This week is Mental Health Awareness week, at the Helena Kennedy Foundation we understand the importance of positive mental wellbeing and understand everybody has different interests and hobbies to support their mental health.

We recently asked our staff and Trustees to share how they look after their mental wellbeing:

Shahida Aslam – Helena Kennedy Foundation Director of Operations 

“To help my mental health I find it relaxing to spend time at my allotment, clearing weeds and planting, I could easily spend hours there”. 

Rashda Akhtar – Finance and bursaries administrator

“I like to walk barefoot on grass in the garden”.

Charity Trustees

Rachael Shimmin- “I often take part in Yoga”. 

Elizabeth Hess – “To support my mental health I challenge myself in wilderness”. 

Mica Coleman Jones –  “I create specific music playlists to manage different feelings and moods. There’s a Spotify playlist called, ‘The Most Beautiful Songs in the World’ and I find it so calming to listen to whilst walking or relaxing in the bath! I also make time to talk to my loved ones and I try to be honest about how I am feeling, even if I don’t fully understand why I am struggling to feel motivated or positive”. 

Karen Mitchell – “I love to spend lots of time on adventures (mostly muddy and wet) with these two hounds, Bowie the Golden Doodle and Mollie the Black Lab”. 

Dr Ann Limb  – “I get out into my garden or walk by water”. 

Iandra Tchoud – “Hugs, reading and flowers”.

Paul Eeles – “Spending time with my wife on long walks together, which we started in Lockdown one locally and decided to continue doing”. 

Julie Mills  –“Lose myself in a book”. 

To learn more about mental health awareness week click here