Wigan Anxiety Group

• PR7 6DH, 12 miles from this group
• Tag: Carers

Our group is in its 10th year of supporting carers by providing helpful information, a listening ear, empathy and suggestions for getting the best care for loved ones living with mental illness. We have excellent knowledge of local and national mental health services, as well as strong relationships with local service managers (both NHS and also social services teams from Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool and Lancashire councils). Our group offers peer support both in the group and at meetings that carers may attend such as needs assessment or clinical interventions. This gives carers the confidence and support they need. Carers can access the group via email or telephone or attend meetings in central Lancashire These give people plenty of opportunity to share experiences with each other and also tend to be mini conferences featuring key speakers. If required, we can contribute to travel expenses or we can try to arrange lifts. Our basis is a belief that the best support for carers of people with mental illness is to have the best care for their loved ones. If you wish to get involved in the group, require any support or want to sign up to our newsletter, please contact us. This group is open to anyone across Lancashire.

• PR9 0TU, 14 miles from this group
• Tag: People with Mental Illness

The Southport Seasiders Mental Health Group is a group that is open to anybody who has experience of mental illness and lives in or around the Southport area. We currently hold a drop-in meeting on Wednesday afternoons in a local cafe near the railway station. The group provides an opportunity for people to give and receive peer support, share personal experiences of mental illness, and hear from others about how they manage their mental illness. We hope that people will develop new friendships from attending the group as well as learn new skills and tips on how to better manage their wellbeing.

• M60 0AB, 18 miles from this group
• Tag: Carers and People with Mental Illness

The Rethink Mental Illness Manchester Group is a group for people affected by severe mental illness to come together to share information and support with each other. Our group was started in 2008 by Mary, who has a close family member with severe mental illness and wanted to meet others with similar experiences. The group is open to everyone: people personally affected by severe mental illness and their family members, friends and carers. As a peer-led group, we find that one of our most valuable offers is that members are able to feel comfortable talking about their experiences with others in a similar situation. Members often share suggestions based on how they overcame similar challenges in their lives, though sometimes just the opportunity to talk can help reduce feelings of isolation. We also occasionally arrange for guest speaker to attend a meeting, and we sometimes organise social events. In the past, this has included us going on the ‘folk music train’ to Glossop and running arts and crafts taster sessions which allowed members to try vinyl cutting and pottery. If you wish to find out more, or want to sign up to our newsletter, please don’t hesitate to contact Mary.

• , 22 miles from this group
• Tag: Carers and People with Mental Illness

The Burnley Activities Group runs a wide array of activities across Burnley for people living with mental illness. We believe that by providing sports and social activities we can help to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of members and reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. Our group activities vary from going to the gym to visiting the local cinema to see the latest Hollywood blockbuster. We meet on the first Friday of each month to plan our activities for the following month, so all our members can help decide what we do. The group is entirely peer led, and is run by Greg and a group of volunteers who each have a personal experience of mental illness. An important part of what we do is providing peer support to each other and sharing our experiences with others facing similar challenges. If you’re interested in finding out more, please get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you. Meets in Various Locations across Burnley.

• FY2 0HH, 23 miles from this group
• Tag: Carers

The Fylde Family Support Group was established by Stuart and Toni, who have close family members affected by severe mental illness. Today, the group runs several activities, including a monthly meeting focusing on campaigns for better mental health services in and around Blackpool. We provide a friendly, safe and supportive environment where people can meet others dealing with the challenges of caring for a loved one with mental illness. Our monthly Campaigns meeting takes place on the second Tuesday of each month (7–9pm). Our weekly Dog Walking Group meets every Wednesday (10–11.30am) at Stanley Park Visitor Centre, Stanley Park, West Park Drive, Blackpool, FY3 9HU. And our Vinyl Community Group meets twice a month at Grenfell House, 5 Grenfell Avenue, Layton, North Blackpool, FY3 7BP, on the first and third Monday of each month between 7 and 9pm. These groups provide an opportunity for people to come together, relax and receive peer support whilst sharing experiences and giving and receiving suggestions on how we can overcome challenges. For many of us, the most important thing we get out of the group is that we're not alone and know that other members experience the same challenges.

• CH66 2WR, 23 miles from this group
• Tag: Carers and People with Mental Illness

The Trinity Mental Health Support Group runs a monthly meeting on the last Thursday of each month (1–3pm) at Trinity Church, Ellesmere Port. It's open to anyone aged 18 years or over who has their own personal experiences of mental illness. The group is entirely peer led, which means its run by people who have their own personal experience of mental illness. Our group was developed by people who felt there was a lack of access to peer support in and around Ellesmere Port and wanted to do something about it. The group is very welcoming and informal and offers a range of activities, including playing board games, doing art and crafts, and discussing personal issues and challenges over a hot drink. If you would like to find out more about us, please contact Sylvia, or just come along to our next group meeting.

• SK1 1EG, 24 miles from this group
• Tag: Carers and People with Mental Illness

The focus of our group is to build on the work of the Time to Change campaign led by Rethink Mental Illness. It aims to promote local educational activities and campaigns to help end the stigma that surrounds mental ill health. Our meetings provide a safe and relaxing environment for people interested in the campaign to meet and plan activities.

• SK9 1NW, 25 miles from this group
• Tag: People with Mental Illness

The Wilmslow Mental Health Group has recently been restarted. We now meet on the first Thursday of each month, between 5 and 7pm, at Wilmslow Library. The group is open to anyone aged 18 or over who either has their own personal experiences of mental illness, or is a family member, friend or loved one of someone living with mental illness. The group is entirely run by people who have a personal experience of mental illness. We provide opportunities for members to discuss the challenges of accessing appropriate support to meet our needs.

• CH1 5HN, 28 miles from this group
• Tag: Carers and People with Mental Illness

The Blacon Mental Wellbeing Group is a place where people living with mental illness can come together to give and receive peer support. We meet on the first Saturday of each month (10.30am–12.30pm) to provide opportunities to meet to members who are unable to make groups during the normal working week. The group takes part in a range of activities, from playing board games to discussing the challenges of living with a mental health condition. We are led by people with their own experiences of mental illness, as they are best placed to know what it’s like to have good days and bad days. We know how important a chat with peers can be on a difficult day and how sharing our experiences can help maintain good mental wellbeing. The group is informal and welcoming, and we never put anybody under any pressure to take part in activities or discussions, or to share anything they feel uncomfortable about. We are open to anybody over the age of 18. So why not come down to say hello and have a coffee and a biscuit? We look forward to seeing you.