Mental health and wellbeing support during the pandemic

Cheshire West and Chester Council is supporting the current national Public Health England campaign and Every Mind Matters messages on mental health and wellbeing.

The coronavirus outbreak is affecting the way many of us live our lives, and it's normal for this to impact on our mental health. Good mental health and positive wellbeing can help us all to cope better during this difficult period of uncertainty.

Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council and Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, Cllr Louise Gittins adds “The last few weeks have been unsettling for everyone and we have all experienced big changes to our lives during the coronavirus outbreak.  It is natural to feel anxious and worried during these challenging times, however we need to try and manage these feelings so they don’t become more serious.

“We need to all support our family, friends and neighbours, wherever we can, clearly adhering to the Public Health England guidelines on social distancing and staying at home. Maintaining that contact with friends, family and neighbours is key, whether it be over the phone, social media or video calls.  This also links to the Council’s five point plan to protect our most vulnerable, work closely with our communities and communicating with our residents, supporting you, wherever we can.

“Having a routine, eating healthy and keeping active are also important to improve your mood and overall mental wellbeing.  We will be providing and sharing key tips over the coming months to support residents throughout the pandemic.  We are in this together.  We need to support each other and stay strong.”

Adopting the ‘five ways to wellbeing’ can help residents improve their mental health and wellbeing. These five steps have been researched and developed by the New Economics Foundation¹ and include stay connected, be active, keep learning, give and take notice.

This all coincides with local NHS Trust, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP) launching a new mental health helpline for residents. The helpline is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is open to people of all ages, including children and young people who need urgent mental health support. The dedicated phone number is 0300 303 3972.

As part of the Council’s Play Your Part campaign, we want individuals and communities to overcome these difficulties together and safely.  Let’s all come together to share our positive tips and stories to help improve our mental health and wellbeing. Please go to @Go_CheshireWest or http://www.facebook.com/cheshirewest to share your stories.

A free Mind Plan is available online, complete the quiz to help you feel more in control of your mood.

Further support and services are also available on the Live Well Cheshire West website.

For children and young people there is also a dedicated website MyMind.org.uk