Pontypridd Town AFC Partner with Mind to Support Local Community 

We were delighted to visit Pontypridd Town AFC recently, and receive a fundraising cheque from club board member Darren Haines. The club, which plays in the JD Cymru Leagues, adopted Cwm Taf Morgannwg Mind as one of its Charity of the Year partners at the start of this season, and have been involved in a number of fundraising activities on our behalf.

Darren Haines explains, “By raising money for Cwm Taf Morgannwg Mind, we are helping to support the mental health of our community, as well as send out positive messages to our teams and supporters that mental health matters.

“So far this season, we have donated £1442.00 from gate entry fees, and we also held a raffle which involved our men’s, women’s, academy and junior teams all getting involved and selling tickets. We are hoping to raise more for the charity throughout the season and at our end of year dinner.”

Mitchell Hughes, CTM Mind’s Homelessness Intervention Project Worker and fundraising champion, met up with Darren Haines at the club’s training facilities to officially receive the cheque. Mitchell, who is a local lad and football supporter, has been instrumental in establishing the partnership with Pontypridd Football Club.

Mitchell commented, “It was great to meet with Darren and we are so grateful for the club’s donation. This will help to make a real difference to the mental health of the community, and we hope to do more with the club going forward and provide any support they need around mental health.”

CTM Mind’s CEO, Daisy Cole added, “I would like to thank Pontypridd Town AFC for their fundraising efforts and their partnership. The money they have donated and continue to raise will be used to help fund a full time mental health telephone support person – this will ensure that everyone who contacts CTM Mind in mental distress, will get an immediate response from a trained professional.”

For more information on Pontypridd Football Club, visit their website here: www.pontypriddtownafc.co.uk

You can follow them on social media here:

Twitter – @PontyTownAFCM

Instagram – @pontypriddtownafc

Facebook – @PontypriddTownAFC

If you are a business within Cwm Taf Morgannwg and would like to speak to someone about fundraising and working in partnership with Mind, then please contact Marketing & Fundraising Manager Gareth Lewis – gareth.lewis@ctmmind.org.uk

 

 

Dear all,
 
I’d like to introduce myself to you as the new CEO of Cwm Taf Morgannwg, Mind. It is a privilege to be asked to lead CTM Mind, a vital charity, running life-changing services for people with mental health problems in our community.
 
In preparing for my interview, I was struck by CTM Mind’s commitment to continue delivering services throughout the pandemic. This achievement speaks loudly about the dedication of everyone in CTM Mind team, and the current CEO, Julian John, to do whatever they can to support the mental health and wellbeing of our communities at a time of relentless uncertainty. I welcome the opportunity to work with such a uniquely committed team, and would like to reassure you that I am wholly committed to the continual delivery of CTM Mind’s vital support and services. 
 
I would also like to thank you, our donors, funders, commissioners, and stakeholders for your continued support. The pandemic has clearly impacted the mental health of people across Cwm Taf Morgannwg, but your support has enabled CTM Mind to provide a vital lifeline – when it has never been more important – and transformed lives.
 
I officially commenced employment at CTM Mind on 4^th January 2022, and I look forward to meeting, collaborating, and partnering with you, to improve the mental health and wellbeing of people in communities across the Cwm Taf Morgannwg region.
 
Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to Julian John, CEO, for his herculean efforts, and commitment, to building Cwm Taf Morgannwg Mind as a sustainable, mission-driven organisation. It is both exciting and daunting to follow in his footsteps.
 
Daisy 

Runner’s Triple Challenge in Memory of Grandfather

A 25 year old runner from Porth has raised over £2000 for mental health charity Cwm Taf Morgannwg Mind in memory of his late Grandfather.

Between July and October this year, Ethan Morris took on three seperate mammoth challenges to raise the funds.  His first challenge (Ten Y Fan) was to run up and down Pen Y Fan mountain in Brecon, 10 times within 24 hours.  Following that, Ethan then completed the David Goggins Challenge, which involves running 4 miles, every 4 hours, for 48 hours.  Ethan’s final challenge took place in October where he completed 26.2 miles in the London Marathon.

Ethan raised an amazing £2,134.35 in total over the three challenges, which has been donated to Cwm Taf Morgannwg Mind. Ethan explains his motivation for the challenges:

“My main motivation for these challenges was my Grandfather.  A few years back he took his own life after struggling with anxiety and depression for a long time.  I saw the impact that had on me and my family, and also what he must have been experiencing, so I have committed to raising money for mental health so no one has to suffer like he did.”

On the challenges that Ethan completed, he commented:

“The Ten Y Fan challenge was probably the hardest of them all.  A team of four started the challenge but I was the only one to finish it. Twenty hours without sleep and the repetitiveness of the challenge was very hard, but I had a few supporters who kept me going throughout the day.

“The London Marathon had such an electric atmosphere that you can’t help but be carried along by the crowds and entertainment along the way.  At the end of the challenges I felt both a sense of great relief and great achievement!”

Supporting Ethan throughout the challenge has been his old school friend and now Cwm Taf Morgannwg Mind Homelessness Intervention Project Worker, Mitchell Hughes.  Mitchell comments:

“I’d like to thank Ethan for his great efforts of fundraising for CTM Mind.  He has put his body through so much physically and mentally to raise funds for a cause close to his heart.  As a friend of Ethan’s I am extremely proud and it’s great to see a local, young lad supporting mental health.”

Cwm Taf Morgannwg Mind’s Marketing & Fundraising Manager, Gareth Lewis added:

“We want to say a big thank you to Ethan.  The money he has raised through his challenges will be used to support our work around mental health prevention, recovery and homelessness across Cwm Taf Morgannwg.  People like Ethan, giving their time and efforts to fundraise for us, make a real difference within their communities.”

For more information on this story, or if you are interested in fundraising for CTM Mind in the future, please email gareth.lewis@ctmmind.org.uk or call 01685 707480.

Arbed Am Byth Aiming To Make A Difference In Their Community

Nantgarw based company, Arbed Am Byth, have made a very generous donation of £2000 to support our work with people experiencing mental ill health across Cwm Taf Morgannwg.

The energy efficiency specialists, who have been appointed by Welsh Government to arrange the installation of energy efficiency measures in homes across Wales, aim to make a difference in the vulnerable communities they work within through thier Community Benefits programme.

The donation they have made through this programme will be split 50/50 between our #ItTakesBallsToTalk suicide awareness campaign, and our new LGBTQA+ Peer Support Project.

This week Arbed Am Byth’s Managing Director Crispin Jones, and the company mascot Dafad met up with our Director Julian John to formally present the doantion and to talk about their work in supporting vulnerable communities. Crispin Jones commented:

Our current and planned Community Benefit programmes fit into our Community Benefits Strategy and are particularly focused on delivering outcomes that contribute to the Wellbeing and Future Generation Act 2015 Goals of a Prosperous Wales, A Healthier Wales, and A More Equal Wales.

Community Benefits are a crucial part of the success and leaving a legacy of the Arbed scheme in Wales and Arbed am Byth is very proud of the difference we can make in vulnerable communities. The funding Arbed am Byth receives from the Welsh Government and the European Regional Development Fund allows for significant improvements to be made on a community basis in areas of Wales that have experienced high levels of deprivation.

Our Head Office is located in Nantgarw, which is testament to the need for investment in such areas, and the growth of economic opportunities for SMEs in Wales is further evidence of the value of Arbed and the Welsh Government Warm Homes Programme.

CTM Mind Director Julian John added:

We are delighted to receive this very generous donation from Arbed Am Byth. The money will be used to support two of the most vulnerable groups in our community – men under the age of 50, which statistics evidence are most at risk of taking their own lives, and the LGBTQA+ community, which has seen an increase in mental health problems caused by the current pandemic. We hope to make a significant positive impact to both these groups within our communities, and this donation will support us to do that.

For more information on Arbed Am Byth, please visit their website.

For more information about #ItTakesBallsToTalk or our LGBTQA+ Peer Support project, please contact us on 01685 707480 or email info@ctmmind.org.uk

 

A Conversation with James Downs – Eating Disorders Awareness Week

This week is Eating Disorders Awareness Week so we were delighted to meet up last week (via Zoom) and have a conversation with mental health and eating disorders writer, speaker and researcher James Downs.

In this honest and open interview, James shares with us his experiences of living with an eating disorder and his valuable insights on a range of issues including eating disorders services – the good, the bad and the ugly; the stigma and discrimination that is often attached to eating disorders and that he has faced during his life; and essential advice for people living with an eating disorder and for those supporting someone living with an eating disorder.

James also touches on his extensive professional experience, which includes:

 

• Health Care Support Worker and Nursing Assistant
• Lived Experience Designer with Mind
• Mind Grant’s panel member
• Campaigner, media representative, lived experience expert
• Blogger
• Co-chair NHS Clinical Network for Eating Disorders in East England
• University of Cambridge – Psychology degree
• Professional yoga teacher

 

See the full interview with James Downs here:

For anyone watching this video in the Cwm Taf Morgannwg region who is concerned that they might have an eating disorder, or if you are worried about someone who you think might have an eating disorder, you can get more information and advice about services and the process to access them on the Health Board website here.

For further information about this video or any of it’s content, please email us at info@ctmmind.org.uk

 

Time to talk: a conversation with Wynne Evans

St David believed that it’s the small, considerate things that often make a big difference. This year’s Time to Talk Day (Thursday 4^th February) focuses on ‘The power of small’ – how small conversations about mental health have the power to make a big difference.

Gareth Lewis, Cwm Taf Morgannwg Mind (CTM Mind), caught up with Welsh celebrity Wynne Evans to talk about Wynne’s mental health and how important those small conversations are, today more than ever. Watch the full interview here:

Wynne Evans has been open about his ongoing struggle with mental health and in a candid interview with Gareth, he highlighted how depression can affect anyone at any time:

“On paper I had everything, a good job, I was on the radio every day, I worked for GoCompare… But the reality was very different, I felt alone, I could feel alone in a room full of people.”

Wynne shares his low points and his coping mechanisms and emphasises:

“It’s the tiny things that help, it’s a tiny thing to just pick up the phone or pop next door and ask ‘How are you?’, its tiny, but it’s so important.”

Wynne’s words and story highlight the importance of this year’s Time to Talk Day, which is a part of the Time to Change mental health awareness campaign. His story really hits home how having those small conversations about mental health can make a big difference, and it’s a reminder that mental health problems can impact us all at any point in our lives.

We hope that Wynne’s story and reflections will inspire more people to reach out, whether you’re in need of support or you know someone that is, this one small act could change and save a life.

Let’s start talking – together we can end mental health stigma.

For more information about this press release, please contact Gareth Lewis, Cwm Taf Morgannwg Mind, on 07866 638237 or email gareth.lewis@ctmmind.org.uk

Tom James – from the rugby pitch to mental health ambassador

We are delighted to announce that Tom James, ex-dual international athlete and rugby player for Wales, will be our Brand Ambassador from January 2021.

Tom has a long and successful sporting career spanning over 15 years, representing Wales as well as playing for Cardiff Blues, Exeter Chiefs and Scarlets. Tom has been very open about his mental health issues over the years and has been an inspiration to many, which is why Cwm Taf Morgannwg Mind and our CEO Julian John are pleased to have Tom as our Ambassador: Julian John said:

“We couldn’t have wished for a better ambassador, Tom epitomises everything that represents sporting prowess and physical strength; and to have someone that so many people look up to, openly talk about his mental health issues and coping

mechanisms, has and is, continuing to help so many people. He has publicly supported our ‘It takes balls to talk’ campaign and we are honoured that he is able to commit more of his time to helping CTM Mind get our message out far and wide.”

Tom James first suffered symptoms of mental health back in 2008, and in 2018 suffered a breakdown and spoke publicly about his experience for the first time. Tom said:

“Since going public, I have had so many messages from others commenting on how I have helped them to talk about their troubles and seek help. I also feel passionate about raising money and awareness for mental health charities, namely Cwm Taf Morgannwg Mind. Knowing that I can help others is what helps me and so I hope to do all I can through CTM Mind to encourage those that need help to reach out. I am excited about my role as Ambassador and have lots of ideas about how we can breakdown the barriers that stop people being open about their mental health. Watch this space!.”

As an Ambassador, Tom will use his public profile to raise awareness of the work that we do across the Cwm Taf Morgannwg region; he will also support our #ItTakesBallsToTalk suicide awareness campaign and get involved in a range of fundraising activities for us. Tom is currently putting together signed and framed memorabilia from some of Wales’ and the UK’s biggest sporting names, which he will be auctioning to raise money that will support all the work we do at Cwm Taf Morgannwg Mind. For more information on the charity auction, see Tom’s Twitter profile @TomJ_11

For more information about Tom James’ Ambassador Role with Cwm Taf Morgannwg Mind, please contact gareth.lewis@ctmmind.org.uk

 

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Project Speak Aiming to Save Lives Across Cwm Taf Morgannwg

This National Safeguarding Week, Cwm Taf Morgannwg Mind (CTM Mind) is launching a brand-new project that will aim to prevent suicide and save lives across Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Bridgend.

Project Speak is a £353,734 funded investment by the Big Lottery Community Fund that will see CTM Mind deliver suicide prevention training, awareness raising campaigns and postvention support over the next three years.

The training will aim to raise awareness and understanding of suicide, spotting the signs in a person who is having thoughts of suicide and looking at a range of intervention skills including asking the question, preparing a safety plan and signposting the person to other support.

The programme will also focus on a range of suicide awareness campaigns, which will entail  giving talks and presentations to groups of people, raising awareness and understanding of suicide via social media and working closely with the community. This element of the programme will evolve as the programme develops over time.

The postvention service will facilitate access to support to individuals and families that have been bereaved by suicide, providing counselling to those who need it.

The Project follows on the back of CTM Mind’s awareness raising campaign #ItTakesBallsToTalk, which has been working across the Cwm Taf region since 2018, targeting men under the age of 50, encouraging them to talk and seek out support for their mental health problems. #ITakesBallsToTalk will now become a part of Project Speak and continue to target Wales’ most at risk group – men under the age of 50. Project Speak will also raise awareness within other at-risk groups e.g. young women and older people as well as work with the community as a whole to raise awareness and work together on suicide prevention.

CTM Mind’ Director Julian John comments:

“I am delighted that the Big Lottery Community Fund has invested in this much needed project.  We know that people die by suicide across Wales and within our communities, our view is that suicide is preventable and not inevitable and therefore we are now well placed to help prevent suicide and save lives.  We will be building on our #ItTakesBallsToTalk suicide prevention campaign, leading on awareness, providing training across the community and offering families a bereavement service whereby they can talk about how suicide has effected them in a safe and confidential space.”

For more information about Project Speak, please contact the Project Coordinator Shian Neale on O7495525656 or email shian.neale@ctmmind.org.uk

Alex’s Blog: Mental Health and Cycling

Cycling has given me something to focus on and aim for and an increased sense of self-worth.

Hi, I’m Alex and I am writing this blog on mental health and hobbies in the hope that others who may be struggling feel inspired to deal with their anxiety effectively and better their lives.

I’ve struggled with hypochondriasis, generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) for the past 14 years. The intensity of these conditions varied over the years, but having discovered effective therapies, tools and techniques in the areas of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness and Philosophy for Life, I no longer suffer from hypochondriasis and my GAD, social anxiety and OCD are much less of an issue. My experience in finding answers in these aspects and fields of science and philosophy has made me passionate about helping others with anxiety.

One of the most effective ways of reducing anxiety levels that I learnt from CBT was to have a balanced structure to my day. Planning the day ahead so that the mind could focus on or divert to more positive things has since been an invaluable tool I’ve used to help myself throughout life. But in addition to this, I have learnt through experience that this structure is only as effective as it’s made to be, by you. The more balanced the structure is between work and leisure, and the more it involves hobbies and activities that you really enjoy, the better. I generally have one main hobby that helps me have this structure – cycling. Although built around this are other things I enjoy such as cooking, reading and gaming.

I started cycling towards the end of 2019 and joined Merthyr Cycling club on 1^st January 2020. I decided to invest in an indoor smart bike and Zwift subscription (social cycling software) so that I could follow planned workouts and ride despite bad weather at a consistent rate. This would help me improve my fitness to a standard quickly so that I could keep up with the more advanced riders. Little did I know that the following weeks we would see a worldwide emergency with the outbreak of a virus unknown to science.

It’s uncanny how I decided to purchase an indoor smart bike weeks or even days before anyone had even heard of Covid-19. Lockdown placed restrictions on cyclists riding together, and we could only go a short distance. The indoor bike and (Zwift) meant I could still connect with my friends in the club and partake in group rides virtually. We could even chat in groups via an app called discord whilst we rode together. This contact and connection with others was and still is such a big support!

Without cycling, I think I would have found it a lot more difficult to structure my days in a way that was balanced and included activities I enjoyed doing, especially throughout a pandemic. I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to afford an indoor bike and can say that I’m definitely getting my money’s worth having rode roughly 2000 miles on it within 8 months and lost 2 and a half stone in the same amount of time.

Beyond the indoor bike, being a club member has been brilliant and has taken my cycling hobby to another level! I was fortunate that the cases of Covid-19 had reduced during the summer, enabling group rides to return. On Saturdays I rode alongside other club members to places I’d never been including Llyn Briane, Llandovery, Crickhowell, Hereford and many roads closer to Merthyr Tydfil (my home county) and surrounding counties which I’d never ventured up. Some of the best things about the group rides were the awesome views and café stops which never disappointed the taste buds. Towards the end of the cycling season I took part in time trials in Neath and a hill climb race up the Rhigos which were exhilarating! In addition to helping build the essential structure to my life, cycling has given me something to focus on and aim for and an increased sense of self-worth.

I had anxiety way before I started cycling, but I can say that it really has made a significant difference in reducing my anxious symptoms and improving my quality of life! I’d recommend to anyone suffering from anxiety to find a balanced structure and fill it with an activity that they naturally enjoy – but also to find others through a club to connect with who also enjoy that activity as this will enhance your enjoyment massively.

I’d also recommend finding ways to make it easier for yourself to take part in that activity – my indoor bike makes it convenient and easy for me to keep on top of my fitness levels and more importantly, enables me to continue riding with my friends in times of lockdown or terrible weather.

Finally I’d urge anyone who has anxiety to learn mindfulness – in addition to helping me recognise and dismiss anxious thoughts and sensations as old habits learned over time, connecting with the present moment throughout my day mysteriously brings more enjoyment to it. The simple choice of paying close attention to the contents of consciousness has been just as crucial in my own recovery as has building a balanced structure. But I will leave my experience with mindfulness for another blog.

#DoOneThing #WorldMentalHealthDay

Find out more about the #DoOneThing campaign, and what you can do to support your mental health and wellbeing this World Mental Health Day: https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/world-mental-health-day-2020/