A NORTH Wales charity group is focussing on community wellbeing for this year's World Mental Health Day.

On October 10 each year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) use the day as an opportunity to start conversations about mental health.

This year’s theme, set by the World Federation for Mental Health, is ‘make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority’.

Groundwork North Wales, an environmental charity that helps create jobs, improve the environment, help people out of fuel poverty and improve wellbeing, are taking this opportunity to highlight their services available.

The covid-19 pandemic has created a global crisis for mental health, adding fuel to short- and long-term stresses. It’s estimated that during the first year of the pandemic, both anxiety and depressive disorders rose by more than 25%. Coinciding with this, mental health services have been severely disrupted.

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Stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health remain barriers to social inclusion and access to the appropriate care, so World Mental Health Day is the perfect opportunity to collectively make a change.

This is a chance for people of all walks of life to come together to be vocal about what we need to do to ensure mental health and wellbeing becomes a global priority for all.

The Groundwork North Wales group works with individuals and communities across North Wales to improve mental health and wellbeing.

Some of the projects they run included:

• Youth Shed - offers young people the chance to learn away from the structured classroom environment. Offering these young people the chance to learn new skills, both social and practical, will improve their social wellbeing and equip them to be more emotionally resilient and able to deal with pressures in everyday life.

• Lunch and Company - improves social wellbeing through participation, reducing isolation and loneliness amongst older people by supporting them to stay connected and build new friendships. With so many of those over 60 feeling isolated since the pandemic, the luncheon club offers the chance to socialise, meet new people and enjoy a delicious meal with entertainment and activities.

• Volunteering with Wild Ground - regular weekly outdoor volunteering sessions on Wild Ground reserves individuals can get involved in these sociable sessions. An opportunity to meet new people, have fun, and enjoy the natural environment. Help wildlife, learn new skills and boost job prospects.

• Gardd Cyfle - community garden space in Buckley, a fully accessible urban green space with opportunities for positive social wellbeing. The aim of this space is to strengthen community cohesion by encouraging interaction between local people.

• Wood Shed - helps those who face or are at risk of negative mental health, providing emotional and mental wellbeing support, alongside motivation and encouragement that will empower each individual to take action and create lasting change.

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Dévora Kestel, director of the Mental Health and Substance Use Department at WHO added: “Never has it been so urgent for the world to prioritise mental health.

"The triple impact of covid-19, climate change concerns and ongoing wars and conflicts is creating an enormous toll on our population, be they directly or indirectly impacted.”

To keep up to date with projects and volunteering opportunities across the Groundwork North Wales group, visit www.groundworknorthwales.org.uk