Addressing loneliness in Powys: Mental Health Awareness Week 2022

Earlier this week, to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week, we posted about a number of new community initiatives which have recently been set up in Powys to address loneliness and isolation following the launch of the Connected Communities: Loneliness & Isolation Fund 2022 - 24.

Today we look at two more amazing projects which have both been running for several years now in Powys to support people to access services that are "right for them, which improve their independence and help maintain social networks". So often this means people have the chance to be out and about meeting others, making new friendships and revitalising old ones.

Before we dive into the detail, just a reminder about The Mental Health Foundation, the charity which has hosted the annual Mental Health Awareness Week since 2000. The Foundation explains why Loneliness is this year's chosen theme:

"The Foundation’s Mental Health in the Pandemic research has found that loneliness has been exacerbated by the Covid pandemic. The Foundation has been tracking loneliness levels in the UK during the pandemic and found the experience has been much higher with devastating impact. Loneliness has been an important factor contributing to higher levels of distress, resulting from people’s sense of isolation and reduced ability to connect with others. Further polling also found that loneliness was one of the leading issues that the public felt needed to be addressed."

So in this, the second of our MHAW 2022 week blog posts, we focus on two key services provided by Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations, both of which contribute hugely to addressing the issues of isolation and / or loneliness in the county. These services have played a vital role in supporting people throughout Powys who have struggled through the past two years of Covid lockdowns and beyond.

They are the Community Connectors and Powys Befriending Services.

Community Connector Claire Powell (bottom row, 2nd L)
& partners on the Newtown locality network

Sharon Healey, Senior Officer Community Connectors and Powys Befriending Services at PAVO, tells us more about the work of these two invaluable services, and the impact their work is having on individuals in the county who may be living with challenging mental and / or physical health conditions whilst at the same time also struggling to overcome loneliness and / or isolation.

Community Connectors Service

The Community Connector Service operates across Powys, with 13 Community Connectors based in Localities taking referrals for a wide range of issues – community activities, transport, benefits, housing, health conditions, wellbeing, loneliness and much more.

The Community Connectors can support clients to access the right local support and information. The service helps people in Powys, aged 18 years+ and their families or Carers, to access community level services and activities that will help them maintain independent lives and which will help prevent their circumstances deteriorating to a point where they might need higher level health or social care services.

Community Connectors can also support people when they return home from hospital by helping other voluntary sector services, such as the Red Cross, identify local services that may be needed. This could include occupational therapy, home adaptations, community transport, specific health related issues including dementia, medication/shopping collection or sourcing cleaning and overcoming loneliness and isolation.

During 2021/22 the top presenting issues into the CC service have been Social Isolation and Loneliness. We have supported over 510 individuals presenting with this issue, finding support and signposting them to befriending services, local groups of interest, looking at individuals' circle of support, online social groups, local social groups, etc.

Community Connector Lynda Rogers (far right) supporting Powys Pride

Feedback

“I don't know how I would have got through the last few months without the CCs and everything they had helped find out, put in place and have advised me on.”

G is an 80 year old man who by his own admission used to be a workaholic, spending as much time as he could on his farm in the work he loved. However as he got older this became physically more difficult and after he and his son employed a farm worker to help them out with the business he found he spent most days at home, alone. He hadn’t developed any interests due to his work commitments and felt anxious to leave the house.

G was being supported by farming charities Tir Dewi and the DPJ Foundation. The volunteer with the DPJ Foundation had been supporting G for 6 weeks and their support was coming to an end but G felt that he had enjoyed the volunteer’s visits so much he would like something similar to continue. He was referred into the Community Connectors' Service.

Community Connectors spreading the word out in the local community

His local Connector talked to him about befriending. He liked the sound of this and would like face to face visits. He said that with the support of a volunteer, who he had learned to trust, he would consider going out to meet other people at local group activities.

The Connector contacted the main Befriending providers and found that Age Cymru Powys had a volunteer who might be suitable for G. With G’s consent, he was referred into the Community Helpers’ scheme at Age Cymru Powys and was matched with a local male volunteer later that afternoon. Age Cymru Powys will also be offering him their Mamwlad support.

Powys Befriending Service

PBS - Powys Befriending Service is a project run by PAVO - Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations. The service supports people over the age of 50 living in Powys, to help maintain their independence, build confidence, develop their social network and reconnect with activities in the community or with a friendly cuppa and chat in their own home. The service supports people who have become lonely or socially isolated because of ill health, bereavement, disability, life changes or social disadvantage by arranging a supportive, reliable relationship with a Powys Befriender.

The service offers telephone befriending, 1:1 befriending in the client's own home or in the community, digital online groups and befriending groups in communities and letter or email befriending. Befriending is a process of bringing two or more people together with the aim of establishing an informal social arrangement. Befriending support can lower rates of depression, improve social skills, reduce isolation, improve self-management, improve self-esteem and confidence, reduce vulnerability and risk of abuse, build a sense of purpose and see a reduce in use of emergency services.

Sharon Healey (top right), Senior Officer Community Connectors & Powys Befriending Services

at PAVO joins a Powys Befriending board games session

Powys Befrienders supports clients to access social, leisure, educational or other needs and promotes personal choice, increased self-respect, supporting existing social skills and development of new opportunities. They can visit the client in their own homes or in the community to provide companionship and support. Telephone befrienders have light, meaningful conversations with their client, providing distraction from negative situations or circumstances.

As of the end of March 2022 the service supports over 420 clients through the activities offered. Due to the Covid pandemic the service had to amend its offers due to clients isolating and therefore with the huge increase in demand for support telephone and online support was developed.

Powys Befriending Service is part of a much wider team within PAVO and the wider Third Sector and any additional support required by clients can be sourced via the PAVO Community Connector Service.

Natalie Philbin-Carr (2nd from left), PBS Outreach Officer North Powys
 at a Powys Befriending session lunch

Feedback

Joyce Bettley is enjoying her calls immensely. "I look forward to the calls so much and my Volunteer ** is smashing. We talk about food, recipes, cooking, jam and everything else. It's absolutely lovely. I was reluctant at first but Natalie persuaded me to give it a try and it's the best thing I've done!”

“There is no question that the Befriending Service has been a lifeline for me at a difficult time. I can recommend it to anybody.”

Coffee & Chat Group, Newtown

Jenny Jones - “It was lovely, just to get out and meet people and so spacious, good coffee too!”

A client reported how pleased she is with her Telephone Befriender and that ‘he has made the world of difference to me’. She explained that she really looks forward to his calls and feels pleased that she has been able to help her Volunteer overcome his initial shyness and lack of confidence when talking over the telephone. She said that she is a natural conversationalist and their relationship has become mutually beneficial.

A PBS social event

And finally

If you know anyone struggling with loneliness in Powys, then let them know about services and projects that are available in the county to provide support. 

Community Connectors - contact details

Call our Duty Officer, Community Connector Service on 01597 828649 10am - 4pm Monday to Friday or email community.connectors@pavo.org.uk 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday.

Powys Befrienders' Service - contact details

Call 01597 822191 for an informal chat or email pbs@pavo.org.uk 9am - 5pm Monday - Friday.

Mental Health Awareness Week 2022 - Loneliness

Menter Maldwyn - Cerdded wrth yr Afon Tanat / Walking by the River Tanat

The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week

 9 - 15 May 2022 is Loneliness

The Mental Health Foundation, the charity which has hosted the annual Mental Health Awareness Week since 2000, explains why Loneliness is the chosen theme:

“Loneliness affects millions of people in the UK every year and is a key driver of poor mental health. The Foundation’s Mental Health in the Pandemic research has found that loneliness has been exacerbated by the Covid pandemic. The Foundation has been tracking loneliness levels in the UK during the pandemic and found the experience has been much higher with devastating impact. Loneliness has been an important factor contributing to higher levels of distress, resulting from people’s sense of isolation and reduced ability to connect with others. Further polling also found that loneliness was one of the leading issues that the public felt needed to be addressed.”

“Our connection to other people and our community is fundamental to protecting our mental health so we must find better ways of tackling the epidemic of loneliness.”

Mark Rowland, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation

Powys Connected Communities: Loneliness & Isolation Fund 2021 - 24

Here in Powys colleagues at Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations identified similar issues earlier this year and in response launched the Connected Communities: Loneliness & Isolation Fund 2021 - 24. This grant scheme focuses on funding organisations “providing locally tailored responses and small scale community-based support.” The emphasis is on “building the capability and sustainability of grassroots voluntary and community organisations that bring people of all ages together”.

Menter Maldwyn yoga

In this blog post we look at some of the projects that have been funded in Powys by this scheme. It’s still early days but it gives a feel for how grassroots organisations are stepping in to address “the epidemic of loneliness” which has been identified by the Mental Health Foundation.

CARAD (Community Arts Rhayader & District)

CARAD is an organisation run by enthusiastic volunteers who love working with others and love Mid Wales. If you would like to share or learn practical skills, or have an interest in local stories, we have a new project which you would be welcome to join us in creating. Rhayader Museum is changing into TimeScape Rhayader and will have two new floors of activities and exhibits to experience. 

We would welcome help in all sorts of ways, from carpentry to painting, gardening to crafting and more. We are also looking for people who would like to be ‘expert guides and gallery supervisors’ who can talk to our visitors about the area. We are developing a programme of training to complement what you already know, or support you to learn new things about the area, to help visitors get the most from their visit.

Would you like to feel more confident in meeting people again? If you’d like to enjoy a cuppa and find out about the many ways we welcome people to take part in creating Mid Wales's exciting new visitor attraction, then do get in touch - all@carad.org.uk or leave a message at 07788 663 172 or call in to meet us, Tuesday – Friday, 11 – 4.00, East St, Rhayader, opposite the fire station.

Ennyn Cymru - Circles of Connection / Cylchoedd Cyswllt

We are looking forward to delivering in-person wellbeing sessions for young females across the age span of 9 - 16, with the aim of supporting them in their transition into and through adolescence.

Sessions will involve learning about the bodily changes that occur during puberty, and provide a space for discussion, as well as activities such as yoga, arts & crafts, games and relaxation. The purpose of these session is to create a safe space for young females to gather together to socialise, connect and build relationships with each other, as well as to address the isolation that can be felt when journeying through puberty and trying to navigate topics such as menstruation, that are still taboo. We hope these sessions will empower and support our future generation.

The project will be provided by Ennyn CIC and delivered by Sian Davies.

Ennyn CIC is a community Interest company run by the artists Nicky Arscott and Elin Crowley, that offers creative and educational workshops, activities and opportunities for children, young people and adults in the Machynlleth area.

The wellbeing sessions will be run by Sian Davies, who offers creative menstrual awareness and educational workshops for menstruators and menstruators-to-be to learn about the menstrual cycle and menstrual wellbeing. Sian is passionate about tackling the shame and taboo that exists around the topics of puberty and menstruation, and the feelings of loneliness and isolation that can often arise from it. She hopes for a future where young people are supported in building a positive relationship with their bodies, and feel empowered in their transition in to and through adolescence.

Rydym yn edrych ymlaen i gynnig sesiynau wyneb yn wyneb i ferchaid ifanc oedran 9-16, gyda’r bwriad o’u cefnogi nhw yn eu trawsnewidiad i mewn i a thrwy’r glasoed.

Bydd y sesiynau yn cynnwys dysgu am newidiadau yn y corff yn ystod y glasoed, ac yn cynnig gofod i drafodaeth a gweithgareddau megis ioga, celf a chrefft, gemau ac ymlacio. Pwrpas y seisynau yw i greu gofod diogel i ferchaid ifanc i ymgynyll i gymdeithasu, cysylltu ac adeiladu perthnasau gyda’u gilydd, yn ogystal a chyfeirio at yr ynysu sy’n gallu digwydd tra’n symud trwy’r glasoed. Bydd y sesiynau yn cyfeirio at bynciau megis y mislif sydd dal yn bwnc tabŵ.

Mae’r sesiynau yn cael ei darparu gan Ennyn CIC a’u harwain gan Sian Davies.

Mae Ennyn CIC yn gwmni er budd y gymuned sy’n cael ei reoli gan Nicky Arscott ac Elin Crowley, dwy artist o ardal Machynlleth. Mae’r cwmni yn cynnig gweithgareddau dwyieithog creadigol ac addysgiadol i blant, pobl ifanc ac oedolion yn ardal Machynlleth.

Mae’r sesiynau lles hyn yn cael eu harwain gan Sian Davies, sy’n cynnig gweithdai addysgiadol i godi ymwybyddiaeth am y mislif mewn dull creadigol. Mae Sian yn angerddol am leihau y teimlad o gywilydd a thabŵ sy’n bodoli oamgylch y pwnc, a’r teimlad o unigrwydd ac ynysiad sy’n gallu codi oherwydd hyny. Mae Sian yn gobeithio am ddyfodol lle bydd pobl ifanc yn cael eu cefnogi i adeiladu perthynas bositif gyda’u cyrff, a theimlo’n hyderus ar ei siwrne i mewn i ac yn ystod y glasoed.

Menter Maldwyn - The Climate Project / Y Prosiect Hinsawdd

The Climate Project pilot has been developed with high school aged young people in mind, who live in a bilingual, rural area of North Powys. Like other young people, they have missed out on opportunities to socialise and have fun during the Covid pandemic, and for many there are ongoing consequences from the isolation and anxiety caused by the whole situation. Many young people also suffer from anxiety about the climate emergency and the war in Ukraine adds to what seems like a catalogue of reasons to feel anxious and depressed.

Menter Maldwyn Grwp y Prosiect Hinsawdd / The Climate Project group

The Climate Project pilot has been designed with wellbeing at its core. Monthly sessions for 6 months provide an opportunity for young people to come together with friends, to have fun, to take part in creative and wellbeing-focused activities, both indoors and outdoors with the climate running as a theme throughout. The aim is to support the youngsters so that they can take small actions which help them to see that they can make a difference in the climate emergency - that it isn't a hopeless situation. And to be 'climate activists' or 'climate champions', they will need to look after their own health and wellbeing. 

The first session involved a walk, photography, arts activities, yoga, good food and developing ideas for future sessions. As the project develops, we hope that the young people will begin to lead activities and demonstrate to themselves and others what empowered and capable young people can do. The project is a partnership between Menter Iaith Maldwyn, Fun Palaces and the National Trust and is a Welsh/bilingual project.

Menter Maldwyn Pecynnau blodau gwyllt / Wildflower sets

Mae'r Prosiect Hinsawdd wedi cael ei ddatblygu ar gyfer bobl ifanc oedran uwchradd, sy'n byw mewn ardal ddwyieithog a gwledig o Ogledd Powys. Fel pobl ifanc eraill, maen nhw wedi methu allan ar gyfleoedd i gymdeithasu a chael hwyl yn ystod y pandemig Covid, ac i lawer mae'r canlyniadau o'r ynysu a'r pryder a gafodd ei achosi yn parhau. Mae llawer o bobl ifanc hefyd yn dioddef o bryder ynglŷn ag argyfwng yr Hinsawdd ac mae'r rhyfel yn Wcráin yn ychwanegu at be sy'n teimlo fel catalog o resymau i deimlo'n bryderus ac isel.

Mae'r Prosiect Hinsawdd wedi cael ei gynllunio hefo lles yn ei graidd. Bydd y sesiynau misol am 6 mis yn rhoi cyfle i bobl ifanc ddod at ei gilydd hefo'i ffrindiau i gael hwyl, i gymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau creadigol a rhai sydd â ffocws ar les, tu mewn a thu allan gyda'r hinsawdd yn rhedeg fel thema drwyddynt. Y bwriad yw i gefnogi'r bobl ifanc fel eu bod yn gallu cymryd camau bychain fel eu bod yn gallu gweld eu bod nhw'n gallu cymryd camau fydd yn gwneud gwahaniaeth yn argyfwng yr hinsawdd - fod y sefyllfa ddim yn anobeithiol. Ac i fod yn 'weithredwyr hinsawdd' neu 'hyrwyddwyr hinsawdd' bydd angen iddyn nhw fod yn iach ac edrych ar ôl eu lles. 

 Yn y sesiwn cyntaf, buon ni'n cerdded, gwneud ffotograffiaeth, gweithgareddau celf, yoga, bwyta bwyd da a datblygu syniadau ar gyfer y sesiynau nesaf. Wrth i'r prosiect fynd yn ei flaen, ryden ni'n gobeithio y bydd y bobl ifanc yn dechrau arwain y gweithgareddau gan ddangos i'w hunain ac i eraill yr hyn y mae pobl ifanc grymus a galluog yn gallu ei wneud. Mae'r prosiect yn bartneriaeth rhwng Menter Iaith Maldwyn, Palasau Hwyl/Fun Palaces a'r Ymddiriedolaeth Genedlaethol ac yn brosiect Cymraeg/dwyieithog.

The Wilderness Trust

Here at the Hanging Gardens in Llanidloes we have set up new creative sessions for new parents living locally.

This is a creative peer group for new parents where we try out different arts based activities (painting, crafts, and writing for example) and share coffee, conversation and concerns. It's a moment for parents to take some time for themselves and to meet others in the area. We have a safe place for you to bring your pre-toddler children who can relax and explore right next to us while the parents get stuck in!

You can find out more about the Hanging Gardens community project on our website.

Other funded organisations

Other organisations receiving funding from the Connected Communities: Loneliness & Isolation Fund 2021 - 24 grant scheme include: Gerddi Bro Ddyfi Gardens, the Macular Society, Brecknock Play Network, Mid & North Powys Mind, Llanfyllin Mens' Shed and Credu. Look out for more information about their new projects soon!

Sharing the Load at The DPJ Foundation

Kate, Emma & Kay of the DPJ Foundation

At our next Powys Agri Wellbeing Support network meeting in September we will welcome Kate Miles, the new Charity Manager at farming charity The DPJ Foundation, to the group.

The DPJ Foundation was set up in Pembrokeshire in July 2016 following the death of agricultural contractor Daniel Picton-Jones. Daniel’s suicide rocked the community, and his wife Emma realised very quickly the lack of support that was available for those struggling with poor mental health in rural communities. Over the past four years the charity has grown to cover the whole of Wales, providing bespoke counselling services to farmers under the banner Share the Load, and mental health awareness training sessions to an increasing number of organisations working in this sector.

Kate started work with the charity just a few weeks ago, but is already settling in to her now role, as we found out when we caught up recently.

What is your role at The DPJ Foundation?

I'm the charity manager, so that covers the financial management, the marketing and business development, liaison with funders, potential funders, and partners and volunteer management. I also manage Kay Helyar, our new training manager, who works part-time and who’ll be delivering our training. I'm also the ultimate “troubleshooter” if there are safeguarding queries or concerns around the service. 

Kate Miles, DPJ Foundation's charity manager

Tell us more about the service you offer at The DPJ Foundation

There are three main strands to our service:

1. Awareness raising 

We have largely done this through social media (Facebook and Twitter). So every day we post an uplifting message with an agricultural related photo to make people aware of the telephone number for our Share the Load service. We also do talks in Young Farmers’ Clubs, Round Table, smallholders and various other groups of various descriptions. We are about to launch a campaign that ran successfully last year calling for knitters to knit bobble hats for us that we can sell to raise funds as well as raising awareness of our work.

2. Mental Health Awareness training 

We've recently concluded six sessions online. So we were delivering face-to-face training, but we've now moved to online delivery due to the pandemic which has positives and negatives. We find that the dropout rate is higher, but it means that we can obviously run a lot more sessions and potentially reach far more people.

3. Share the Load – counselling service

This is the main strand. Share the Load is our 24/7 call line (0800 587 4262) and we also operate by text. It's staffed by volunteers who have received training from the Samaritans and they provide a listening service initially. Some of these calls will then lead to referrals to a counsellor. People should receive contact within 24 to 48 hours from a qualified counsellor to make an appointment for a meeting within a week. We will offer as many sessions as that person needs but six is our core offer and generally most are concluded within that period. 

We have a panel of counsellors across Wales. Some are able to offer counselling in Welsh as well as in English, some are able to work with under 18s. 

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training for the volunteers

Do you work with children?

Generally, no. We would only do that if the school counselling hasn't worked or isn’t an option. That would be our first route because there's funded counselling already in place and also in terms of the holistic well-being for that individual it is quite important that the whole system is there in place to support them.

Saying that, we do have some counsellors who are able to work with younger people and we have some who are also able to offer support online and / or by text. But in general it's the face-to-face counselling although obviously a lot of this has switched to telephone during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Where does the face-to-face counselling take place?

We try to work with the individual. So if they want that counselling to take place on their farm, for example, then we have counsellors who can provide outreach and will do that. It might be that it's at a neutral location or it might be at the usual rooms that the counsellor uses. We try to make it as accessible as possible for the individual so that they will take up the counselling that is on offer and get the help they need.

Our counsellors are registered with the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (or other accredited bodies). So they've all been through the training. They are paid counsellors who have their own qualifications and insurance.

Tell us about the Regional Champions

As well as the 20 - 26 volunteers who staff the Share the Load helpline we have about the same number of Regional Champion volunteers, who are our eyes and ears on the ground in the community, including several in Powys. So for example they're making sure that there's a poster up in the local pub or feed merchants through to giving talks and collecting donations, but again, their role has changed during the pandemic because they're not able to get out and about in the same way. But equally as a lot of them are farmers, they are out and about because they are key workers, so they're still working. 

Fundraising presentation

Do the counsellors offer practical as well as mental health support?

Just mental health. There are organisations like Tir Dewi, the Farming Community Network and RABI who offer practical and financial support. If somebody's looking for practical help then we would signpost to one of those other organisations. When someone accesses our service we send a welcome email which includes a list of useful contact telephone numbers including the above organisations and others such as the NHS CALL helpline and Farmwell.

What are some of the key themes coming out of the counselling sessions?

Obviously the counselling sessions themselves are totally confidential. Broadly speaking though we have seen during the lockdown an increase in the number of young people accessing our service. And I think that's been echoed with other mental health services from what I can gather. There's been a lot of negative chatter on social media around young people breaking the lockdown whereas, in fact, there's been a lot of good work done by young people as well. So a young person I imagine could feel quite got at throughout this time really.

Then physical health problems can have an impact on mental health, perhaps even leading to self-harm. I also know we've now provided domestic violence training for all our volunteers on the basis that we were seeing an increase in these cases.

The farming community is often regarded as ‘hard-to-reach’. What are you doing differently to engage so successfully?

We are very focused on the industry and we try to use people within that community. Many of our volunteers come from a farming background whilst others are from a mental health background. They have an understanding of the community. Also some people who've accessed our service tend to become advocates for us – they share their story as they want others to benefit as they have.

It's really important to be where farmers are and that might be their home, it might be their farm or where they actually go to trade. To reach everybody we need to be in all those. Social media is great because it reaches people who are on social media, but there's a large demographic that aren't and so it's trying then to use more traditional means. So for example, we've got the bale stickers which are popping up across Wales at the moment and it's about drip feeding the message so that people who want help almost can't say they don't know where to go. 

A DPJ Foundation training session

How does the mental health awareness training fit into the overall picture?

We've probably reached around a thousand people in total since we've been in existence over the last four years. So people will be aware of different types of mental health disorder and have a very initial introduction to suicide and suicide prevention. And our real objective is that they come away feeling more ready to have conversations with other people about their mental health, but also we include a section about keeping themselves safe and how to look after their own mental health. So it's almost like a preventative session in some respects.

We're training people who are working in that farming community, so Young Farmers’ Clubs, vets, Animal Health officers, feed reps, etc. Hopefully after the training they feel able and equipped to have a conversation with somebody, or leave one of our flyers on a kitchen table, or know to ask our advice about what steps to take next. We would love to be even more successful and we really want to be in a position where everybody knows that we exist (although we aren't quite there yet). 

Many thanks to Kate for telling us all about her new role at The DPJ Foundation. 

If you want to find out more, or are interested in volunteering, you can contact Kate by emailing kate@thedpjfoundation.co.uk or ringing 07984 169 652.

Impacts on the Covid Kids

by guest blogger Evan Griffiths

Evan Griffiths is a Powys based singer songwriter. He is 16, is afraid of crabs, and finds talking about himself in the third person very weird. The lovely folks at PAVO asked him to do a blog post on the impacts of COVID-19 on him and the people he knows.

So what have the kids of the Powys area been up to since lockdown?

Well, obviously I can't speak for everyone but from what I've seen, it's a lot of video games. I spoke to some of my mates and we all agreed that without online games you can play together with other humans we'd all have gone mad months back. Personally I also find that on top of this finding a solid creative outlet is also vital for the whole “not going bananas” thing.

As you might expect I’ve made a lot of music since the world went on standby and I must say I've not had the worst time doing it! Since day 1 I tried my best to encourage my friends and strangers on the internet to take up something creative now that none of us can go outside. I even did a short YouTube sketch reviewing people's projects. It wasn't very good.

Also (shameless plug) I’ve been working towards opening the Radnor Fringe Festival on Friday the 19th of June at 7pm GMT so like go watch that, I put a lot of work into it.

Other fun projects I’ve encountered where: learning a new language, making art from loads of old rubbish (this one wasn't from a teenager but is still very cool), learning bass guitar, making animations, it's been really cool to see what people can do now that they have virtually unlimited time to do it. If ever there was a time to finally learn that skill you've been putting off learning, it's now!

What effects have these activities had?

I have become dependent on coffee and have not left the house in three days.

And everyone else?

Oh right yeah, it's been really interesting to see at what rates people start to lose their marbles from social isolation but certainly those of us who are used to not talking to people for a while did a fair bit better in the short term. By this point everyone has more or less acclimatised to our new and weird reality and are back to feeling how we normally do.

Since this blog is about mental health I’d like to do a short piece on that. A lot of kids get bullied in school. Personally, I had a really terrible time of it towards the end of high school with gossiping teenagers and all that awful stuff and so for some of us the release from our nine to three coke light prison in favour of staying inside most of the time actually resulted in a marked improvement in our self worth and ability to cope with problems and situations. It’s almost as if it's easier to do your thing without people constantly telling you how awful you are.

However, this wasn't the case for everyone. For a lot of people the school environment provides a set structure and support group and to lose that means it becomes a lot harder for that person to cope with everything that goes on in their lives. And as a person who values structure myself I can seriously empathise with this. So the impacts of specifically the lockdown can change massively from person to person to person.

This got really heavy really fast.

It did, didn't it? Still I think it's important for people to talk openly about mental health, even now when it feels like the world's caving in. When did this become a lecture? 

Anyway to go back to a previous point I genuinely believe the escapism offered by video games has saved me and many others at least a portion of our sanity. For a long time when i couldn't go out and see my friends we'd boot up a Minecraft world and play virtual Lego for 5 straight hours and that all might seem silly or trivial to a lot of you reading this after the serious topics discussed and frankly I don't blame you but even from a mental health point of view spending time with your friends has always been shown to be good. Whether that be sharing a bag of crisps or blowing them up in Team Fortress 2. 

You talked before about the more creative activities you and your friends have been up to since lockdown, care to elaborate on how COVID affects the creative process?

The big C hasn't so much changed the creative process as it has simply forced it to adapt. For example I used to go and sit in my mate's house writing songs for hours on end, now I play a lot of Minecraft.

Please stop talking about Minecraft.

Okay fine, one of the few things I’ve found that's actually pretty cool about this whole lockdown thing is that it's given me loads of time to pour my everything into what I enjoy doing, making music. However, I am so criminally bored. I cannot articulate to you just how bored I am. 

Last week I cleaned my room, by choice, out of boredom. THAT’S HOW POWERFUL THIS ISOLATION IS! I’m up to date on school work for the first time in 5 years. So whilst me and many others have enjoyed the extra time to work on projects, if I go much longer I might make a TikTok and then it's really over. And if you don't know what TikTok is, thank your lucky stars and know that I envy you greatly.

Any closing thoughts about the impacts of COVID on the youth?

Firstly, I hate the term “the youth” makes me sound like an old man. Secondly, is it me or does February feel like it occurred sometime around 1996? And finally, I hope you enjoyed this article as much as I enjoyed writing it, and I bid you all an at least interesting rest of your day.

>>> l i n k s <<<

my instagram

my youtube

banana bread recipe

picture of a cactus

Christmas is upon us! Let's spread the love

by Jackie Newey & Jen Hawkins

There are lots of reasons why someone might be faced with the prospect of spending Christmas Day on their own. Some people may choose this option - which is absolutely fine. Others may have lost a loved one - a husband, wife or long-term partner, or parent, during the course of the year, and be dreading their first ever Christmas alone. Other people of any age may work a long way away from close family and friends and not be in a position to travel and spend time with them.

Sadly, however, it is much more likely that it will be older people who face Christmas alone. Some older people may not see anyone, or even have a phone call on Christmas Day, never mind receive a gift or join in a shared meal. A new Age UK report published on 3 December 2019 estimates that more than 200,000 older people in the UK will spend Christmas alone this year. Those who have recently been widowed struggle the most. The poignancy of this situation is brilliantly illustrated in a short video called "Stella" from Reengage UK (formerly Contact the Elderly).

Joanna Lumley, Age UK Ambassador, says: "Loneliness is one of the most disabling and dispiriting situations that thousands must face this and every year. Even pulling a Christmas cracker needs someone at the other end...and think of all the other moments when a kind hand, a warm voice, and understanding presence would be of even greater benefit to a lonely troubled person.”

Prompted by attending the Powys Bereavement Project launch earlier this month (planned to coincide with the first ever National Grief Awareness Week), Jen decided to try and find out if there were any events or lunches organised by groups in Powys for people to attend if they were by themselves on Christmas Day. Early on in her investigations she was pleasantly surprised by the number and spread of activities across the county. Some of the organisations are even offering to organise transport where needed.

Before long we were both absolutely overwhelmed by the sheer generosity of individuals linked to voluntary groups, churches and even private organisations, who are working tirelessly to ensure people in their communities do not have to face Christmas alone. Indeed most of the lunches / events are free to attend and run on donations and good old community Christmas spirit!

One church in Newtown provides meals for up to one hundred people each year who are elderly or vulnerable and on their own at Christmas. Working with a local sandwich shop, who donate their time and the main course of the meal, a delicious Christmas dinner is prepared, taking into consideration different dietary and lifestyle requirements. Volunteers at the church gather on Christmas morning to organise the food parcels to be delivered to the local residents. 

As well as a Christmas dinner each person receives a newspaper, a dessert and a small gift. It’s not just a flying visit just to drop off either. There is a true sense of Christmas spirit with volunteers staying to chat and keep people company for up to half an hour. Many volunteers have been delivering parcels for several years, visiting the same people each year to build relationships, foster friendships and maintain a sense of continuity and connection. Places have been filled for this year but if you know of someone who would benefit next year please get in touch and we can refer you to the relevant organisations.

Powys really wears its heart on its sleeve when it comes to caring for people in the community at Christmas. What was heartwarming and poignant to discover is that support at Christmas isn’t just localised in one area of Powys. Support and care is provided right across the county from a Christmas meal in Llanfyllin organised by local people and business, to hot drinks and mince pies at the village hall in Presteigne, to board games, bacon butties and hot chocolate at the Greek Restaurant in Brecon with Credu - Connecting Carers. The range of support and provision is varied and heartfelt. 

Other Christmas Day lunches and events are listed on our website events calendar. Some are now fully booked, but others still offer places, or are more informal spaces, where people can meet up with others on Christmas Day. Enjoy a chat, a drink (non-alcoholic or not), listen to music, laugh together (or not!) at some of those dreadful Christmas cracker jokes, and eat a Christmas dinner (roast turkey, or not!) together.

In the end Christmas Day is just one day of the year. What about the other 364 (or in 2020, which is a Leap Year, 365) days? Powys Befrienders is a PAVO project helping to improve the independence of people aged 50 and over in the county by encouraging thriving social networks. This can have huge knock on benefits, not only in people feeling happier in themselves and enjoying life more, but in their ability to remain in their own homes for longer.

Isolation and loneliness can be big issues, especially in a large rural county like Powys. But there is support out there, whether at Christmas or any other time of the year. And the main message we took away from this small piece of work is that generally people in Powys don’t need to spend Christmas Day alone if they don’t want to!

With seasons greetings to all our readers, and hoping that your Christmas is as busy or as quiet as you would really wish.

If you need support over the Christmas period, however, for whatever reason, then take a look at our website page with details of organisations that can help.

There is also an excellent blog post, with tips on how to survive Christmas, on local mental health charity Ponthafren Association’s website - Beat the Christmas Blues.

How playing Pokémon Go helps my mental health

by Mark Evans aka wildfairyboi 

As a sufferer of anxiety and depression, and suspected Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), I spend a lot of time alone in my room. I find it extremely hard to start a conversation and when people begin to talk to me I get dizzy. My heart begins to race and I find it hard to catch a breath so I kinda shut off to the world. To some I might seem extremely ignorant. But this is not the case. I would love to be able to just walk up to someone random, introduce myself, and have a good old chat...

However, since I can remember I have always freaked out at the prospect of meeting someone new .. Some days I even find it hard to talk to people I know very well including my own family so I'm always looking for reasons to give me confidence to leave my room... 

As a 90s baby I grew up watching Pokémon and I loved it throughout my childhood…. And, not gonna lie, I still watch it to date… So when Niantic released Pokémon Go I was really excited to give it a go to the point I ordered a new contract mobile specifically to play... I was so taken in to the game catching all my favourite Pokémon I started going out all night when there was nobody around to play the game. I started to go out nearly every night. I walked around town and the lake every day for nearly a year.

Then I got ill and also had to look after one of my mates so I stopped playing so much. I actually didn't pick up the game for nearly 9 months as I was with my friend every day trying to fix her life up. Or I was really sick myself, and in and out of hospital. So I stopped my evening walks and began to spend all my time either at hers or hiding in my room again as I slowly got more sick. This made my depression and anxiety worse to the point I stopped going out again at all.

In the last 4 months I have picked up my fone and begun to get out walking again as I convinced my mate to do the same. She also got a fone to come and play Pokémon with me. So we began walking round in the evening, then we decided to start doing some of the daytime tasks on the game including meeting other players. I noticed my anxiety was still there but having Pokémon to talk about distracted me enough to get into conversations about it.

We met more people to share Pokémon info and tips with and began to get invites to X raids for a chance to catch legendary Pokémon ... So I started to go and meet random groups to play Pokémon although still feeling anxious .. Playing Pokémon Go gave me a reason to meet up with these random people and a reason to talk, so I slowly gained confidence to the point I'm now out most of my day playing... I’m either walking round town or the lake several times hatching eggs or walking Pokémon or even just chasing cool Pokémon on the near by. 

I'm even trying to get groups of people to come and meet me to help at some of the Pokémon raids and awaiting any one asking for help on the chat. If anyone asks for help I'll try to get wherever the raid is. 

So I've gone from having no confidence and staying indoors all the time to walking round the town for hours on end not wanting to go home some days. I’m meeting lots of new people and re-meeting old ones - all out playing Pokémon. I noticed there's quite a few really anxious players but all eager to come play when they can. 

S is another regular Pokémon Go player locally who has been 

struggling with her mental health. She says: 

“Playing Pokémon Go has literally changed my life.”

Big thanks to Anne Woods who is a Participation Officer in our team but also a very keen player of Pokémon Go. Anne has been playing since the day it started in the UK. She very kindly created the infographics with the Pokémon Go basics for the newbies amongst us...

Powys Befrienders - knitting for wellbeing

When I have time, especially in the winter, I like to knit and listen to the radio. I find it very therapeutic. Its rhythmic and repetitive nature has often been compared to meditation. Many of my office colleagues knit too, and we love to pass on tips about our favourite yarns and patterns. We might have a bonding moment or two comparing bamboo knitting needles and angora wools when the broadband dips out for a couple of minutes…

This Tuesday I was invited to meet another friendly group of knitters and crocheters at Abbeyfield House in Newtown for their regular fortnightly session. If you’re a knitting enthusiast, you’ve probably come across the Knit & Natter concept. This incarnation is the Newtown Knit Tea Together group set up by the Powys Befriending Service. (Read Powys Befrienders – it’s given me back my life for more on this PAVO project generally). It was snowing, so not all the regulars had been able to make it, but Eileen, Betty and Carol were joined by first-timer Olive for a chat, loads of laughs, and plenty of knitting, sewing and crocheting.

Olive works on a twiddle mitt

This week they were busy making twiddle mitts and cushions for people locally living with dementia. (Online pattern for knitters!) “People with dementia are always looking for things to touch,” they explained, “so we sew bells, beads, eyes and Velcro to the mitts, and people find them very therapeutic.” While I was there Lesley Austen, the Powys Befriending Services Co-ordinator, arrived to gather up mounds of the mitts to take to Bethshan Care Home, also in Newtown. Past group projects have included making baby blankets for local maternity services, and creating colourful knitted toys and clothes to raise funds for the group. At a market stall in Glanhafren, Newtown Market Hall, on 8 December, they raised £380 through sales, and are now planning a summer stall.

While the women sit and sew they swop tips, plan trips – including activities and shopping – and update each other about the latest local news stories. They happily share their skills, and experience. Carol promises to teach Olive how to crochet the next time they meet. There’s a haberdashery moment and in five minutes Eileen’s volunteering to shop at her favourite supplier for all the others. And who would have known that the best and cheapest way to stuff a knitted doll is to pull a pillow apart for the filling? 

L-R: Lesley (Powys Befriending Service Co-ordinator), Olive & Eileen
"Tell me again, what's a split stitch in knitting...?"

Why we like to knit and crochet

"It relaxes you. It keeps your hands moving. It you have arthritis it helps to keep them moving. You have to keep active."

"It keeps your brain moving too! If you’ve got one! It helps keep your mind off a lot of problems. You can take it out in your knitting. You go faster if you’re in a bad mood!"

Several members of the Newtown Knit Tea Together group are also active Powys Befriending Service volunteers in their local community. The two volunteers present tell me about the clients they support. One is a gentleman with Parkinson’s disease who is visited at home, and another is a lady who is supported to attend afternoon teas at the Smithfield Bell in Welshpool, or the Lakeside Restaurant at the golf course near Montgomery.

Carol does crochet... and is also a PB volunteer

Later Lesley told me more about Eileen’s contribution as a Powys Befriending Service volunteer:

Eileen’s husband died after a prolonged illness and was bedridden for the last 6 months of his life. He did not want to be in hospital so Eileen had cared for him at home supported by Health and Social Services. For over a year she had rarely left the house and had lost a lot of confidence about going out on her own as well as suffering from grief and loneliness. Her daughter referred her to the Powys Befriending Service and accompanied her to one of our group lunches.

Eileen was very chatty and helped people sitting around her. At the end of the session, when I asked how she had got on, she said she loved it: “But I’m so much better off than some of the others, wouldn’t I be of more use helping them?”

Eileen duly attended the Befriending Induction training, got her DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) approval and two glowing references and asked “When do I start?” She didn’t want to have to drive too far, so I matched her to a housebound gentleman with early stage dementia and other health needs who lived a few miles away. As we approached the gentleman’s house she told me she and her husband used to walk in the area and used to chat to a lovely man tending his garden – and this was the gentleman she was getting matched to!

Both he and his wife recognised Eileen and were delighted to see a familiar face. The client has memory loss and several health conditions requiring appointments and visits, so we agreed Eileen would visit every two weeks. The match is a great success – both client and volunteer share a farming background and enjoy talking about farming and the local countryside, reading the local paper and following sports events on TV. 

The client’s wife now has a regular couple of undisturbed hours when she can do things that she enjoys, getting out in the garden, baking and having a chat on the phone with friends, which she had not previously been able to do easily, having to keep an ear and eye out for her husband’s needs.

This still left Eileen with time on her hands and a will to help people, so she asked if it would be possible to have another client to see on alternate weeks and is now also matched with a lady who had no means of getting out and about. She takes this lady to an afternoon tea group, and is now supporting the group by helping with clients.

Eileen then asked if she could come along to the Newtown Knit Tea Together group as she loves knitting and sewing, and after a few sessions she and another volunteer were quite happy to run the group themselves with me in the background for occasional support. Lots of our female clients list amongst their interests knitting, crochet and sewing, but no longer have anyone to make things for. Eileen soon armed them with patterns, needles and wool and got them making baby clothes in premature sizes, which we now send in regular parcels to Special Care Baby Units in Welsh Hospitals.

Oh did I mention…………… Eileen is 86 years young!

Eileen told me “I get as much out of being a volunteer as the people we help. It’s been a lifeline to me since I lost my husband.”

Betty with one of her knitted dolls

If you would like to join the Newtown Knit Tea Together group run by the Powys Befriending Service (don’t worry if you can’t knit, sew or crochet – there are plenty who will happily teach you) then give Lesley a call to find out more on 01597 822191 or email: lesley.austen@pavo.org.uk

Are you a knitter or crocheter? Does it help boost your emotional wellbeing? Let us know in the comments box below.