Harrogate volunteers have launched Renew HG1 - a weekly space for the community to work on their mental and emotional wellbeing.
Harrogate volunteers have launched a weekly space to allow members of the community to work on their mental and emotional wellbeing. Renew HG1, which is part of the Renew Wellbeing group, is hosting a regular wellbeing space from Harrogate Baptist Church. The idea behind the weekly event is that people are given a community space to get together and engage with others. Renew HG1 is set to take place today (Monday) from 10:30am until 12pm and every Monday going forward.
Zoe Bishop, a volunteer for Renew HG1, said:
Renew HG1 is one of more than 100 Renew Wellbeing café style spaces across the country. Ann Chesworth, Minister at Harrogate Baptist Church, said:"RenewHG1 is a community space where it’s okay to not be okay.
"It’s a place for people to come on a Monday morning where there’s opportunity to have quiet, a coffee or a tea, to meet people and to have a purpose.
"We're trying to combat the issue of mental health so we want to give the people of Harrogate a place to go."
[caption id="attachment_16083" align="alignnone" width="1536"] Ann Chesworth and Zoe Bishop outside Harrogate Baptist Church.[/caption] The wellbeing cafe will provide activities such as jigsaws, books and colouring to encourage conversation. There will also be a crafts table to encourage attendees to share their skills and gifts with others. Ann added:"We’re hoping to connect with people who are feeling a bit isolated and lonely, or people who just want to see a friendly face.
"We want to provide the space for the community to shape, but also for people who wish to be among others but without the pressure of having to engage with people."
The idea had been in the works at Harrogate Baptist Church since before the pandemic, which has further affected mental health across the country. According to the World Health Report, around 1 in 4 people will suffer with their mental health at some point in their lives."The idea is that if people have a skill or a craft that they’re willing to share, they bring it along and then they can do that together.
"So the idea is not that we’re putting activities on, it’s about people coming together and sharing the skills and gifts they have."
Ann said:
To find out more about Renew HG1, find them online, get in touch on renewhg1@gmail.com or call 01423 530514. Read more local stories from Your Harrogate here."We were talking about this concept before lockdown but clearly lockdown and the pandemic have exacerbated the situation and also mental health teams across the country are stretched to the limit.
"We’re not mental health experts or councillors, but we wanted to provide a space really for all of us to work on our emotional and mental wellbeing."
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