Events

Events
Past, planned and future

This page will document past events and give details of up, anything coming up in the calendar and possible events in the future!

Spring into Wellbeing

We had a great time at the Portishead Spring into Wellbeing event. Some great conversations, and an opportunity to catch up with some friends and great causes and meet some new ones!

Making Waves, Moving Voices

An amazingly emotive evening of self-expression from the

We Are Aware community. An evening of somatic movement, dance and some provocative spoken word- a truly moving evening.

A massive thank you to Lin and Louis for organising; all those that took part- many being their first time on stage. And a big thank you to all that came along to support and enjoy the event. And thank you to the Theatre Shop for hosting

Edwards- International Men's Day

A huge thank you to Edwards for inviting us along to their day to celebrate International Men's Day. Some great conversations had. A really nice organisation to work with. Thanks for inviting us!

Mental Health Awareness Walk, Portishead 2023

Our annual amble led by the awesome Ambling Band.

A stroll to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Day and encourage people to come out and join in with an uplifting walk- have a conversation; share a smile; appreciate the value in connecting

Mental Health Awareness Walk, Clevedon 2022


Heading into winter with the cost of living crisis, fuel prices, darker, shorter days, it is so important to be able to reach out; be aware of those that may need support; and connect and come together as a community

Led by the awesome Ambling Band; with refreshments provided by the Salthouse; this was an uplifting stroll along Clevedon seafront at sunset. Marked by a perfect sunset and encore by the band as the rising tide began to refill Marine Lake. Thanks to all those involved in bringing this together and thanks to everyone that came along to be part of it

Videos provided by Julie Bevan

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Thanks to all those that helped organise, marshal and support the Hopewalk in Portishead for World Mental Health Day

Thanks to the Ambling Band for leading the walk and making it such an uplifting finale.

Thanks to Cafe Lido for opening especially for refreshments.

Perfect weather, a stunning sunset, some great conversations had and connections made.

World Mental Health Day 2021

Portishead Hopewalk

Organisations from across the region worked together to create a ‘Talking Point Bench’ in Nailsea’s Millennium Park. The bench is designed to encourage everyone to talk and it received it’s official opening in time for World Mental Health Day on Sunday 10 October.

The new bench is one of what is hoped will be many such benches coordinated by mental health CIC, We Are Aware. The bench is located in Millennium Park where anyone can sit and simply have a chat. Just talking can be beneficial for wellbeing and especially for those experiencing tough times or facing mental health challenges.

 

The bench is shaped like a semicolon to not only create an interesting place to relax, but also because the semicolon has become a universal symbol of mental health survival.

 

The idea for the bench came about as a result of the relationship between Alliance Homes and We Are Aware. Alliance Homes were able to help thanks to the social value requirement in their tender process. All of Alliance’s large suppliers agree to provide a certain amount of social value to Alliance’s communities and customers. In this case Alliance Homes worked with Jones Building Group who in turn collaborated with Crown Paints to commission the bench from Ark Plastics.

 

All of the organisations met up in Millennium Park for the official opening of the bench. Present at the opening was Michael Williams from Alliance Homes, John McGhee from We Are Aware, Richard Penny and Josephine Bowden from Jones Building Group as well as David Spreag and Matthew Harris from Crown Paints.

 

Michael Williams, Community Investment Manager at Alliance Homes’ commented: “The social value element within supplier contracts was designed to deliver direct improvements for our communities and I’m really pleased to see such a fantastic example.”

 

John McGhee, a Director at We Are Aware commented: “Loneliness and isolation are huge factors for mental health and wellbeing. When someone is struggling they may well withdraw and become distant.  This bench helps to recognise that even just saying ‘hi’ can be vital to someone who is struggling. I became involved with We are Aware after I lost my amazing son Max to suicide in 2017. We want to encourage others to reach out and stay connected.”

 

Richard Penny from Jones Building Group said: “We were really pleased to get involved in this project, our teams work across the area and regularly help people in these communities so to give something back means a lot to us.”

 

David Spreag from Crown Paints commented: “My colleague Richard Roberts is passionate about the work of We are Aware and he was instrumental in getting this bench in place. After the restrictions of lockdown more people are experiencing mental health issues so he will be pleased to see that Crown Paints have helped out in our own way.”


Salthouse Field Phone Box

A Community Talking Point Project

We Are Aware were invited to support the Clevedon Civic Society on a community project to save, restore and develop the disused phone box into a community project of information, art, poetry and writing to provoke and promote conversation .

To Launch the project we put together a collection of poetry and writing for the Clevedon Literary Festival- More Than Words

We aim to keep the content of the phone box chaning and evolving to provide new displays, to involve schools and other groups to provide a talking point of community interest



The Phone Box


This phone box stands on memories of days spent in the park


Of reverse charge calls to mum and dad long after it got dark


This phone box stands on make ups, break ups, fights and secret trysts


This phone box may, or may not have seen my first proper kiss


This phone box has for many years sat empty and alone


With not a soul to drop a coin and use the telephone


This phone box has a new coat of red, this phone box has a purpose


A place to meet and read and laugh and provide a worthy service


New memories will now be made in this phone box by the sea


Where the line is always open and the toll is always free.





Bringing Good Mental Health to Life through Cartoon Form

Aware animation!

We Are Aware commissioned Sam Potter to produce an Aware animation for the 5 Ways to Wellbeing. 
Sam is an artist, cartoonist and animator, based in North Somerset. He has a lot of understanding of and experience in generating logos and artwork for special needs organisations as he lives with both autism and dyslexia. He also works with Weston Museum providing cartoons and illustrations and has illustrated a book of poetry. He has a degree in Contemporary Art and Professional Studies from the Weston campus of Bath Spa university. 
We liked Sam's work and felt he could bring our dog, Percy Vera, into the animation world. Further examples of Sam's work can be seen on the ExMedal site on YouTube.

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World Mental Health Day

10th October 2020

For World Mental Health Day we were unable to have a real life event as we would have hoped. Instead, we invited services, groups and individuals to provide a human connect. Many people with mental health conditions are signposted with just a phone number or email address. The anxieties this can invoke- not knowing who will answer, if anyone; not knowing if the contact is still current and active. This collection is to show a way forward. We want to create an online visual directory that is more relatable, and more current than any list of services. We want services to appreciate the huge step it can be for someone to make contact. This assembly of services, support and entertainment are all now on our WeAreAwareCIC YouTube Channel. Such was the amazing response to our idea that the full 2 and half hour video had to be cut into segments

The links are below.

 Chat-athon

A non-stop all day conversation to promote the importance of connecting for good mental health.

From 8am to 8pm we invited people to join us for a public event on Zoom to promote connection for good mental health. It was an amazing conversation involving some amazing people.
There was some serious discussion, some reminiscing and many laughs along the way.
The conversation covered....
Stress, anxiety and relaxation
Running, virtual gyms, mountain bikes and cycling
Dementia, post-natal depression, domestic abuse and narcissism
Van Gogh, Bristol traffic, quizzes and mistakes
The weather, yoga instructors, gong baths and rainbow vibrations
Tibetan Rites, trauma and teddy bears
socially distanced drinking, pet names and book reviews
Movement therapy, the redevelopment of Clevedon and trolls
Essay writing, references and April finds herself!
Mud, sea lice, laughter therapy and outdoor swimming
Washed up pigs, beached whales and memories of marine lake
Peas and spinach for feeding goldfish
Elvis impersonations, socially distancing shoes and muppets!

Feelgood Festival 2019 

Building on the success of the Weston Feelgood Festival 2018, Aware were invited by the Salthouse to partner in a weekend of events to raise awareness for mental health and to act as a fundraiser. We were only too pleased to be involved.
The event was a chance to invite services from North Somerset to showcase what support is out there for the people of North Somerset.
It was also a chance for people to be involved in activities and generally have a positive, community spirited day
Saturday began with a early morning swim organised by Swimmable in the Marine Lake. This was followed by Yoga in the Salthouse restaurant with Emma from Yoga Avenue
Addaction, Second Step, the Hope Project, Clarity, Weston Pride, the CCG, Strode Leisure Centre, Let’s Do, Mindwaves, Care Connect, Create Together, Samaritans all attended with their own pitches.
Other activities going on included face painting, a magician, falconry display, smoothie bike, bouncy castle.
Music was courtesy of the Rock Choir and the Barnacle Boys
Sunday saw a car boot sale in the Salthouse Car park, live music during the day and a Quiz in the evening.
£1575 was raised for the Old Street Wellbeing Service run by Second Step

Clevedon Talking Point

This is a community-based bench/feature; promoting connection and cohesion within the community. The aim is to provoke conversation about mental health and wellbeing by its very existence as well as being a place of connection for anyone needing support within the community.
This is intended to be the first of many similar features creating local points of interest. This is Clevedon’s Talking Point!

Initiatives such as the Problem-Solving Booth; the Friendship Bench; and Be More Us have encouraged people to talk and connect where maybe they wouldn’t have before. The act of connecting is known to be good for mental stability- largely as it offsets isolation- all too often present in times of mental distress. The Problem-Solving Booth in particular offers a role of Helped and Helper with the roles then being reversed as part of the interaction. The initiative began in Camden and has grown since. A couple, who are part of We Are Aware, became involved with the Problem-Solving Booth after the loss of their own son to suicide. The Problem-Solving Booth serves to highlight we all have problems. It is not about attempting to solve someone else’s problems, but rather to listen to them
We need to move away from those that prescribe and those that take

The Semi Colon has risen up as a symbol of hope in respect of suicide and mental health. The sentiment of ‘my story isn’t over’ is summarised beautifully in one punctuation mark. It has become a symbol for hope; of overcoming adversity; survival and finding the strength to go on. The very symbol, thanks to the work of Project ; and others, has become a celebration of life itself and the resilience which keeps us all here. As the author uses the semi colon to show the sentence has not ended, so the symbol evokes continuity of life’s story.

The bench/ seating area, in the form of the semi colon, provides two seats. The bench has an explanatory plaque, but the symbolism is universal.
The bench itself and information provide a talking point for complete strangers to strike up a conversation. The information includes crisis numbers, conversational points of interest and promotes future local mental health events and support.

The symbolism of the bench may also bring comfort to those who have lost someone through suicide.

The bench is synonymous with connection. It is a focal point for people to connect

This bench, and future benches, will become a defining part of any positive community. It is not a burden that the community has to tend daily, but rather a facility which marks them as a caring and concerned community who want to listen. To invite the bench would be a statement of intent. The bench is by no means a substitute for such services as the Samaritans, but rather somewhere for people to connect on an ordinary, human level.
This project empowers the local community to provide their own support for each other.

North Somerset Council have supported the project; The Clevedon Men’s Shed helped with the final installation; and Somerset Wood Recycling turned the idea into a formal design and completed the construction and installation. 

The work was agreed in time for World Suicide Prevention Day (10th September), and completed with the official launch on World Mental Health Day (10th October)

We have plans for a second bench in Weston or Nailsea, and hopefully more after that!

Please support the project with your publicity and sharing on social media; your donations; and your ongoing support for the idea the bench represents!

Let’s make this the #ClevedonTalkingPoint

Let’s reduce isolation, encourage connection, build community and end the stigma of mental health!

If you support the project take a seat, make a conversation. Or take a selfie to show your support and email it (awarenorth@gmail.com) to us or post it on Facebook (@AwareNS We Are Aware)

Portishead Hopewalk

Hopewalks run nationwide during October, in conjunction with Papyrus the young person’s suicide prevention charity. These walks can take any format, but are, ultimately, to raise awareness for suicide prevention.
Having run a lantern walk along Clevedon Seafront last year for World Mental Health Day, we decided to use Portishead as the location- to ensure we reach out across North Somerset. As build up to the walk, Helen, from Create Together, ran lantern workshops. In themselves, these provoked conversation about suicide and mental health in relaxed, therapeutic settings.
The event itself began with a song written by Dawn, from Aware, for her son, Max, who she lost to suicide 2 years ago. Whilst the event was to be a positive one focused on connecting and supporting each other, we also wanted to acknowledge the brutal pain of suicide and those it affects.
The walk was led by the Ambling Band. They sensitively built the energy and atmosphere of the walk along the route through song selection to ensure it finished with a positive uplift.
The walk was attended by 60-80 members of the public, but was also joined by a number of young people from the park, who chose to join the walk when they realised the cause. The evening was rounded off with hot drinks served at the Lido Tuckshop.
We received a great deal of positive feedback at the event and subsequently on social media.
We were approached at the event by a member of Portishead Town Council with a view to work together in the future with talks and other events.
These are vital events to raise awareness, build connections and bring communities together in a positive light over important issues
Winter Wellbeing Event 

Involvement

Weston
Pride

We Are Aware are proud to support the annual Weston Pride parade.

Patient Participation Meetings

Aware have given two presentations to the patient participation group, about wellbeing and what Aware does. Both with excellent feedback- with another presentation booked. 

St Nicholas Market

Aware was glad to be a part of the Hill Road celebrations this year- and we hope to do it again!

Hawthorns Community 
Exhibition

Aware have been invited to attend the Hawthorns Community Exhibition 

Portishead Women's Health Fair

Aware was pleased to be representing mental health services in North Somerset at this important event

Social Communication and Autism Conference

Aware was pleased to meet such great people at such a great event
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