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The pandemic has shone a light on our mental health like never before. Juggling home and work responsibilities, lockdown, and not being able to see friends and family can all take their toll on our resilience.

Our Mental Health Awareness Week wellbeing newsletter contains lots of information about what we are doing to help residents of the borough look after their mental health, and where to find support when you need it.

To book a place to attend, please email Sarah Collin at rbwm.yc@family-action.org.uk.

Reading has many benefits that support wellbeing, including reducing stress and aiding sleep. Our libraries offer a wealth of books on every subject, whether that’s our “reading well” titles, books on gardening and other hobbies to help you unwind – or OS maps to really help you get out into nature.

Don’t worry if you are not ready to visit the library in person yet. You can access e-books and audiobooks via our app, Libby. If you need other adjustments to make the most out of the library, find out more about our Accessible library card.

Here are some resources you might like to check out that can help you support those around you including children, teenagers and the elderly:

Aside from the health implications, the coronavirus crisis has caused major disruptions to family life, through the introduction of social distancing, school, college and university closures, and lockdown.

Helping children and young people to build their resilience and to deal with change and uncertainty has never been more vital. Although restrictions are now starting to lift, the impact of the pandemic is likely to continue for many or raise new anxieties as movements increase.

East Berkshire Clinical Commissioning Group has put together three concise guides for parents and carers and for children and young people themselves.

This guide contains information on helpful resources to support family life and parenting, with advice on keeping children entertained, looking after everyone’s mental health and where to turn for extra help, including confidential helplines.

This guide includes practical ideas on how to incorporate the NHS’s Five Ways to Wellbeing into family life to support children and young people through these challenging times.

This guide lists lots of useful self-help apps and websites and a range of resources, including helplines, to support young people with their mental health.

Kooth is a safe, confidential and anonymous mental health and emotional wellbeing platform for children and young people, accessible through any connected device. It’s available for young adults aged 11-18 (and up to age 25 if they have special educational needs) who live and/or go to school in the Royal Borough, Slough or Bracknell Forest.

The online resources include a digital magazine, helpful articles and personal experiences and tips from young people and the Kooth team. Discussion boards and live chats with counsellors are available every day at selected times.

Check out Kooth.

If you know someone who needs help or support, we have collated some useful resources for you.

The Friends in Need (FiN) peer support service is facilitated by Buckinghamshire Mind across Bracknell, Slough, Windsor, Ascot, and Maidenhead. It has recently expanded to offer additional tailored groups.

Current groups providing peer support for people experiencing anxiety, depression and/or loneliness are well-established, successful groups. The service has now expanded to offer two new peer support groups; a group for young adults and a group for those with significant mental health support needs.

Find out more about Friends in Need.

Talking Therapies is our friendly and approachable NHS service that offers support to adults coping with challenges like depression, stress, anxiety or phobias.

If you’re aged 17 and over and living in Berkshire, they can help you overcome the mental health challenges you’re facing.

Visit the Talking Therapies website.

You’ll also find a list of local mental health, self-harm and suicide prevention services in the pdf guide from Signal 4 carers including 'Friends in Need', local Age Concern groups and other local organisations.

Feeling sad or depressed? This app is simple and easy to navigate. It’s free with in-app purchases.

The app has a video section of meditations, soothing sounds and TED talks, with each category containing a long list of videos, clearly labelled. Clicking on any of them takes you to YouTube where you can watch.

Explore the content on Mood Tools.

This app is intended to be used when you’re aware of your negative feelings, and offers ways for you to deal with them, whether it be through distraction, release, breathing or more. After selecting what you want to do and a time frame in which to do it, it offers ideas for small tasks to tackle the problem.

This app also contains a small section on getting help. Good for someone who is aware of mood changes but perhaps doesn’t know how to approach it.

Check out Calm Harm.

Claiming to be the world's largest free library of guided meditation there is plenty to explore here. A wealth of information and audio clips from professionals which can help with stress, anxiety, sleep, getting into meditation and more. There is a good selection of free, short clips that are of high quality. Longer courses require a yearly subscription.

Check out 45000 free meditations.

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