Promotingmental well-being

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Tunbridge Wells Mental Health Resource Ltd (MHR), a registered charity, based in the heart of Tunbridge Wells, was founded in 1993 to provide practical and emotional support

in a safe and caring environment, for people suffering from mental ill health.

Figures show that in the region of 160,000 people in Kent require support for their mental health illnesses.

Despite living in what is popularly thought to be an affluent area, many of these people find themselves in financial hardship and social isolation as a result of their illness, sometimes losing their job, home and family.

MHR seeks to empower people with mental illness, so they are able to re-take control of their lives, increase their self-confidence and feel a full and valued member of society.

Today,MHR is one of the feworganisations providing comprehensive services and support delivered through our Centre, Advocacy and Reachout projects in the Weald of Kent area,

Advocacy and Reachout projects in the Weald of Kent area, which includes the major towns of Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks and the rural surrounding areas.

Our services are funded through both statutory and fundraised income and are delivered by paid staff with the support of volunteers.

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Pottery – Adult Education provides the setting for this skills based course. Friendly,

helpful tutors will teach you how to transform a piece of clay into a piece of pottery of your

choice. This can be included in one of our exhibitions.

Yoga – Learn how to relax whilst helping to tone your body in our group at the Camden

Centre. Our tutor will instruct you so that the sessions take into account your own safe

level of exercise.

Ten pin bowling – Join us on the last Friday of each month for this fun packed social activity.

Bowling equipment is available for people who cannot bowl unaided.

Weekend service – Monthly outings, weather permitting, to places of interest using public

transport or mini bus.

Our Centre & Activities

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Our friendly qualified team of staff are here to help by listening to you, identify your needs and support you to deal with your difficulties. We have a variety of supportive options and whilst we

will do all we can to help you, we recognise that sometimes specialist help is needed and we will therefore put you in touch with the relevant organisations.

Attending our centre would enable you to access meaningful activities that help to raise confidence and self esteem encouraging positive emotional and physical well being. Workshops in community based settings with members of the public can help to break down the barrier associated with mental health. We work alongside individuals to identify short and long term goals thus gaining a sense of achievement and enhancing the quality of life. Recovery is achievable; we support people to gain new skills and improve on existing ones at their own pace in order to reach their full potential and move on to voluntary or paid work. Ongoing support helps to maintain positive outcomes as people face new challenges.

Our Centre is based at the heart of the community and is easy to access by local transport. Qualified, friendly staff offer practical and emotional support and provide information to helpyou find other services that you may need, in order to improve your quality of life.

There are activities every day that you can join, and these are facilitated within and outside of, the centre. Our aim is to work alongside you to achieve long and short term goals. You will have the opportunity to learn new skills and refresh existing ones, at your own pace, and socialise in a safe environment, thus helping to maintain your mental and physical well being. A free counselling service is also available.

Well being group - Focussing on everything that helps to maintain a healthy lifestyle, in line with the ‘live it well’ initiative, including diet, relationships, family issues and physical, social and leisure activity. Speakers, on a wide variety of subjects, are employed on a monthly basis.

Cooking for health – Work as a team member to learn basic cooking skills and build the confidence to try new recipes. People can achieve a basic food and hygiene certificate.

Computer tuition – Our Volunteer will teach you how to get to know your computer and help you practice new skills.

Needlecraft – Enjoy being with other people whilst learning how to create a beautiful piece of work which you can include in our exhibitions.

Badminton – Physical activity is proven to lift mood and since it is played at St John’s leisure centre, you may learn to be less

OMen’s group – Peer support in a safe setting with planned social outings. Women’s group – Focussing on women’s issues and mutual support with monthly outings to local facilities.

Creative writing – What better place could there be than the Library for this

relaxing and therapeutic activity. People can put thoughts to paper and gain the confi-dence to share their writing with the group.

Art workshop – Based at Trinity Art Gallery, providing an opportunity to explore your crea-tive side and gain the confidence to use a variety of methods and materials.

Assert Project & Reachout

Assert Advocacy is independent of NHS and Social Services and separate from other parts of the Charity. Advocates help the client to express their own views and needs to the people who make decisions

about their lives. We aim to protect people’s rights, improve their access to information, and promote informed choice.

Our general advocacy work includes obtaining professional advice on debt, housing problems or benefits,

supporting parents in dealing with Social Services procedures, and helping patients understand and contribute to Care Programme Approach reviews.

At our first visit, which may be at the person’s home or anywhere they feel comfortable, we will talk through the problems and discuss how we might help. The advocate will then work in partnership with the client until the issue is resolved or the person feels able to progress it on their own. We also provide Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) for South West Kent and for Priority House in Maidstone.

Anyone subject to the Mental Health Act 83 (apart from emergency sections) including people who are living in the community under Guardianship or Community Treatment Order,

has the right to an advocate to help them understand the law, exercise their right to appeal, and to support them in questioning any restrictions placed on them.

Reachout provides friendly and confidential peer support groups for people with mental health difficulties based in the community. Our aim is to reduce isolation and encourage people to be pro-active in managing their own recovery.

Those who attend the groups are encouraged to share their personal experiences and coping strategies, and in addition, they have the opportunity to feedback their experiences and views of treatment and care.

Groups meet to make friends and share personal experiences in an environment where members find they can understand one another. Our groups offer friendly, confidential self-help support groups in a caring and non-judgemental environment, facilitated by a paid member of staff.

Group members are given the opportunity to provide anonymous feedback, which we hope will improve mental health services within the local area. On occasions our groups organise guest speakers and social activities.

Reachout currently meets in the following areas on a fortnightly basis. Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Hawkhurst and Cranbrook.

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Partners & Links

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Rethink – Sevenoaks 01732 742351 www.rethink.org.uk

Reachout Invicta Advocacy Service01322 285234 www.invicta-acvocacy-network.org.uk

Medway & Swale Advocacy Service 01634 713739 www.msap.org.uk

Services for residents in East Sussex

South East Advocacy Project 0330 4409000 www.seap.org.uk

Crossways Community Care Home 01892 529321 www.crosswayscommunity.org.uk

Carers First 01732 357555 www.carersfirst.org.uk

Town & Country Housing 01892 501702 www.tchg.org.uk

Tunbridge Wells Counselling Service 01892 548750 www.thecounsellingcentre.org.uk

Porchlight Homeless Charity 0800 5677699 www.porchlight.org.uk

Gateway Tunbridge Wells 01892 526121 www2.tunbridgewells.gov.uk

Citizens Advice Bureau 01892 617256 www.citizensadvice.org.uk Moat Housing 01892 544127 www.moat.co.uk

Mental Health Matters – Helpline 0800 107 0160 (5pm – 9am 24hrs weekends & bank holidays)

Sevenoaks Area Mind 01732 459558 www.sevenoaksareamind.org.uk

Samaritans 08457 90 90 90 www.samaritans.org

Live it Well (steps to wellbeing) www.liveitwell.org.ukPRooms for Hire

We are delighted to be able to assist other organisations two days a week by hiring out our rooms at very reasonable rates.If you or your organisation would be interested in hiring rooms in our Centre and would like more information or arrange a visit to look at our premises please contact Audrey Thomson Tel 01892 539422

mhr 2a Grosvenor Park, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 2BD

Tel: 01892 615552

Fax: 01892 554729

Email: enquiries@twmhr.org.uk

www.twmhr.org.uk

© 2011 twmhr Registered Charity No. 1049854 Registered No. 2826452 England Design © Zuuve UK www.zuuve.co.uk