Since April 2016 we have been running a pop-up hub in Forres once a month at the Community Cafe in Forres House. The idea was to try a different approach to making conversation and support about mental health accessible – running a discussion and signposting session within the setting of a cafe open to the general public, led by Champions for others who wanting information or support.
In some ways this was also a way to try out some of our ideas of how we would like our own physical ‘hub’ to run. An open access cafe space where people can feel their mental health is supported and stigma is challenged.
We learned a lot in that time about some of the challenges and opportunities this approach can give, this is essential as we near the end of our project an move to creating our new social enterprise.
However, reflecting on a need for a change in approach due to many factors, we have decided to move on from this format and instead look at things afresh in 2017. We aim to host a different event in Forres around February to look at what is needed in terms of informal peer support and access to wellbeing signposting.
If you would like to help shape this event please let us know. We aim to link up with local partners like the Wellbeing Forres project and FACT as well as community members, to explore what would work best in Forres.
