Breathing Space... health and wellbeing for all

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Caring for the Carers



Breathing Space news The Breathing Space programme is growing fast. Here’s our latest news… Building Funding Course programme Assisted places funding from Tower Hamlets Carers work Teacher supervision and training Press coverage Marketing literature Website Links with local authorities and mental health services Reaching out to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities Research Management Outreach Building work May 2008…building work begins to convert basement into beautiful new venue for Breathing Space programme. Scheduled completion date: September 2008 Funding October 2007…awarded £50,000 from City Bridge Trust for accessibility works in basement conversion to the new Breathing Space May 2007…successful bid for government funding: Futurebuilders UK award £285,659 grant/loan investment. Course programme… April 2008…first annual review of Breathing Space programme reveals that 11 MBCT and 4 MBRP courses held since 2004 helping more than 350 people; during 2007-2008 120 people booked on three MBCT courses one MBRP course March 2008… New system of evaluation and monitoring to improve quality assurance for courses – this reveals that 100% of course participants found the courses either helpful or very helpful May 2007…Introduction of new course : Meditation into Life - a six-week follow-on course to MBCT/MBRP January-March 2007…ran bereavement course for women with funding from Awards for All Assisted places funding from Tower Hamlets April 2008…successful application to Tower Hamlets for renewal and expansion of contract to provide free places on our MBCT courses March 2008…great success of scheme for assisted places: 30 places awarded in 2007-2008 enabling Breathing Space to attract people from ‘hard-to-reach’ groups May 2007…high response to call for people to take up first batch of free places (funded by Borough of Tower Hamlets) on Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) courses Carers work…huge expansion in 2008/9 May 2008…Breathing Space initiates and project manages initiative to publicise the work of all carer service providers in Tower Hamlets during National Carers Week April 2008…contract renewed with London Borough of Tower Hamlets to provide retreats and drop-in sessions for carers living in the borough April 2008…agreed contracts with London Borough of Hackney and Waltham Forest Carers Association to run a total of four carers retreats in 2008/2009 April 2008…renewed contract with Waltham Forest Carers Association to run two carers retreats in 2008/9 March 2008…pilot programme of a retreat and five drop-in sessions for carers in Hackney. The value of this contract was £4,530. We are in discussion with the London Borough of Hackney about running further retreats in 2008. February 2008…agreed contract with Newham Substance Misuse Partnership to run pilot programme of a retreat and five drop-in sessions for carers of people with substance misuse in Newham Teacher supervision and training January 2008…ran well-attended training weekend for people interested in becoming Breathing Space teachers. January 2008…produced a teacher training pack giving overview of the Breathing Space programme and general background information on Mindfulness Based Therapies and mental health issues and treatments December 2007…developed a teacher training ethos setting out criteria that people need to meet to train to teach Breathing Space courses November 2007… meetings of Breathing Space teachers formalised into six weekly meetings to ensure we maintain our high standards of teaching in all our Breathing Space courses. Press coverage April 2008, The Financial Times , feature on MBCT courses read article December 2007, Double-page spread in The Guardian about our carers work read article August 2007, The Times , Body and Soul supplement: full-page feature on Paramabandhu and Mindfulness-based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) read article August 2007, Nursing Standard: feature on Maitreyabandhu, Breathing Space Director read article July 2007, East End Life: article on Breathing Space fundraising 24-hour sponsored ‘drawathon’ June 2007, East End Advertiser: article on Mindfulness-based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) read article June 2007, CNN.com: article on meditation and Maitreyabandhu, Breathing Space Director April 2007, East End Life: article on free places for MBCT courses March 2007, Mental Health Practice: feature on Maitreyabandhu, Breathing Space Director October 2006, BBC: film about depression, ‘Down no More’…view it on the BBC website Marketing literature April 2008…new Breathing Space logo (with the new strap line of ‘Mindfulness for Health’) developed for full launch on all printed materials and display spaces in January 2009 March 2008…reprint and redesign of Breathing Space service brochure April 2007… produced ‘suite’ of literature about Breathing Space courses - copies sent to GPs in Tower Hamlets. Website Contract agreed with web developer for construction of new Breathing Space website, due for launch in February 2009 August 2007…overhaul of Breathing Space pages on LBC website ahead of building a new Breathing Space ‘micro-site’ March 2007…meeting with leading worldwide experts on Search Engine Optimization (SEO), David Green and Chris Collacott, from Deloitte Links with local authorities and mental health services May 2008…increasing referrals from health professionals for our MBCT courses, resulting in unprecedented waiting list for May-July 2008 course March 2008…meetings with two academics advising on evaluation and monitoring procedures February 2008… contact with Tower Hamlets Psychology and Counselling Service about referrals October 2007…discussion with Drug and Alcohol Services London (DASL) about publicising MBRP courses for addiction September 2007…Breathing Space manager attended conference hosted by the London Health Commission; addressed by Lord Layard, author of a 2006 LSE report on depression. Lord Layard, who is also keen to meet the Breathing Space team in the near future to learn more about Breathing Space and MBCT. August 2007…discussions with Together Forensic Mental Health Practitioner Scheme and Providence Row Housing about referring clients to MBCT courses August 2007…meeting with Tower Hamlets Community Safety Partnership Officer (Crime) re possible pilot MBCT course with ex-offenders July 2007…meeting with City and Hackney MIND May 2007…meeting with regeneration agency East London Business Alliance (ELBA) to explore possible links with local health community January 2007…meetings with Community Development, local PCT and Senior Management Team of Tower Hamlets NHS PCT Community & Primary Care Psychology & Counselling Service to explore ways of working together… January 2007…visit to the Bromley by Bow Centre to discuss joint working. Reaching out to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities May 2008…meeting with Social Action for Health about their Mental Health Guides project which aims to help people from BAME communities get better access to a wide range of mental health services March 2008…Breathing Space Manager attended event at The London Muslim Centre on ‘Mental health and the role of Imams and Mosques’ – and spoke about the work of secular work of Breathing Space. Research March 2008…funding secured by Dr Damien Ridge to conduct Breathing Space hosted research project into men’s mental health November 2007…Ella Sherlock completes major research project hosted by Breathing Space into ways NHS could use MBCT August 2007… Sophie Sansom, PHD student, conducting major research project into health benefits of meditation Management May 2007…Breathing Space gets full-time Manager with extensive experience of project management, marketing and PR in the voluntary sector. Outreach April 2008…ran relaxation session for carers at inaugural Hackney Carers Conference January 2008…meeting with Ravenswood Road, a project of rehabilitation charity Rugby House to explore MBRP outreach work January-April 2008…further outreach sessions with carers in Hackney and Waltham Forest August 2007…continuing discussions with Island Health GP Practice on Isle of Dogs about running an outreach MBCT project in their surgery July 2007…meeting with Penrose Housing Association, which works with ex-offenders, about running MBCT courses for their clients