Mind in West Essex

04/05/2026

Drop into our Uttlesford Community Hub tomorrow morning for the latest Uttlesford Mobile Community Supermarket stop!

It aims to help stretch household budgets further by offering basic ambient groceries at lower prices. It's open to all local residents and membership is free!

Come by between 9.30am and 11.30am to grab some bargain groceries. If you can't make it tomorrow, we'll be hosting the mobile community supermarket fortnightly on Tuesdays at the same time.

This week:

01/05/2026

Life can change as you get older. Routines shift, days can feel quieter, and it’s easy to move a little less without realising.

Gentle movement throughout the day – a short walk, stretching at home, or stepping outside for fresh air – can lift your mood, support mobility and help you feel more confident.

Start small, move at your own pace and remember, every bit counts. Active Essex and Mind in Essex are here to support you
👉 MindInWestEssex.org.uk/services/community-services/move-for-your-mind/

30/04/2026

Want to try a pioneering virtual reality VR mindfulness-based tool for low mood and anxiety - for free?

Following a successful trial with VR last year, we’re delighted to launch this innovative mindfulness course for everyone who is eligible!

Tend is a structured virtual reality programme designed to help you break free from negative thinking patterns. Using a VR headset (provided by us), you’ll be immersed in a calm, focused environment that helps you manage low mood and anxiety.

Across eight 45-minute sessions, you’ll gain practical, evidence-based techniques to manage negative thoughts and reduce stress in your day-to-day life - without the pressure of talking to someone else, and allowing you to progress at your own pace.

We know that if you haven't tried VR before (most people haven’t!) you might not want to commit - so we’re offering a free introductory session so you can get familiar with VR, and see if it works for you, with no referral required.

If you like it and want more, continuing the course costs just £25 per session. Plus you’ll also receive free access to Tend’s mobile app, offering short mindfulness practices and breathing exercises to support you between sessions.

Interested?
📝 You can find out more or request a free intro session here: MindInWestEssex.org.uk/services/counselling-and-therapeutic-support/virtual-reality-mindfulness/ - or by emailing talking@MindInWestEssex.org.uk

📽️ You can watch a short video about the course on the page to see what it’s all about.

Gain practical tools for your mental wellbeing with Tend at Mind in West Essex.

30/04/2026

We have 2 new exciting vacancies working within our Schools Mental Health Support team.

All details for these posts are on our vacancies page so head over now for info on these exciting opportunities!

29/04/2026

📣 We've added 2 new dates for our online Su***de Awareness workshops. The sessions are FREE for anyone who lives in Harlow, Uttlesford or Epping Forest.

These workshops aim to give you the knowledge and confidence to have supportive conversations with people who are feeling suicidal, so they can access the help they need.

It covers everything from the law, language, statistics and stigma around su***de to risk factors, possible warning signs, having supportive conversations and available support and resources.

Dates:
📆 Monday 18th May, 1.30pm-4pm
📆 Friday 19th June, 9.30am- 12noon.

These sessions usually book out quickly so secure your ticket today.

👉 More info and tickets: MentalHealthTraining.org.uk/su***de-awareness-workshop/

28/04/2026

This May, join us in aiming for 1,440 minutes of movement or mindful activity across the month. That's a whole day's worth of time dedicated to supporting your mental health and wellbeing.

💙 Why take part?
It's a simple way to ensure you're making time for your mental health. Doing small things you enjoy can help you slow down, take care of yourself and improve your wellbeing.

You can also make a real difference in your community and support vital mental health services locally by fundraising. Asking people to sponsor you is a great way to keep you focused on your minutes count - we suggest aiming for £144!

💙 What’s involved?
You choose how and when to add to your minutes, depending on what works for you and your schedule. It might be the same thing each day, or you could do a range of activities, like:
👟 walking or running
🧘‍♀️ yoga or stretching
🌿 spending time in nature
🧠 mindfulness or meditation
🎨 creative activities like art or journaling
👥 social connection (time with friends/family)...or anything else that supports your mental wellbeing.

You don’t have to do a set amount of time each day either. You might choose to combine some longer activities with shorter ones.

If you need some inspiration, come along to one of our FREE weekly activity groups. They are relaxed, friendly and informal - and everyone is welcome. Whether you like reading, art, a chat over a cuppa, walking, or gardening, there's something for everyone!

👉 Get involved!
To join the 1,440 minutes challenge, head to our campaign page and click the orange 'Start fundraising' button here:
https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/mind-in-west-essex-1440minutes

28/04/2026

Were you inspired by the London Marathon on Sunday? 🏃🏃🏻‍♀️

The ballot for places in the 2027 event is open until 4pm this Friday, 1st May! If you're successful, why not run for us and make an amazing experience even more meaningful?

You’ll be making a real difference in your community and supporting vital mental health services locally. Every penny raised for Mind in West Essex is spent here – so, when you support us, you’re helping friends, family, neighbours and colleagues.

As we're an independent charity, we need to raise our own money to fund our services. That's why your support, through fundraising and donations, is so important.

💙 If you'd like do the London Marathon (or any other sponsored challenge) in aid of us, get in touch with our team at fundraising@MindInWestEssex.org.uk

👉 Find out more about fundraising for us here:
MindInWestEssex.org.uk/fundraising/fundraise-for-us/

27/04/2026

Congratulations to Naomi Oiku on running the TCS London Marathon yesterday! 💪 It's an amazing achievement and we were so proud to have you representing us 💙

All the hard work you put in and your commitment to supporting mental health will make a real difference in our community.

Naomi not only smashed her first marathon in a time of 4:34:52 but she has also raised an incredible £1,673 for us. Mental health is a cause that has personal importance to Naomi and we're so grateful to everyone who sponsored her.

Every donation helps us provide mental health support in Harlow and across West Essex. If you'd like to sponsor Naomi, there's still time!
👉 https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/naomi-oiku

27/04/2026

We want to take a moment to say a huge thank you to our fundraiser Suzanne Leader, who was unable to participate in yesterday's London Marathon due to injury.

We’re so sad for Suzanne, who took on the challenge of running her first marathon in memory of her sister. Mental health is a cause close to her heart and her dedication since receiving our charity place last year has been amazing.

Suzanne put in many miles of training and has raised an incredible provisional total of more than £2,700 for our local mental health services – passing her fundraising target.

All of this money will be used to provide counselling bursaries and to fund our Su***de Awareness training, which is available free to anyone living in West Essex.

We can’t thank you enough for your incredible efforts, Suzanne, and we wish you a speedy recovery. A heartfelt thank you, also, to everyone who has sponsored Suzanne and supported her in any way. 💙

24/04/2026

We are all sending the amazing Naomi Oiku our best wishes for the London Marathon on Sunday! You've got this, Naomi - every mile you run and every pound you raise is making a real difference for mental health 💪👏

🫶 Naomi says running has helped her mental health and she knows how important it is to have access to the right support when you need it. She decided to use the challenge of her first marathon to fundraise for us and encourage other people to seek that support.

💙 We’re so grateful to everyone who has donated to Naomi’s fundraiser so far. As an independent and local charity, all funds raised for us stay in West Essex – so you’re supporting your friends, family, neighbours and community.

👉 You can read more about why Naomi is supporting us and give her some extra motivation on Sunday by donating here: https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/naomi-oiku

23/04/2026

Connecting with someone through a friendly chat can really help to ease stress and feel calmer - for both of you!

Our befriending volunteers make sure people in their local community don't go without that vital social connection.

If you're looking for a rewarding way to de-stress, why not bring calm, connection and companionship to someone's life?

💙 Get involved today! Find out more here: MindInWestEssex.org.uk/services/community-services/befriending-support/

Or email volunteering@MindInWestEssex.org.uk

22/04/2026

🗣 “It was amazing! Honestly I came in quite sceptical, because I haven't found a lot of techniques to be helpful, but I was blown away by this.”

This was the experience of one person who completed the Tend VR programme last year. That’s why we’re delighted to make Tend available for everyone who is eligible. 🎉

⚡No GP referral, no waiting list
📝You can book a free intro session or learn more here: MindInWestEssex.org.uk/services/counselling-and-therapeutic-support/virtual-reality-mindfulness/ or by emailing talking@MindInWestEssex.org.uk

❓What is Tend?
Tend is an innovative mindfulness-based programme delivered through a VR headset (provided by us) that immerses you in a calming virtual world.

Designed for low mood and anxiety, it offers mindfulness, breathing exercises, thought awareness, and guided meditations to improve your mood, reduce your stress and manage your anxiety, helping you build practical skills for a better life.

❓Interested?
You can start with a free introductory session to get familiar with VR, and see if this is right for you.

If you continue with the course, it costs just £25 per session. There will be 8 weekly 45-minute sessions, taking place at one of our hubs in Harlow or Uttlesford, at a time that best suits you.

Find out more:
🔗 Visit: MindInWestEssex.org.uk/services/counselling-and-therapeutic-support/virtual-reality-mindfulness/
📨 Email: talking@MindInWestEssex.org.uk

Gain practical tools for your mental wellbeing with Tend at Mind in West Essex.