Chairman supports work to promote good mental health in the local community
Buckinghamshire County Council Chairman, Patricia Birchley, joined council and library staff and volunteers at Great Missenden Library earlier this week to take part in a Health and Wellbeing event focusing on mental health.
The event was organised by Great Missenden Library and the council’s Prevention Matters team with the aim of raising awareness of the different services available to residents in their local community so they can stay healthy, happy and independent for longer. This event forms part of a series of Wellbeing Weeks being organised by the library with other topics covered including physical health and wellbeing and community safety.
On Wednesday the library hosted a Dementia Friends Information Session and a Tai Chi taster session. Information from organisations including Alzheimer’s Society, Telecare, Bucks Mind, Community Counselling HP16 and others were also available.
The overall aim of the events is to promote and increase the use of the library as a community asset. Following on from the programme of Wellbeing Weeks, a new Wednesday Wellbeing Group will be formed with topics and themes for the new group being decided by suggestion box and informal surveys taken by library volunteers, giving residents the choice to shape activities delivered in their local library.
Speaking after the event Patricia said: “It was a pleasure to meet a number of volunteers who support the Library and some from the Missenden Gardening Centre for people with disabilities. It was wonderful to see so much information and advice freely available on everything from crime prevention to care providers and healthy living.
“Libraries are such hubs of the local community and the ideal place for people to go to find information and support on a whole range of subjects.
“Looking after our mental health is as important as our physical health and we want to make sure people are aware of and have access to all the services and support available locally.”
The final week of events at the library addresses the theme of Community Safety with a free Scams Awareness Workshop delivered by Bucks and Surrey Trading Standards Team between 11:45 – 12:30 on Friday 2 February. Advice from the Fire & Rescue Service, Thames Valley Police, Chiltern Community Safety Team and Prevention Matters will also available.
