This week patients, carers and hospital staff gathered at Roseberry Park Hospital in Middlesborough for a joint celebration of Mental Health Awareness Week and International Nurses Day.
Staff members organised a variety of activities to raise awareness of good mental health, celebrate this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week’s theme of ‘Community’, and in honour of their hard-working nurses.
One of the activities that took place included a mini wellbeing market featuring information stalls, wellbeing crafts, lots of cake stands and a visit from Daisy the therapy dog.
Carl Wilton, an activity co-ordinator at Roseberry Park Hospital, said: “The wellbeing mini market took place at our Dalesway unit.
“Feedback was positive, and our patients really enjoyed the day. They especially loved engaging with other patients from different wards. It gave them a real sense of connection and understanding that they don’t always get in their usual environments.”
The celebrations didn’t stop there, with the hospital café, Bon Appetit, offering a week-long 99p stone-baked margherita pizza lunch deal and staff organising a pop-up sweet shop with popcorn, lollies, and chocolates for patients, carers and staff to enjoy.
Hannah Solan, a practice development practitioner at Roseberry Park Hospital, said: “Our lovely activity co-ordinators set up chairs and Tiki parasols to offer shade from the sun as well as a cake, coffee and tea stand.
“They also hosted a variety of activities for our patients to participate in, including potting plants, making fidget balls and eating ice cream to cool down. They also set out some games of fuse ball, connect four and tennis.”
Rebecca Carter, an activity co-ordinator, said: “The event was held in a communal space within the hospital to encourage patients and staff from all the wards to come together as a whole community.
“The seating areas outside allowed groups to chat whilst enjoying the numerous snacks and refreshments available, which resulted in a patient getting out his guitar and playing live music for peers.
“The garden games were set up to motivate participation from both staff and patients in some friendly competition. We also had a ‘take what you need’ board that was full of positive affirmations that anyone could pick up to give them a boost. People also wrote their own affirmations and added them to the board for someone else to read.”
Hannah added: “With it also being International Nurses Day, my colleagues and I created wellbeing baskets with the help of Community Champions from Tesco’s, Morrisons, Asda, Mark and Spencer’s and our local “Go Local” which the staff and patients often shop at.
“They provided us with some lovely gifts to go inside the baskets made for the nurses to show how much we appreciate them. This included tea, coffee, pop, biscuits, chocolates and much more.
“My 9-year-old daughter also donated some of her bracelets to go in the wellbeing baskets, and our lovely administrator, Ronnie, from Bedale ward made lots of cakes for the staff as well.
Hannah and her colleagues delivered the baskets to all Adult Mental Health wards at Roseberry Park Hospital.
“The hampers were all greatly appreciated.
“I would like to say a thank you to the modern matrons and ward managers for supporting our practice development practitioners’ team. A big thank you to Ronnie for the lovely cakes as well as our activity coordinators, they did an amazing job!
“Also thank you to Bon Appetit for their pizza deal and the use of their popcorn machine.”
