Feeling connected in your community can be difficult at times but Tameside, Oldham and Glossop Mind has been helping people by providing a range of services and support that's easy to access and fun. This work before the pandemic was aimed at reducing isolation and helping people to feel more connected to others and where they live, through Mindfulness, Walk & Talks, Canal Boat trips, Allotment sessions, and Arts and Crafts.
When the pandemic hit, TOG Mind offered modified services online but it became even more apparent that connecting with others is a vital way to help maintain an individual’s wellbeing, so face-to-face services were slowly and safely re-introduced. Caroline Cook, who coordinates the Tameside adult wellbeing activities, said: "Following several co-production meetings, which involved TOG Mind Staff, Volunteers, and Service Users, we were able to develop a solid framework for what people in the community wanted from their local mental health services.
"Having their input made them feel heard, valued, and motivated to help make a difference. As an organisation, it gave us confidence in what we would be implementing and delivering."
Recently, TOG Mind has launched its new Wellbeing Hub at its home on Katherine Street in Ashton - which is designed to feel homely, comforting, relaxing, and somewhere anyone can come and feel welcome.
There are activities running through the week with an aim to have a full fortnightly timetable up and running in the New Year.
What TOG Mind currently have running:
- Next Steps (over 65’s Peer Support Group)
- Bob in for a Brew
- Autistic Adults Social Group
- Walk & Talks
- Mindful Photography
- Wellbeing Courses (How to Cope with Anger, Confidence & Self Esteem, Stress & Anxiety, and 5 Ways to Wellbeing)
- Mindfulness & Meditation
- Arts and Crafts
Plans for the New Year and beyond include Yoga Courses (starting January), Creative Writing, a Men’s Group, Food for Mood cooking classes, IT Skills, a Grief Café and LGBTQI+ sessions.
Available at all sessions are tea and coffee making facilities and evolving measures to ensure everyone’s safety in the current climate including hand sanitiser and face masks.
Anyone interested in any of the above can email Caroline at office [at] togmind.org or call TOG Mind on 0161 330 9223.
An exciting opportunity to meet staff, learn more about TOG Mind's 40-year history and apply for paid and volunteer roles.
Monday 29th November 2021 - 6pm to 8pm at our Oldham office - 19-25 Union Street, Oldham, OL1 1HA.
Meet our staff, learn more about TOG Mind and apply for roles with your CV.
Visit the different zones depending on your skill sets and interests, including; Children, Young People and Families, Adult Services, and Community Development to find out more about paid, voluntary, and casual roles available.
Food and Refreshments will be provided.
If you are unable to attend, you can still submit your CV and a covering letter to us by emailing: HR [at] togmind.org
You can reserve your FREE ticket here: https://togmindrecruitmentopenevening.eventbrite.co.uk/
We look forward to seeing you on the night. Please consider sharing across your networks.
A team of over 80 local fundraisers have recently smashed their fundraising target and in the process, improved their health and inspired others.
Over the last couple of months, Andy Hughes and the team have completed 5 fundraising challenges including climbing Mt Snowdon, the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge and the Manchester 10k. The team had set out to raise £1000 for local mental health charity Tameside, Oldham and Glossop Mind (TOG Mind) but, through their passion and dedication have managed to raise an incredible £4,065.
Andy from Team Hiitman (@teamhiitman) who coordinated the activities, took part and supported the group said ‘I’d like to officially thank you all for your support during the last few months for the 5 challenges we did to raise money to support our local Mind charity - TOG Mind. We raised £4065 and this money will go a long, long way to help support lots of people and a charity which is close to so many of our hearts’.
Jason who supports fundraisers at TOG Mind said ‘This is next level fundraising and we are hugely appreciative of the effort and dedication put in by the whole team. When I met the fundraisers recently it genuinely brought a tear to my eye to hear their stories and see how positive everyone was. Any fundraising makes a huge difference to our work and ensures we can do even more in the future.’
For anyone inspired by Andy and the teams efforts, Miles for TOG Mind is running until the end of the year where people can sign up to complete 50 or 100 miles in a month anyway they want.
To find out more call Jason at TOG Mind on: 0161 330 9223, email fundraising [at] togmind.org or visit: justgiving.com/campaign/MilesforMindwithPUREGYM
On World Mental Health Day 2021 last Sunday, the wonderful Heidi Jane came to the end of her amazing fundraising journey.
She's walked the length of Route 66 raising £2500 for TOG Mind - We want to give her a massive THANK YOU for her consistent effort and inspiration!
Fundraise for mental health and join the fight here with Miles for TOG Mind 2021 – You still have time!
https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/MilesforMindwithPUREGYM
Exciting new mental health offer for children and young people living in Tameside and Glossop
Tameside, Oldham and Glossop Mind have teamed up with 42nd Street to launch a new and expanded emotional and mental well-being community offer open to children and young people, aged 10-18 in Tameside and Glossop. The offer which has been developed and designed by local children and young people (CYP) will provide a range of support options with choice being a key focus. The offer will continue to be developed and co-designed with local children and young people to ensure this offer meets the needs of our communities.
What the offer is:
My Emotional Wellbeing Coach
A range of therapeutic support providing coaching, goal focussed interventions, counselling and open access drop-ins.
My Emotional Wellbeing Places
Face to face or online - based in 5 neighbourhoods for support where you live, online referrals and wellbeing resources.
Key Supporting Relationships
Parent/carer drop ins, referral pathways to adult wellbeing services, training, family support, peer parenting support.
Growing my Potential
Educational workshops, become a Peer Mentor, co-design services and influence the system.
Wellbeing Training
For parents, education teams and other key workers in our communities.
To refer a child or young person:
Drop-in: The Hive - Wednesdays 4pm-8pm
Email: thehive [at] togmind.org
Find us at: 216-218 Katherine Street, Ashton-under-Lyne
Call: 0161 330 9223 and ask to speak to the Children and Younger People’s team
GMCVO are delivering a grants programme to support people from communities of identity or experience, based in Greater Manchester, that may struggle to achieve higher levels of mental wellbeing.
The communities they are aiming to reach are:
- Carers
- People from BAME communities
- People living with long term physical or mental health conditions
- People who identify as LGBTQ+
- Disabled people
- Military veterans
- People who are unemployed
- Socially isolated older people
The aim of these grants is to support small, grassroots VCSE organisations that will support people to develop high levels of mental wellbeing.
Learn more about these Greater Manchester Wellbeing grants.
Over the next three months there will be opportunity for VCSE organisations in Greater Manchester to be trained in and deliver the Mental Wellbeing classes Living Life to the Full and Reclaim Your Life.
Course Dates
Yaran NW CIC are running a Living Life to the Full Train the Trainer course, online, on Tuesday 26th October 9:30 – 4:00pm. If you wish to attend please can you email rokhsana [at] yarannorthwest.com
Reflection Hub are running a Living Life to the Full Train the Trainer course, in person, on Wednesday 24th November 9:30 am. If you wish to attend please can you email admin [at] reflecteen.org.uk
Desired are experienced Community Trainers who may be able to support the following communities of identity or experience:
- People from BAME communities
- People living with long term physical and mental health conditions
- Disabled people
- Social isolated older people
- Military veterans
- People who are newly or long term unemployed
- People who identify as LGBTQ+
- Adult Carers
Once you have attended the course you will receive a license (valid until October 2022) and an online log in for all the resources. VCSE organisations will also be able to draw down a £60 attendance contribution and apply for a small grant which will contribute towards the cost of delivering the programme. We would expect that if you receive this training you will deliver at least two sets of classes that run for 6 weeks, 1.5 hours per week.
Living Life to the Full (LLTTF) is one of the world’s most used wellbeing support packages. It aims to provide key information using everyday non-complex language. People learn to; understand why they feel as they do, choose to do activities that improve wellbeing, identify blocks or activities that make them feel worse, boost their confidence, understand and change their sleep, become more assertive, calm anxious worries and be more compassionate.
There are class resources translated into Farsi and Urdu to facilitate delivery in some community languages by native speakers. Classes have been delivered in Farsi and some in Urdu are planned.
Funded by Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, in Greater Manchester, there are a number of different ways to engage with the suite of Living Life To The Full resources to cater for different preferences. There is access to online self-guided resources (courses, e-books, translated e-books, videos and worksheets) www.gmlifeskills.com and there is now an opportunity to join our community of community trainers who will help us to deliver LLTTF classes in the community.
Celebrating World Mental Health Day 2021 and its theme of ‘Mental Health in an Unequal Word’, our Covid-19 link worker role was funded by Oldham Cares and was created to provide as much advice and support as possible locally, to those members of the community who are marginalised or segregated. This includes black minority ethnic people, asylum seekers and people suffering with dementia.
This report provides insight into the impact of Covid-19 locally and some of what we’ve been able to do to help and support people throughout.
Fundraising isn’t always easy and here at TOG Mind we are hugely appreciative of people having a go, raising any amount to support mental health and where possible, making a donation to support others. Today we want to give a special thankyou to Frank McGhee who has already helped us reach over 50% of our target for Miles for Mind in September!
“Day 23 - 83mile completed. My body is still doing ok and I am really grateful for all the support and donations. Hearing again how demand for help is increasing at MIND especially from young people”. Frank McGhee.
Could you help Frank reach his fundraising goal? Every penny helps ensure no one has to suffer in silence and even more support can be provided locally across Tameside, Oldham and Glossop.
View Frank's JustGiving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/frank-mcghee
Help and support from the local community mean the world to us as a mental health charity and allows us to continue to go above and beyond in providing counselling, dedicated children and family support, training and suicide prevention services to those most in need.
It's more important now than ever before for us all - following the last 18 months and the struggles people have faced.
Your help on this fundraising campaign is hugely appreciated and will ensure more people who are struggling with their mental health, can get the right support at the right time. If you have any questions at all you can call us, message through our social media or email: fundraising [at] togmind.org to speak with Jason at TOG Mind. You can also learn more at our JustGiving page by clicking here.
