Voluntary Action Swindon invites community and voluntary groups to hold a stall at the 2017 Community Fair

By Roger Ogle - 24 May 2017

Opinion and FeaturesCommunityCharity

Community & Voluntary groups in Swindon are invited to hold a stall at this year’s Community Fair, which will be held on Saturday 15 July from 11am-3pm at the Secret Garden in Queen’s Park.

The theme for the fair is ‘Wellbeing’ and we are seeking groups that fit into one or more of the ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’, which are – Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Give.

More information on the 5 Ways to Wellbeing can be found below. If you are interested in holding a stall please contact Hannah Parry as soon as possible, but no later than Friday 26th May, by emailing [email protected] or telephoning 01793 538398.

Evidence suggests that a small improvement in wellbeing can help to decrease some mental health problems and also help people to flourish. The ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’ were produced by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) and sets out 5 actions to improve personal wellbeing. These are:

Connect
Connect with the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day.

Be active
Go for a walk or run. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a sense of physical activity you enjoy and one that suits your level of mobility and fitness.

Take notice
Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you.

Keep learning
Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun.

Give
Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you.

If you feel your work fits into one or more of these areas and you would like to let local residents know about your group and the support you provide, please get in touch!

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