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"We Rise By Lifting Others"

Whether it be clapping on your doorstep in support of the amazing NHS workers, Captain Tom's incredible fundraising efforts or perhaps smaller, but just as meaningful acts of kindness, such as a neighbour offering to pick up your shopping or a prescription. There are acts of kindness and community spirit spreading joy all over the UK as necessary light relief from the hardship & distress felt by so many at this extremely difficult time.

With that in mind, this week is Mental Health Awareness Week and this years theme is kindness, which we thought would make a great theme for this month's newsletter. We've included some helpful resources for mental health, information about a facebook community hub we've set up and how you can nominate someone special to receive a Bendrigg certificate.

Thanks for checking in to this months Bendrigg Buzz.

Stay safe everyone thinking of you all,
Martha x

On The Blog - Mental Health & Wellbeing Resources

Mental health problems do not discriminate and can effect anyone regardless of age, race and ability. A staggering 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year. There are also statistics showing that disabled people report lower wellbeing levels than non disabled people. On a separate report by NHS England it reports that caring responsibilities can also have an adverse impact on the physical and mental health.

So with the UK now being locked down and the vulnerable having very little or no access to the outdoors, many people may be have seen a dip in their wellbeing and others may have developed mental health problems for the first time.

There are many online resources with advice, helplines and resources out there and our latest blog includes a whole host of resources from that we hope will help our supporters, visitors and their care givers through this difficult time.

Mentally Healthy Schools
This website provides helpful resources for school staff including a guide to mindful listening, staff wellbeing and tips for senior leaders on supporting the development of mental health and wellbeing in schools.

Childline Calm Zone
Childline have some great resources for children led activity on their website including how to create your own calm zone. Other topics include activities, breathing exercises, expressing yourself and yoga videos.

They also have a login section where children can keep their own mood journal to keep track of how their feeling.

Down Syndrome Association
The Down Syndrome Association has created a page with lot's of indoor exercise videos for people to keep fit and active during the lockdown. They have also created a Covid-19 section of their web page which has information about adult support and social care, benefits and financial help, learning at home and activities.

How to cope when supporting someone else
Mind has a section on their website for Carers which includes information about the effects of supporting someone with a mental health problem, how to look after yourself, what support is out there for you and useful contacts.

Mindfulness for Kids with Learning Disabilities
Smart Kids with LD is a website which aims to help children with learning and attention differences to reach their full potential through inspiring educating and empowering parents to help their children succeed.

As well as this mindfulness blog they also have several resources specifically in response to Covid-19 to help equip parents with the tools they need during this incredibly challenging time including :

Managing Your Child's Anxiety in the Time of Corona - Facebook Interview with Dr Chris Bogart
When Parents Suddenly Become Teachers - Weekly Facebook Workshop Series
A Crisis and An Opportunity - Blog Article

More Resources On The Blog

Facebook Community Hub For Disabled People and Their Caregivers

We have created a public group on Facebook so that disabled people and their carers can communicate & share resources with one another and ask for advice from others within the community.

Bendrigg courses can often be a wonderful chance for participants and caregivers to share helpful resources and information amongst themselves. We hope this group will enable people to be able to still do that, albeit virtually.

Join Facebook Group

Don't have facebook? Scope have an online disability forum which is a supportive space for disabled people, parents and carers to get disability advice and information, and talk to people with similar experiences.

Nominate Someone Special For
A Bendrigg Certificate

At the end of a Bendrigg course, each participant will receive a certificate to celebrate all that they've achieved throughout their residential. With many people missing out on their trips to Bendrigg this year we'd love to be able celebrate the people you'd like to nominate for their achievements, acts of strength or kindness.

So whether someone in your family has shown resilience, stepped up to become chief cook/baker or been working hard on their home work - please get in touch with us to nominate them for their very own certificate!

✉️ Click the button below to email your nomination
🙋 Include the name of the person you'd like to nominate
👏 A special commendation
🖋️ Your name/ the name of the school/family you'd like the certificate to be signed from

We'll create your certificate & email it back to you to present to your nominated person ❤️

Nominate Someone For A Bendrigg Certificate

Stories of Kindness

The Mental Health Foundation have chosen the theme of Kindness for 2020 awareness week because of its singular ability to unlock our shared humanity. Kindness strengthens relationships, develops community and deepens solidarity. It is a cornerstone of our individual and collective mental health.

Kindness and our mental health are deeply connected. Research shows that kindness is an antidote to isolation & creates a sense of belonging. It can help to reduce stress, brings a fresh perspective and deepens friendships.

Kindness to ourselves can prevent shame from corroding our sense of identity and help boost our self-esteem. It can even improve feelings of confidence and optimism.

They also wanted to shine a spotlight on the ways that kindness is already flowering during the Covid-19 pandemic and want this to continue to spread into every community in the UK.

Check out some of their stories of kindness & share your own story!

Outdoor Adventure As A Tool For Improving Mental Health

The Scottish Burned Children's Club come to Bendrigg on an annual summer camp which aim is to support burn survivors in their rehabilitation.

Burns and scalds not only produce physical trauma but often also result in psychological trauma, particularly in young people. By coming away on a "rehabilitation" residential, burns survivors have the opportunity to make friends with others who have been through similar experiences. For the first time they may feel as if they are not alone and that there are others who have been through similar trauma and are now thriving.

As well as the social side of the residential being beneficial, the activities offer individuals the chance to work together as a team and learn they have courage and strength by taking on challenging experiences in the great outdoors. This often results in an increase in confidence and self-esteem helping to increase their overall well- being.

This video follows the children and leaders from the Scottish Burned Children Club on their 2019 trip to Bendrigg where they took part in activities such as Gorge Walking, Horse Riding and exploring Cathedral Quarry in the Lake District National Park.

The Beauty Of The Great Outdoors

Our nature loving tutor Vic Cooper is currently living on site in her van with fiance Jamie. Earlier this month on Dawn Chorus Day they got up at 5am to watch the sunrise over Bendrigg and listen to the wonderful dawn chorus. They recorded this stunning video to capture the moment, enjoy!

Thank you

We want to say a huge thank you to all of our amazing followers for supporting our fundraising campaigns even when there are so many amazing charities in need of help. We are, as ever, extremely grateful for your support.

Our Resilience Campaign raised an incredible £36,700 which was topped up with just under £2000 (with gift aid) from people taking part in The 2.6 Challenge. These funds will help to cover our unavoidable costs while we are closed and mean that we can be here to support people when it is safe for our visitors to return. We can't wait to see you all again.

Bendrigg Principal Nick and his family created a short video of their epic 2.6 challenge - click on the image below to watch.

Thanks to all those who took part in the 2.6 challenge in aid of Bendrigg including The Liley Family, Charlotte, Pip, Alix, Clare, Gary & Cameron.

Help Bendrigg to win £1000!

Bendrigg's aim remains simple; to ensure that disabled people are empowered with the attitudes, skills and behaviours they need to make positive choices in their lives. We do this through the ‘Bendrigg experience’ – social inclusion, inclusive adventure and residential experience. This was important before Coronavirus but with over half a million people missing out on a residential this year and 2 million households going through lockdown without a garden, it is now more important than ever.

If you'd like to help us achieve our aim then please take 1 minute to nominate Bendrigg to receive £1,000 from the Ecclesiastical Movement for Good Awards. The more nominations we receive, the greater our chance of winning, so please spread the word with your friends and family.

To nominate:

👉 Visit: https://www.movementforgood.com/#nominateACharity

💖 Enter our charity number: 508450

⌨️ Enter your details

⭐️ Submit!

⏰ The deadline for nominations is Sunday 24th May so please get nominating and sharing.

Thank you as always for your support.

Was this newsletter helpful?

Our doors may be closed but there is a small team of staff still working hard behind the scenes to ensure that we're in the best position possible, ready to give you adventures of a lifetime, once we can safely re-open.

However, we know that many people are struggling now and we'd love to hear your suggestions for how we might be able to help both short and long term. Whether it be suggestions for future blog posts, a potential new service or anything else that springs to mind, please get in touch.