The Word on Wellbeing

Andy's Man Club are a men's suicide prevention charity, offering free to attend peer to peer support groups across the Uk and online. Andy's Man Club want to end the stigma surrounding men's mental health, and help men through the power of conversation #ITSOKTOTALK

Hosted by Chris Hartley. Chris speaks with John Truong from Meridian Wellbeing, Donna Chan from Meridian Wellbeing, and Michelle Morais from The Network, to have a conversation about suicide prevention awareness month and how we can best support someone through a challenging time.

In this episode, we speak to Emma Cooper and Christine Lesmes from Barnet Mencap about their work supporting individuals with high-functioning autism, the affect of the pandemic on their clients and how businesses can better support autistic individuals. 

In this episode, we ask the question 'What is Art?' but more importantly we speak to Vicky Martin and Andy Auld of Community Focus about the use of art to improve people's wellbeing and quiz them on their favourite artists. 

In this episode, we speak to Vanessa White, Maxi Pacheco and Gabe Berwanger from the University of Middlesex about the impact of the pandemic on students' mental and physical wellbeing and Middlesex University's innovative approach to supporting student wellbeing.

In this episode, we speak to Sir Norman Lamb, Chair of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and former MP and Minister, about his experiences in government, putting people at the heart of mental health treatment, and the need for greater effort to overcome health inequalities.

In this episode, we speak to Dr Tamara Djuretic, Director of Public Health and Prevention for Barnet Council, and Rory Cooper, Covid-19 Health Champion and Health and Social Care Manager for CommUNITY Barnet, about the work of Barnet's Public Health team, the importance of getting vaccinated and the impact of the pandemic on people's mental health. 

In this episode, we speak to Izzy Ford, Project Manager for the Barnet COVID-19 Health Champion Project. The Project provides up to date and straightforward information about Covid-19 and the vaccines to volunteers (COVID-19 Health Champions) to share with their families, friends and communities. The aim is ensure that everyone has the information they need to keep themselves and those around them safe. Anyone can become a COVID-19 Health Champion. You can sign up here https://engage.barnet.gov.uk/health-champions. 

In this episode, we speak to Barnet councillor, Alex Prager, about the council's support for businesses and residents, the roll out of the Covid-19 vaccines, and the future of working. Alex represents West Hendon. 

In this episode of The Word on Wellbeing, our host Chris Hartley speaks to Arjun Mittra, Councillor for East Finchley and Anne Clarke, Councillor for Childs Hill on how local government works and what councils do, why they became Councillors and being a local representative during the pandemic. 

In this episode, our host Chris Hartley speaks to Richard Wilkinson, Professor Emeritus of Social Epidemiology at the University of Nottingham and co-author of The Inner Level (2018), about the relationship between socio-economic inequalities and health and wellbeing. 

In episode 8 of The Word on Wellbeing, Chris Hartley has a wide-ranging discussion with Sarah Owen, the MP for Luton North. We discuss the pandemic, regional divides, health inequalities and the rise in hate crimes.

In this episode of The Word on Wellbeing, we speak to Dr Anna Mandeville, Consultant Clinical Health Psychologist and Divisional Lead for Psychology and Psychological Therapies for Enfield, with a focus on applying psychological knowledge to improve health and wellbeing, about an approach to psychology that supports the whole person. 

In this episode, we spoke to the members of Joint Case Management in Barnet about their collaborative approach to supporting mental health and the case for coordination between statutory bodies and the voluntary and community sector. 

This episode's guests were: 

Nahida Syed, Senior Wellbeing Navigator, Barnet Wellbeing Hub;

Michelle Morais, Manager, The Network and Adult Safeguarding Lead, London Borough of Barnet;

Mahir Guden, Senior CBT Therapist and Deputy Manager, IAPT.

In this episode, we speak to Dr Louise Miller, GP and Mental Health Clinical Lead, about the Covid-19 Vaccines and their role in saving people's lives and fighting Covid-19. 

In our fourth episode, we speak to Meridian Wellbeing's Peer Support Volunteers in the first half.

In the second half, we speak to Peer Support Volunteer Coordinator Donna Chan about her work and the upcoming activities of the Peer Support Group.

In the third episode of The Word On Wellbeing, Chris Hartley speaks to Fiona Bateman, Chair of the Independent Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) in Barnet to talk about adult safeguarding, human rights, the pandemic and the world after it.

In this episode, we spoke to Karen Morrell, Head of Mental Health Services for Adult Social Care at Barnet Council, about the impact of the pandemic on mental health services and local government.

In the first episode of our new series, we discuss life under the lockdown, its impact on our wellbeing and the steps we can take to make things a bit easier for ourselves.