Always on
This project successfully funded on 22nd November 2024, you can still support them with a donation.
Forest of Dean Pink Elephant Project
Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
Aim: Our aim to create a wellbeing centre that will support people with mental health and wellbeing through a variety of sources in one location.
My name is Lisa, I live in the Forest of dean, Gloucestershire.
I have lived with anxiety, depression and complex PTSD for many, many years. I became morbidly obese due to binge eating disorder as a defence mechanism. Almost 2 years ago my life changed. I received help from a wonderful person and amazing mindset coach, Daniel James of The Prime Life Project. This enabled me to lose just over 6st, with my weight-loss journey on going but also to change my thinking and my identity. Now I want to help others with the tools I have been given.
I have a Vision:
Is to create a safe haven, while at the same time, saving a very precious building. A building paid for by the community, men paying from the wages they earned, while working down the coal mines! For the history of the hospital and the people that paid for it, we need to keep it as a community asset.
Many people struggle with low mood, feeling overwhelmed, stress, anxiety, depression or loneliness. The plan is to open a community safe space, somewhere that a person struggling mentally can come to escape the outside world and their inner thoughts and pressures. Somewhere to help them long before they end up in a mental crisis!
A quiet area: A room to sit and think, read or journal.
A room for Breath workshops, where you will learn deep breathing to relax. This room will also be used for meditation.
Craft area: this is where creative workshops will take place. Floristry, pottery, mosaics, drum making, scrapheap, stain glass, glass painting, etc.
Large kitchen /home economics class cooking/baking
Personal care and wellbeing area: Head massage, body massage, haircut, hair colour refresh, beard trim. Also personal bathing, if someone who needs help with bathing but their partner isn’t able to help them, we can.
Café / talking area: where people can sit and share experiences, talk about their thoughts and feelings. Talk amongst themselves or just pour their heart out to someone who will just listen, without judgement.
Games, pool/snooker room, games consoles, darts, etc.
Garden, where people can spend time tending to the garden, sit in the sun or have a picnic.
Access to a counsellor, psychologist, coach, etc.
Guided walks
Once open:
it will be accessible to the local community, donations will be gratefully accepted.
Mental health charities would be able to bring some of their members for residential stays. Doctors would be able to literally prescribe a holiday (through referral) for stress, anxiety, depression, etc, so we can offer help and support.
Craft items made at the centre will be available for sale.
Ongoing fundraising will take place.
Why is this important to me?
Because I suffer from anxiety, depression and complex PTSD. I became obese as a defence mechanism from trauma that happened to me at 15. I later developed a binge eating disorder and became morbidly obese. I have tried many times to lose weight but couldn't do it, constantly making the same mistakes. I was on the waiting list for weight management but after 12 months, I had a call saying I had to have counselling for PTSD before they could help me. Another 4 month wait! I was so depressed at this point, I was struggling to cope.
I signed up with a mindset coach in October 2022. He has helped me so much. He has taught me how to change my thinking, how to stop binge eating and be in control of my emotions. He has taught me that a trigger isn't the problem, it's the way you react to the trigger that is. I'm the happiest I've been in a long time and I've also lost 6st 4lb so far.
I have always been a people person, I can and do talk to anyone. I get chatting to people in the gym, when out and about. I have spoken to many people about mental health and lack of support.
I used to volunteer for a charity as a skin camouflage practitioner. I taught people how to make scars, vitiligo, birthmarks and other skin conditions less visible. Part of my job was to listen and signpost people to services, including counselling. I loved the job, it was so rewarding and to be honest, I was good at it. I listened and understood how different people were struggling to cope with anxiety and depression.
I have seen several clients both through the charity and privately requesting help to make self harms scars less visible. These people, most of whom were teenagers, didn’t get the help they needed and are still struggling because one size doesn’t fit all, when it comes to counselling.
I’m just completed a level 2 qualification on self harm and suicide awareness. I also have many other skills that I know will be beneficial in working in this mental health community wellbeing centre.
I know a mental health wellbeing centre would help so many people, I believe it would help save many lives!