South Somerset Mind

MOVING PEOPLE is a £20m project funded mainly from the Big Lottery, topped up with a small amount from Comic Relief. The money has been awarded to Mind, Rethink and The Institute of Psychiatry. There are 28 LMA projects around the country and 8 national projects.

The aim is to reduce the stigma associated with mental health. Many of the projects are concerned with aspects of physical health and the appallingly bad state of the physical health of people with mental health diagnosis.

South Somerset Mind’s project started with the conference in November 2007. We are at present developing a questionnaire designed to find out what kind of thing prevents people from being involved with exercise that they might like to do. We will be interviewing for two posts, a project worker and a befriending coordinator South Somerset Mind – Mind Over Matter Participants will take part in walking for fitness, gym exercise and team games, as well as tai chi and yoga.

Everyone will have an initial consultation to get the best mix of activity to suit their needs. Staff and volunteers will ensure the exercise takes place in a supportive, safe environment and that opportunities to participate in ‘mainstream’ sports clubs will be pursued where appropriate.

Community engagement is a key goal of the project, aligned with South Somerset Mind’s commitment to tackling stigma, and these issues will be addressed in the training sessions and championed by the staff and volunteer buddies. South Somerset Mind has been awarded 3 years funding for this project and there are other funding streams we may be able to tap into.

Moving People website can be found at: www.movingpeople.org.uk