People living in and around Easingwold, who experience anxiety or feel overwhelmed are benefitting from a fortnightly group to support them to live well in their local community.
A safe, caring and supportive environment
The group, called Not Just Me! is operated by Easingwold District Community Care Association, and Carers Plus. Sessions are fortnightly on Thursdays at Easingwold Football Club, providing a safe, caring and supportive environment for local people to meet. People can chat about their interests and take part in a range of activities.
Not Just Me! has been funded by the North Yorkshire and York Community Mental Health Transformation Programme. The programme supports people living with mental health conditions, to live well in their local communities.
Quality of life
Easingwold District Community Care has been established since 1987. It aims to develop a true sense of community, where all residents have a good quality of life, a sense of wellbeing and belonging.
Di Watkins, Chief Officer of Easingwold District Community Care explains: “We work with a wide variety of organisations and volunteers to ensure people feel supported and to have access to services and support that meet their needs.
“Since we’ve established Not Just Me! we’ve supported a number of people to come together to forge new friendships and feel better connected to the local community.”
Building confidence
Many of the people that attend the group might not otherwise have left their homes due to feeling overwhelmed or anxious. The Not Just Me! group gives them advice, support and a sense of belonging. It helps build their confidence and encourages them to live well in their local community.
Di adds: “Two of our group members discovered they both had a love of swimming but didn’t want to go swimming alone. Through the friendship they’ve developed they now meet up regularly to go swimming. This has not only enhanced their mental wellbeing, but also their physical health too. It would never have happened without the group.”
Working with communities
David Kerr, Programme Lead for the Community Mental Health Transformation Programme at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust said: “Not everyone needs support from mental health services and the Community Mental Health Transformation Programme recognises this. It’s about working with local people at a community level to understand what would make a difference to them and where possible to provide this alternative support.
“If we can help people to live well in their local communities by addressing the things that can impact their mental health in the first place, we can reduce the number of people presenting in a mental health crisis, and the need for referrals to mental health services.
“We are happy to be able to support groups like Not Just Me! They play an integral part of transforming the way people will ill mental health are supported. We are really happy to see the positive outcomes that groups like this have.”
Community Mental Health Transformation
The funding for the group was facilitated by the Stronger Communities team at North Yorkshire County Council on behalf of the North Yorkshire Community Mental Health Transformation programme,
The Community Mental Health Transformation programme in North Yorkshire is run by the North Yorkshire Mental Health Alliance. The Alliance is a partnership of public, voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations and people with lived experience of mental illness.
It’s part of the NHS Long term Plan to improve mental health services and give adults greater choice and control over their care and to live well in their local communities. This simple animation explains the national ambition in more detail.
The next group takes place between 10am and midday at Easingwold Football Club on 26th October and fortnightly thereafter. No booking is needed.
