Week will celebrate borough’s wellbeing

A FESTIVAL of wellbeing will be good for Wokingham’s minds, bodies and souls and it’s coming to the borough later this month.

Masterminded by Arborfield woman Anna Adams, the week aims to celebrate different groups that organise events aimed at lifting the borough’s mental health.

Over the seven days, there will be daily video blogs from Wokingham Paper columnist and Fundamental Coach Chris Hunt (pictured) and a plethora of events that includes storytelling, performance art, health and fitness and meditation and relaxation.

And best of all, many of the events run regularly throughout the year ensuring that this week is for life and not just for Christmas – well, Monday, May 13 to Sunday, May 19.

“It’s a wellbeing festival, a bringing together of groups who do wellbeing every day,” explains Mrs Adams. “That’s individuals, charities and businesses.

“There will be five or six events every day, for all ages, each highlighting a different aspect of wellbeing.

“Rather than approach people to put on new events, I wanted to celebrate what was already happening in Wokingham and to help boost mental health in the borough.”

And Mrs Adams is particularly excited about Chris Hunt’s daily doses of inspiration, a natural extension of his Every Step Counts column.

“I read his column every week and I thought he’s the kind of person would fit well in with the week,” she said. “He was really keen to get on board and very encouraging of the concept.

“He’s going to do a live video every morning at 7.30am on a different aspect of Wokingham Wellbeing Week.”

And Mrs Adams has been inundated with requests from people wanting to help out in other ways.

“People have been so enthusiastic,” she said. “Wellbeing is very, very current – everyone is talking about it.”

Since launching the Facebook page for the week and telling people she is organising the week, Mrs Adams said that people have been contacting her to share their own stories.

“Everyone has their stories, complete strangers have been in touch saying things like, ‘I was in an awful place but this (meditation, yoga, etc) doing this every day has helped me, I want to help other people.

“People have been in dark places and these events have changed their lives.”

Some of the highlights of the week include an event called Men Don’t Talk, Do They? which sees veteran and mental health campaigner Nick Wilson will share his story of recovery from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and running the #realmentalk campaign. He wants to get men from all walks of life to open up.

“He will speak on his journey and recovery from PTSD and aims to highlight how we all should be able to talk about our wellbeing,” Mrs Adams explained.

And the Sedero Lounge in Wokingham’s town centre will hold the first pop-up Grief Café on Thursday, May 16. Running from 10am to 11.30am, the event is run as a drop-in for anyone who has suffered a bereavement.

“Lucy Herd is launching this after losing her son after just 23 months,” Mrs Adams explained. “She wanted to launch a Grief Café for anyone who have lost someone, or for older people who have lost family.

“It’s just a place to talk. Lucy said that she lost friends when her son died because they didn’t know how to handle her grief.

“Lucy and I are really hoping that it will carry on after wellbeing week to help people in a similar situation.”

Mrs Adams has also been working with schools, taking assemblies and making kites that will go on display in Wokingham town centre shops.

For more visit www.facebook. com/wokinghamwellbeingweek