Ecominds newsletter 5 - April 2010

Hi from Ecominds! We have been through such a busy and exciting phase of the project – the small grant application process closes at the end of April, our 53 funded projects will soon become over 120, and all the while we are in the process of creating a wonderful Ecominds community! Thanks for coming along for the ride – the scenery is incredible!

What an amazing and interesting array of projects we have funded – so innovative and creative, and often so simple. Improving our environment, and the mental wellbeing of so many individuals. We’ll soon have info about each of our projects up on our website, so you can see exactly what we’re talking about! In the mean time, here’s a taste of Ecominds news right now.

Ecominds funding update

At the January 2010 meeting, the grants panel awarded 20 Ecominds grants to projects all around England: 3 large, 10 medium and 7 small grants. The next grants panel meeting is scheduled for 21 April.

To date, £4,632,706 has been allocated to 53 projects around England, the majority providing community gardening and allotment schemes (27 projects).

Ecominds Project Launches

In the last six months, a few projects have had launch events around England.

The Workcrafts Company, Northallerton, North Yorkshire

Ecominds funding will enable Workcrafts to run their new vehicle so project beneficiaries can get involved in environmental work in the community.

Wellbeing Comes Naturally – England-wide

‘inspiring people, improving places’

This BTCV project concentrates on mental health awareness and conservation volunteering.

Sydenham Gardens - London

‘healthy lives and healthy minds’

This sustainable, therapeutic gardening offers training and creative opportunities for mental health service users.

Orchard Shed Project – Margate, South East England

Restoring a derelict orchard on the grounds of the Royal School for Deaf Children, is the focus of this project.

Find out more

Ecominds Small Grants

A final reminder that the deadline for Ecominds small grants (up to £20,000) is at 12 noon on Friday 30 April 2010. If you know of any projects in England that focus on the environment and mental health, on a not-for-profit basis, please encourage them to apply and to get their applications in early – competition is tight!

News in Mind

Support this year’s Mind week and help us create mentally healthy workplaces

This Mind week (15-22 May) we’re asking employees and employers to face up to mental health, showing that open and supportive work environments benefit everyone. For too long mental health has been a taboo subject in the workplace, with millions of people feeling that they need to put on a ‘brave face’ and hide their mental distress. Spread the word – this will be the first phase of our long-term employment campaign, ‘Taking care of business’, which will help bring much needed changes to the workplace. We’ll show how millions of lives could be improved and millions of pounds could be saved if employers took simple, inexpensive steps to improve the mental wellbeing of their workforce.

Get involved in Taking care of business - be the first to receive our exciting campaign viral film, free workplace guides and top wellbeing tips. If you want to upload a supporter badge on to your home page, contact Nick or Emma at work@mind.org.uk

We have the answers to better mental wellbeing at work but we need your help to spread the message. Find out more

Been inspired?

Mind Champion of the Year is awarded to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to mental health over the past year, whether it’s by campaigning, speaking out against stigma or helping improve the lives of people with mental distress.

Previous winners include Stephen Fry, and last year’s winner Alastair Campbell. Who do you think has made an outstanding contribution to mental health over the past year?

Nominate your choice for Mind Champion 2010

News from the Ecominds community

Open Up’s Anti-Discrimination Conference – June 2010

Registration is now open for Mind’s Open Up Conference in Birmingham. For a registration form please email openup@mind.org.uk, or call us on 020 8519 2366. Find out more and register online

Love the woods? Want to be trained as a web guide?

Enjoy spending time outdoors and online? Help the Woodland Trust create the UK’s first interactive website of woods that welcome visitors – and see more of the woods in your area too! If you want to register for the training, or to find out more, visit www.visitwoods.org.uk

Dig In, with the BBC

Dig In is the BBC Learning campaign to get the nation to grow their own grub in any space available, be it on a patch or on a window sill. To get started Dig In is offering the chance to apply for free seeds containing 5 packs of seeds, a how to booklet and a sticker sheet.

Individual starter kits can be ordered on the Dig In website or if would like to order multiple packs for your community group you can email us direct at digin.community@bbc.co.uk to tell us about your project and apply. Note there is a limited availability of seeds so order soon!

There is heaps of information on the Dig In website to help you get best out of your veg, also coming soon Dig In recipes to inspire growers to take their vegetables from plot to pot.

Please keep checking the Ecominds pages for further updates and information. If you have any news or information you’d like to share with the Ecominds community, please email it to me at r.martin@mind.org.uk – please keep the information to around 150 words and include a website link.

Enjoy the green and vibrant colours of the English outdoors in spring, and take care. Remember how much better it feels to be outdoors!

Until next time

Ruth Martin
Ecominds Promotions Coordinator