mental health

Playing an instrument linked to better brain health in older adults 

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Tue, 01/30/2024 - 11:12am

Engaging in music throughout your life is associated with better brain health in older age, according to a new study published by experts at the University of Exeter.

Scientists working on PROTECT , an online study open to people aged 40 and over, reviewed data from more than a thousand adults over the age of 40 to see the effect of playing a musical instrument – or singing in a choir - on brain health. Over 25000 people have signed up for the PROTECT study, which has been running for 10 years.

The team reviewed participants’ musical experience and lifetime exposure to...

Mental Health Hub for trade workers launched at Exeter show as industry suicide rates soar  

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Sun, 09/17/2023 - 6:15am

Shining the spotlight on supporting the mental health of tradespeople, a local Exeter trade show is launching its dedicated Mental Health Hub with the aim of fostering conversation, offering support and potentially saving lives.

In the UK, men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women and in construction – a male dominated industry – men are three times more likely to take their own lives. Two people working in the UK construction industry die by suicide every day, which equates to more than 700 people a year.

A recent report shows that four in five...

Mental Health Hub for tradespeople launched at Toolfair Exeter

Mental Health Hub for trade workers launched at local Exeter show as industry suicide rates soar

Shining the spotlight on supporting the mental health of tradespeople, a local Exeter trade show is launching its dedicated Mental Health Hub with the aim of fostering conversation, offering support and potentially saving lives.

In the UK, men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women and in construction – a male dominated industry – men are three times more likely to take their own lives. Two people working in the UK construction industry die by suicide every day, which equates to more than 700 people a year.

A recent report shows that four in five...

Family raises £10,000 for Samaritans to remember Danielle

A dozen members of an extended westcountry family have handed over a huge fundraising cheque to Samaritans.

The £10,000 donation - one of the largest ever made to the Exeter, Mid and East Devon branch of the charity - was raised to remember Danielle Cornish who died last summer after losing a battle with her mental health.

The handover took place outside the charity’s branch in central Exeter and involved Danielle’s parents Debbie and Steve, their daughter Tayde, and other family members from Ideford, Kingsteignton and Saltash.

The sum was raised chiefly through...

Improving access to mental health services for rough sleepers

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Fri, 07/07/2023 - 10:04pm

Rough sleepers in Devon will have better access to mental health support thanks to an innovative project which sees mental health, primary care, social care, housing services and the voluntary and charity sectors working together.

The project has been launched as a one-year pilot, led jointly by Devon Partnership NHS Trust (DPT) and Livewell Southwest CIC (LSW), who provide mental health services across Devon. A successful funding bid led to more than £400k being awarded to set-up and run the pilot in Teignbridge, South and West Devon. This area previously had no dedicated mental...

Tom Chapman, founder of The Lion's Barber Collective

Torquay Barber Tackles Men's Mental Health Issues From His Barber Chair

Wellness experts and advocates are gearing up to inspire and enlighten visitors at this year's SpaFest, taking place at cinch presents CarFest from the 25th to the 27th of August at Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire.

Among these remarkable advocates stands Tom Chapman, who has created a safe haven from his barber chair. Following the tragic loss of his friend Alex in 2015, Tom founded The Lions Barber Collective , a charity dedicated to suicide prevention. Their mission is to establish non-clinical, non-judgmental safe spaces where individuals feel at ease discussing their mental...

Plus-ed raises £44,000 for digital wellbeing platform that educates and engages school children on mental health

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Mon, 01/30/2023 - 11:36am

An Exeter business has raised £44,000 in Innovate UK grant funding to grow Plus - its digital wellbeing platform, helping school children to track and manage their mental health with support from parents and teachers.

Plus provides pupils with a fun and engaging way to make wellbeing part of their day. It is carried out on an iPad or other device, that focuses on nutrition, exercise, and emotional health.

“One in six children have a probable mental health condition and 50% of mental health problems are established by the age of 14, so we focus on supporting children aged...

Exeter part of large international project into youth mental health

The University of Exeter will collaborate in groundbreaking worldwide research into the genetic and environmental factors of mental health in young people.

Mental health disorders affect one out of four people during their lifetime, with more than three quarters affected before the age of 24. Now, Professor Jonathan Mill , of the University of Exeter Medical School, is joining researchers from across the world in the new project Youth-GEMS (Gene Environment Interactions in Mental Health TrajectorieS of Youth), which will be coordinated by Maastricht University. The European...

TALKWORKS launches free mental health workshops for businesses and organisations across Devon

Ahead of World Mental Health Day , NHS talking therapy service TALKWORKS has launched a series of ‘Wellbeing in the Workplace’ winter workshops , available free of charge for businesses and organisations across Devon (excluding Plymouth).

The workshops will give employees the chance to learn a range of tools and techniques to help improve their mental health and wellbeing. These will include reducing stress, building resilience, creating manageable routines and developing healthy habits, both in the workplace and everyday life. The sessions will be bespoke for each business,...

Mental Health Matters and Devon Partnership NHS Trust expand The Moorings mental health support service

Authored by Carmel Smith
Posted: Mon, 09/05/2022 - 12:21pm

The Moorings, run by Mental Health Matters, is being expanded to offer additional hours of support.

The service provides free mental health support to anyone aged 18 and over from three locations in Barnstaple, Exeter, and Torquay. Staffed by a team of highly skilled Support Workers, the service offers one-to-one emotional support to individuals in mental health crisis, as well as a space for people to access advice, guidance, and information.

The expansion will see the Exeter and Torquay sites offering daytime support (10am-6pm, Monday-Friday) in addition to the out-of-...

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