Recovery College to provide mental health support in Northumberland

More mental health support is being offered to Northumberland residents.
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Mental Health Concern and NHS Northumberland Clinical Commissioning Group have joined forces in the development of a Recovery College to provide learning experiences, mutual support and access to activities to help prevent peoples’ mental health issues from getting worse.

The college won’t be housed in a building, but activity will instead be coordinated, across the area, by five groups of people based in North Northumberland, Tynedale, Morpeth, the Cramlington, Bedlington and Seaton Valley area and in the Blyth and Ashington area.

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These five groups will work with anyone who wants to get involved to develop the programme of activities to support people’s mental wellbeing – by suggesting activities that have helped them in the past or by running sessions.

Yoga is one way to improve mental health.Yoga is one way to improve mental health.
Yoga is one way to improve mental health.

Examples of what other recovery colleges offer include yoga, mindfulness, music sessions, creative writing, stress management, how to manage anxiety and emotional awareness.

Emma Fynan, who runs Yogacell and has supported the Northumberland Recovery College since November last year, said: “It feels great to be part of something that is making a real difference to people’s lives.

"What the college does is help remove barriers to people accessing activities in local communities that will support them, which is just fantastic.”

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Kate O’Brien, NHS Northumberland CCG’s senior head of commissioning for child health, learning disabilities and mental health, said: “This is such an exciting partnership and addition to mental health services in Northumberland.

"The special and powerful thing about the recovery college is that it will be developed and delivered by people who really understand mental health illness through lived experience.

“This will mean that everyone accessing or involved in running the college can truly support and understand one another and will hopefully result in friendships and connections being made so that people can widen their support network. Even more important considering how difficult the last year has been. I encourage people to get involved and help us to progress this exciting initiative.”

To find out more or get involved people should log onto www.northumberlandrecoverycollege.co.uk where they can fill out a contact form, or text their contact details to 07515 326750 and someone will get in touch.