To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, sessions have focused on positivity and resilience, coping with exam stress – notably post-pandemic following periods of self-isolation in lockdown – social media and mental health, food and mood life choices, and mindfulness

Interactive workshops have taken place at Llysfasi, Northop, Deeside, and Yale and Bersham Road in Wrexham, and are being recorded so anyone who misses them can catch up in their own time.

The programme also includes collaboration with Donna Welsh, coordinator of Active Cambria, suicide prevention charity Papyrus UK, Flintshire Sorted drug and alcohol support group, and Bloom, a UK-wide organisation promoting mental health resilience.

Led by Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner Nadia Jones and Mental Health and Wellbeing Coordinator Leah Mount, the agenda covered a wide range of subjects in different areas from crafts, beauty treatments, a silent disco and visits from an ice cream van, to mindful bingo, cyber awareness, equality and diversity, bird displays, a giant painting by numbers and song writing.

“It’s been a really positive week and we have received a lot of feedback from staff and learners who have benefited from the sessions and really enjoyed them,” said Nadia.

“Last year’s events were all virtual, so it’s been fantastic to bring people together safely in person to promote mental health awareness and provide guidance and advice for those who need it, especially given the challenges of the pandemic.”

Physical exercise and wellbeing classes have also been taking place across Cambria’s north east Wales sites, in sports and activities such as yoga, table tennis, Pilates, volleyball and badminton.

Leah added: “There are so many ways we can try to tackle mental health issues and provide solutions, so to have such a high level of engagement from so many different areas of the college and our local community has been fantastic.

“We have tried to focus on the things students have struggled with over the last two years, one of them being remote learning and the cancellation of exams. With exams now taking place again this is an anxious time for many of them, so we are here to help, this week and all-year round.

“Thanks to everyone who has helped us to bring this to life and we hope learners and staff find the remainder of the programme helpful and interesting.”

For more information on other activities coming up this week and how to catch up with anything you’ve missed, visit www.cambria.ac.uk/web/health-and-wellbeing.

Visit www.mentalhealth.org.uk for more on the Mental Health Foundation and Mental Health Awareness Week.