement at the University of Worcester said, “It was a pleasure to host the Workplace Challenge Rounders Tournament at our new Lakeside Campus. Working with the Sports Partnership Herefordshire and Worcestershire to engage with the wider Worcestershire business community enabled us to highlight the new campus offering as a multipurpose outdoor activity and sport facility for our staff, students and the community.”

Sports Partnership Herefordshire and Worcestershire Director, Stephen Brewster, said “It was a fantastic evening and we hope all the businesses enjoyed themselves. It was great to have such a great turnout from a variety of businesses across Worcestershire and see everyone having fun, team building and doing some physical activity as well.”

For more details on how to get involved in the Workplace Challenge please visit www.workplacechallenge.org.uk. The next Workplace Challenge event will be a Footgolf competition at Gaudet Luce Golf Club on Tuesday 21^st June, registration is now open on the website.

Workplace Health Week Midday Mile – Thursday

Join us for a Midday Mile on Thursday 26th May at 12pm as part of Workplace Health Week.

Meet at the front of St John’s Sports Centre, University of Worcester.

All abilities welcome – you can walk, jog or run the route which will take you round the University Mile!

For more information please contact Billy Hunt on b.hunt@worc.ac.uk

 

Good email practice

The following guidelines have been developed by the University Health and Wellbeing Task Group in response to feedback that e-mail was seen as a key source of work stress. However, it should be noted that the nature of the stress can be very individualistic. These guidelines seek to offer a way forward for these differing needs.

On a normal working day

In an ideal world you should try and check your emails a maximum of two or three times a day. First thing and last thing – and maybe part way through the day if you really feel you need to. Constantly checking for emails can disrupt your thought patterns and writing a response can interfere with you achieving what you had planned for the day.

Sending emails overnight

For some people, sending emails in the evening or even in the early hours can suit their work/life style. However, this can lead to stress in the receivers. If you like working this way, consider using the delayed delivery option so although you are writing the email at 2am, it doesn’t actually leave you outbox until the time you specify e.g. 8am. This is also a really useful tool to use if an email needs to be sent whilst you are on leave or on a non-work day. You can find the delay delivery button in options on the new email toolbar or seek advice from the ICT service desk by phoning ext. 7500 or clicking on the icon on your university computer home screen.

Expecting a response the same day

We all want answers quickly, however, to expect responses the same day becomes habit forming and can be really stressful for the receivers. It can also lead to you not receiving a well thought through response if someone has to reply before they have had sufficient reflection time. If you really need an instant answer, try picking up the phone and holding a conversation – or if it’s feasible, take a walk and hold a face to face conversation instead.

Clarity of Title

Make sure the subject of the email is clear in the subject box – and identify if the email requires action. This can help the receiver prioritise their mail. In addition, in some instances emails can become a really long chain and the content can bear little relationship to the subject title by the end. Consider ending the chain and starting afresh, or refresh the subject box.

Email chains

If you reply to an email that has a long chain of responses, or forward such an email – check down through the chain to avoid inadvertently sending an email you might regret.

Reply to All

Do you really need to include everyone in your email?

Asking for a Read Receipt

Some people find the use of read receipts intrusive, and they can fill your inbox up too. Consider how important having a read receipt is to you, or if a delivery receipt would be sufficient.

Going on leave

To have a real break from work, the ideal scenario is to put your out-of-office on and avoid accessing your emails whilst you are away. Clearly identify the period you are off, make sure you give an alternative University email or phone number people can contact if something is really urgent, and identify you will come back as soon as is feasible after your return.

However, for some people this could be a source of stress and checking emails is a way of reducing their stress. If this is you, then you need to put a different strategy in place. Try and check your emails just once a day, or every other day whilst you are away. In addition, even if you read them, why not try waiting to answer them until you return from leave. With your out-of-office on, people know there will be a delay in you responding.

Everyone responds to emails in a different way, and the key thing is to respect those differences. Don’t expect others to feel the same way about sending and receiving emails as you do. Make allowances for those differences and help reduce email stress for all.

National Walking Month

May is National Walking Month and Living Streets is asking the nation to give walking a go and pledge to #Try20.

They’re challenging you to see if you can walk an extra 20 minutes every day throughout the month.

Feel-good reasons to #Try20

• Feel fitter – improve heart health and blood pressure
• Feel brighter – a 20 minute walk can boost your mood
• Feel connected – discover new things in your community

Walking is an easy exercise to do and you only need a pair of comfy shoes! Short 20 minute walks are a perfect way to start. How about doing a circuit of University Mile, walking between campuses or park off campus and walk in. Even taking the stairs instead of the lift can make a difference and contribute towards your 20 minutes!

There are lots of easy ways to fit walking into your day – getting to work, lunch break, after work and with your friends or family at the weekend. Sign up today and Living Streets will send you tips throughout the month, so you can walk your way to happiness this May.

To find out more and to sign up visit:-

http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/what-you-can-do/campaigns/national-walking-month-2016

To find walking maps, countryside centres and local walking clubs visit www.worcestershire.gov.uk and search ‘countryside and leisure’.

Workplace Health Week

Workplace Health Week, which runs from 23-27 May, is a week-long programme of activity designed to inspire businesses and encourage workers to get active. Now in its second-year, the campaign is organised by Workplace Challenge in collaboration with Sports Partnership Herefordshire and Worcestershire, and other County Sports Partnerships taking part across England.

NHS guidelines state that adults should try to do at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, such as cycling or fast walking, every week to stay healthy – but an estimated 40 per cent of people do not exercise enough, according to Public Health England.

And it is not just our health that is suffering. An unhealthy workforce contributes to sickness absence, reduced productivity and an estimated cost of £14.9 billion to businesses in lost working days every year.

More than 48,000 employees from over 8,000 businesses across England have already signed up to Workplace Challenge and we are urging people to get involved with a different focus each day via a free, online activity tool, which includes tailored sport and physical activity knowledge and opportunities. Participants can even track their progress towards the recommended 150 minutes of exercise with their own personal dashboard.

The highlight of the week is a Midday Mile at 12noon on Thursday 26 May, which we are doing around the University Mile and we would like you to leave your desk to walk, jog or run one mile – with the support of their employers of course. Just join us at 12noon at the entrance to St John’s Sports Centre on St John’s Campus.

For more details, or to complete the free and simple registration, visit http://www.workplacechallenge.org.uk or contact Billy Hunt on b.hunt@worc.ac.uk or 01905 542381.

 

 

On Your Feet Britain – April 29

“Get up offa that thing”

The On Your Feet Britain Challenge this Friday, 29 April, dares you to take James Brown at his word and convert ‘sitting time’ to ‘standing time’. Follow some simple changes – it’s easier than you think. Why don’t you:

• Stand during phone calls
• Stand and take a break from your computer every 30 minutes
• Use the stairs not the lift
• Have standing or walking meetings
• Walk to your colleague’s desk instead of phoning or emailing them
• Don’t sit at your desk for lunch – go for a walk around University mile
• Walk between campuses rather than driving

  Friday 29 April 2016 is your chance to get the ball rolling. Why not team up with colleagues and see how much “sitting time” you can reduce on the day.