Loneliness Awareness Week 12-18 June 2023

What is Loneliness Awareness Week?​
Loneliness Awareness Week is a week dedicated to raising awareness of loneliness. Its all about creating supportive communities by having conversations with family, friends or colleagues about loneliness. Loneliness is a natural human emotion – we are hardwired to need social connections. By talking about it, we can support ourselves and others. Loneliness Awareness Week was launched in 2017 by the Marmalade Trust and it grows in momentum each year across the UK and internationally. 

In Libraries we have many activities that can help people feel less isolated.

Book Groups– most of our libraries host book groups that take place once a month. They discuss new books , favourites and classics. Many have been meeting for a number of years and the members have become good friends. Wokingham Library has a group for people with visual impairments

Creative Writing and Poetry Groups

Knit and Natter and Crochet, Embroidery and Crafts– Friendly groups for people of all abilities

Coffee Mornings– drop-in sessions with volunteers available to chat

Reminiscence Sessions– getting people together to talk about their memories

Author visits and special interest talks

Jigsaw Club- for people with Learning Disabilities ( Wokingham Library )

Daffodils Club– for people living with dementia, their friends and carers ( Wokingham Library)

Men’s Oasis Club– for retired men or those who are no longer working, for discussions, activities and support ( Wokingham Library)

Rhymetimes and Story Times for families with young children

Activities for children during the school holidays

Home Library Service– Volunteers and members of staff deliver books to people who cannot get to the library through illness, age or disability

For more details of all our events go to https://wokingham.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/MSGTRN/WPAC/HOME

email: libraries@wokingham.gov.uk

Call (0118) 9781368

Mental Health Awareness Week – 15 – 21 May 2023

Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from Monday 15 – Sunday 21 May 2023. This year, the campaign will focus on anxiety with the aim of increasing awareness and understanding of what it is and how we can manage anxious feelings so that they don’t become a problem.

Key Facts on Mental Health and Wellbeing

•Around 1 in 6 people experience symptoms for common mental health problems in England and Wales, 1 in 4 in Scotland and 1 in 5 in Northern Ireland
• A recent survey found a quarter of adults felt so anxious that it stopped them from doing the things they want to do some or all of the time.
• People in the UK are experiencing widespread stress and anxiety in response to the cost-ofliving crisis. More than one third of adults feel anxious and almost 3 in 10 feel stressed.
• 4 in 5 young people reported the pandemic made their mental health worse.
• 8 in 10 young people agreed the pandemic had increased feelings of anxiety and isolation.

 

 

How libraries and reading can help

• Reading Well book collection. Reading Well books are all recommended by health experts, as well as people with lived experience of the conditions and topics covered and their relatives and carers.

• Visit Wokingham libraries website for Mental Awareness titles.

• Self-directed bibliotherapy increases ‘mental resilience’ to anxiety and anxious feelings.

• Regular readers for pleasure reported fewer feelings of depression than non-readers, and stronger feelings of relaxation from reading than from watching television or engaging with technology intensive activities

• Bibliotherapy improves self-esteem and supports with a range of other personal, health, mental health and wellbeing-related issues for children, young people and adults.

• There is clear evidence of the therapeutic value of the library space itself – a qualitative study with people with mental health conditions identified the library as a space that is ‘familiar and welcoming, comforting and calming, and empowering’.

Looking for help?

Samaritans
Call: 116 123 | Email: jo@samaritans.org | write
Samaritans is a safe place to talk about whatever’s getting to you.
Samaritans is free, confidential and available 24/7 for people of any age
across the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Childline
Call: 0800 1111 | email | online chat
Childline’s trained counsellors are there to help anyone under 19
in the UK with any issue they’re going through. Childline is free,
confidential and available any time, day or night.

AFC Crisis Messenger
Text AFC to 85258
This is a free, confidential, 24/7 text message support service for
anyone who is feeling overwhelmed or is struggling to cope.

World Mental Health Day October 10 Reading Well Books

#ReadingWell – 📚The power of reading📚 World Mental Health Day October 10

To mark this occasion, we wanted to highlight the #ReadingWell books for children, young people, and adults. 

The #ReadingWell collections includes helpful information and support for managing common mental health conditions or dealing with difficult feelings and experiences. Some books also share personal stories from people who are living with or caring for someone with mental health needs. The #ReadingWell books are all recommended by health experts, people with lived experience of the conditions and topics covered and their relatives and carers, and with the help of children and families for the children’s booklist. 

To discover the collections, visit: https://reading-well.org.uk/books/books-on-prescription

The books are available in your local library now, visit today and start #ReadingWell. 

Visit Wokingham.Spydus.co.uk and use your library account number and PIN to reserve some of the titles.

A selection of these titles are also available on Libby (wokinghamuk.overdrive.com) – to find them, scroll down the home page to the collection ‘Reading Well’.

#ReadTalkShare #ProvenPowerOfReading #LetsTalkLoneliness #ReadingWell #Reading

World Mental Health Day October 10 Reading Well Books

#ReadingWell – 📚The power of reading📚 World Mental Health Day October 10

To mark this occasion, we wanted to highlight the #ReadingWell books for children, young people, and adults. 

The #ReadingWell collections includes helpful information and support for managing common mental health conditions or dealing with difficult feelings and experiences. Some books also share personal stories from people who are living with or caring for someone with mental health needs. The #ReadingWell books are all recommended by health experts, people with lived experience of the conditions and topics covered and their relatives and carers, and with the help of children and families for the children’s booklist. 

To discover the collections, visit: https://reading-well.org.uk/books/books-on-prescription

The books are available in your local library now, visit today and start #ReadingWell. 

Visit Wokingham.Spydus.co.uk and use your library account number and PIN to reserve some of the titles.

A selection of these titles are also available on Libby (wokinghamuk.overdrive.com) – to find them, scroll down the home page to the collection ‘Reading Well’.

#ReadTalkShare #ProvenPowerOfReading #LetsTalkLoneliness #ReadingWell #Reading

Lost Words for Mental Health Awareness Week 2021

The Lost Words

The Lost Words stands against the disappearance of wild childhood. It is a joyful celebration of nature words and the natural world they invoke. With acrostic spell-poems by award-winning writer Robert Macfarlane and hand-painted illustration by Jackie Morris, this enchanting book captures the irreplaceable magic of language and nature for all ages.

Lost Words Activities Events Template Double sided 2021Download

You can access the Reading Well for children is a booklist of expert endorsed reading to support children’s mental health and wellbeing.

The booklist

The booklist of 33 titles provides quality assured information, advice and stories to support children’s mental health and wellbeing. The books are all selected and endorsed by health experts, children and families.

The list coversgeneral information and advice about: maintaining good mental health and wellbeing; understanding and managing feelings; dealing with worries; navigating the world around you, including at school, online and in the news; dealing with tough times, including when someone dies, trauma, and when a parent or carer has mental health needs; and support for living well with specific diagnosed conditions including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and physical disabilities.

The books are available to borrow from our libraries. You can request them with our Click and Collect service or download from our Online Library.

Reading Well Display at Woodley Library for Mental Health Awareness Week

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#MentalHealthAwarenessWeek is an opportunity to talk about all aspects of mental health. Advice and support for all ages can be found in #ReadingWell books at our library – many as e-books and audiobooks. #ReadTalkShare and find the help you need to support your health and wellbeing in uncertain times.

The books are available to borrow from our libraries. You can request them with our Click and Collect service or download from our Online Library.

Children’s Reading Well for Mental Health Awareness Week 2021

You can also access the Reading Well for children is a booklist of expert endorsed reading to support children’s mental health and wellbeing.

The list is targeted at children in Key Stage 2 but includes titles aimed at a wide range of reading levels to support less confident readers, and to encourage children to read together with their siblings and carers. Developed by charity The Reading Agency (www.readingagency.org.uk) in partnership with Libraries Connected and the UK public library network, Reading Well is a national books on prescription programme that provides helpful reading to support health and wellbeing.

How Reading Well works

• Teachers, health and social care professionals, or anyone supporting children and families can use the scheme to recommend helpful reading. People can also self-refer via the booklist. https://reading-well.org.uk/books/books-on-prescription/children
• The books are available to borrow from our libraries. You can request them with our Click and Collect service or download from our Online Library.

The booklist

The booklist of 33 titles provides quality assured information, advice and stories to support children’s mental health and wellbeing. The books are all selected and endorsed by health experts, children and families.

The list coversgeneral information and advice about: maintaining good mental health and wellbeing; understanding and managing feelings; dealing with worries; navigating the world around you, including at school, online and in the news; dealing with tough times, including when someone dies, trauma, and when a parent or carer has mental health needs; and support for living well with specific diagnosed conditions including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and physical disabilities.

The books are available to borrow from our libraries. You can request them with our Click and Collect service or download from our Online Library.

Reading Well and Mood Boosting Books for Libraries

There are collections of the books on the Reading Agency’s lists – ‘Reading Well for Children’, ‘Reading Well for Young People’ and ‘Reading Well for Mental Health’ – available to borrow in Wokingham, Woodley and Lower Earley libraries.

A selection of these titles are also available on Libby (wokinghamuk.overdrive.com) – to find them, scroll down the home page to the collection ‘Reading Well’.

There is also a collection of ‘Mood Boosting Books’ available on Libby, consisting of titles drawn from the Reading Agency’s lists.

World Mental Health Day 10 October 2020

October 10 is World Mental Health Day and this year’s theme is “mental health for all”. Most people would agree that 2020 has been a very challenging year so far, and prioritising mental health has never been more important.

The charity Mind is encouraging people on World Mental Health Day to do one thing for better mental health. For wellbeing tips, help and support visit

https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/world-mental-health-day/

Reading Well for Mental Health is a programme organised by the Reading Agency, which aims to provide helpful information and support for managing common mental health conditions, or dealing with difficult feelings and experiences, through reading. Book lists have been prepared, based on recommendations from health professionals. We also have Mood Boosting Books. Find these in our Wokingham and Woodley libraries – link is here https://wokingham.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?QRY=SVL(MOODBOOSTING)&SORTS=SQL_RANDOM&QRYTEXT=Mood%20Boosting%20Books&NRECS=6

We have put together “bookshelves” of  Reading Well books and Mood-Boosting books on our RB Digital app, comprising both fiction and non-fiction ebooks and audio, called Mental Health Day.

Find our RB Digital collection at https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/libraries/library-services/e-books/

Wokingham and Woodley libraries also provide the “Shelf Help – Reading Well for Young People” book list. These books are recommended by experts about mental health, and are suitable for 13 to 18 year olds. The books provide information and advice about topics such as anxiety, stress and OCD, and difficult experiences like bullying and exams. There are also titles on ADHD, autism and asperger syndrome, body image and eating disorders, confidence and self esteem, depression, mood swings and self harm.

Health Books and Magazines

If you want to take up a healthier lifestyle, but need advice and information to get started – or if you are flagging and need a bit of extra motivation – then have a look at our e-resources, we may have something that could help.

You will find a good selection of magazines on Pressreader (https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/libraries/library-services/e-magazines/) – titles that deal specifically with healthy lifestyles are Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Health & Fitness, Men’s Fitness and Women’s Fitness.

In addition, you will find several magazines on running, cycling and sport. Everything you should need to get you started and keep you motivated.

On RB Digital (https://wokingham.rbdigitalglobal.com/home), select either eBooks or eAudio, and choose the filter ‘Body, Mind and Spirit’, you will find books which deal with mental health, which is just as important for your overall wellbeing, and if you choose the filter ‘Sport, Hobbies and Leisure’ you will find books on diet, exercise and healthy lifestyles.