10th Worthing Mental Health Awareness Week unveils packed programme of free workshops and talks to promote mental health and wellbeing

Founded by Carol Barber and Bob Smytherman, the week will launch at Offington Park Methodist Church on World Mental Health Day, Monday, October 10, and run until Friday, October 14. Worthing mayor Henna Chowdhury will launch the event on October 10 at 10am and the mayor's chaplain, Imam Idris Nawab from Worthing Mosque, will light a peace candle, with Bob as master of ceremonies.

Bob said: "When I launched the first event back in 2013 while I was the mayor of Worthing, I could have only dreamed about the success we would have had over the years, including a virtual event during the pandemic.”

The aim is to challenge the stigma around mental health and to provide good-quality information in a safe and non-judgmental environment. An information centre will be set up at the church, in South Farm Road, and it will be open every day from 8am to 6pm, with displays by local charities, organisations and groups.

West Sussex Library Services will be giving the key note presentation at 11am on the Monday, explaining its range of services to promote wellbeing. The Monday afternoon begins with a presentation from Gamblers Anonymous at 1pm, followed by several local charities exploring themes around bereavement and loss.

On Tuesday, October 11, Men In Sheds (Lancing and Sompting) will give a talk at 10am about the value of friendship groups and the sense of wellbeing derived from collaborative projects which benefit the wider community. There will be opportunities to make bird boxes and other small projects during the morning and Superstar Arts will run a craft workshop from 11.30pm to midday.

The Tuesday afternoon will focus on keeping well in later life and at 1.30pm, there will be a discussion led by Worthing Town Cryers, a group living well with dementia. A pop-up dementia café from 2.30pm to 4pm will be followed by an open meeting of Worthing Dementia Action Alliance at 4pm, with Tina Martin, dementia lead at Worthing Hospital, as guest speaker.

Wednesday, October 12, starts with a presentation from Breakeven, which offers support with gambling addictions. This will be followed by a seminar at 10.45am led by Billy And Beyond CIC, a local organisation working to increase awareness and safety around the use of drugs.

Therapies and support available in the area will be the focus of the Thursday morning, with Adur and Worthing Council’s wellbeing team giving a talk at 9.30am about its services. The Time to Talk team from Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust will be there at 10.15am to explain how Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) may help, then at 11am the trust's research and development team will share how people with lived / living experience work with professionals to improve services.

At midday on the Thursday, Active Worthing CIC will show how friendship, gentle exercise and other activities can improve wellbeing. This will be followed by a craft afternoon led by Capital Project Trust from 1.30pm, offering a time for mindful relaxation and companionship.

The Friday will begin with a talk at 10.30am by health and life coach Sandra Crathern from Innavision. She will focus on the importance of self care, especially in times of financial and emotional hardship, and will offer some practical and inexpensive tips and suggestions. From 11.15am, West Sussex Mind will lead a craft session promoting resilience and there will be a Worthing Shakers meet-up from 2pm to 4pm with an open invitation to those with essential tremor, their friends and carers.

Carol, who helped set up the week after experiencing a similar event in Epsom, said: "We are immensely grateful to the Offington Park Methodist Church community for welcoming us again. I am also grateful to the local charities, organisations, businesses and individuals, who continue to support this week."Visit www.worthingmentalhealthweek.co.uk for the full programme.