Mental Health Awareness Week 15-19 May 2023

This week we took part in the ‘Wear It Green’ Day to support the Mental Health Foundation’s Mental Health Awareness Week.

This year’s theme is Anxiety, and it’s proven physical activity has a huge potential to enhance our well-being.  Exercise such as walking increases mental alertness, energy & positive mood, and can reduce stress and anxiety.  So a group of us stepped away from our desks for a lunchtime walk around the beautiful Ludwell Valley – a great way to have a chat with colleagues and get some sunshine at the same time.  We feel very lucky to work so closely to one of Exeter’s Valley Parks and as you walk through the fields of Ludwell you can look over at the city from a tranquil setting, and quite often meet some furry friends along the way – we’ll definitely be doing more of this over the summer months.

Here at AWP we want to break the stigma that stands around mental health, and we encourage everyone to speak about their challenges. This year we now have three Mental Health First Aiders who are trained to offer advice and support.

This week we’ve been raising money for the Mental Health Foundation by purchasing their green ribbon badges which we’ve been wearing to raise awareness and to support good mental health for all.  On the 31^st May we’ve signed up to an online masterclass hosted by SSG, focusing on Anxiety. We look forward to learning more and taking some useful tips away with us!