Skip to main content

Adult Wellbeing including support for parents and carers

Five Ways to Wellbeing

What Are The Five Ways To Wellbeing And Why Do They Matter?

Extensive research by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) has shown that there are 5 key ways to improve our mental health and wellbeing.  Like the 5-a-day fruit and vegetables that are good for our physical health, the Five ways to wellbeing are easy things everyone can do to help boost our mental health.

Five Ways to Wellbeing

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 Active
Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good.

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.

Connect
Connect with the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community.

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.

Mental Health and Wellbeing are big topics, and there is so much information about them, that at times it can feel overwhelming.

Luton’s Five ways to wellbeing campaign is all about breaking down those big topics into small habits which are easy for everyone to build into their day. Creating new healthy habits is a great way of incorporating the Five ways to wellbeing without it feeling too overwhelming.

We believe in community-powered wellbeing. Our campaign aims to empower everyone in Luton to understand what the Five ways to wellbeing are, and how everyone can take tiny steps to improve their own mental health and wellbeing.

We hope that by sharing the campaign with your friends, family and your wider networks, the message about the Five ways to wellbeing will reach even more people, and inspire even more people in Luton to make just one tiny step towards improving their mental health and wellbeing.

Luton’s Five ways to wellbeing campaign aims to:

  1. Raise awareness of the Five ways to wellbeing in Luton.
  2. Promote tiny healthy habits built around the Five ways to wellbeing.
  3. Help people in Luton recognise the signs of poor mental health in their family and friends so they can support them.
  4. Help break down the stigma around mental health.
  5. Signpost local services so Luton residents know how to access mental health and wellbeing services.

Wellbeing Wall

A big part of breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health and wellbeing is learning to talk more openly about these topics. Our interactive wellbeing wall is a way of communicating how we feel, and illustrating that.

Complete a short form at www.howareyoufeelingtoday.co.uk that asks you some questions about how you’re feeling today. Your anonymous answers will produce a graphic that will be shared as a part of the wellbeing wall.


CALM

CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably, for men aged 15 to 35.

Phone: 0800 58 58 58 (daily, 5pm to midnight)

Website: www.thecalmzone.net


Total Wellbeing Luton

Luton Total Wellbeing Service is for people with depression, stress, bereavement and other mental health issues, the best thing about it is that you can self refer straight into the service.

Our philosophy is to help people get the psychological services they need quickly and easily, without having to jump through any unnecessary hoops, so we have a very simple set of rules for who we can help.

You can use our service if you are 18 years+ and either live in Luton or have a Luton-based GP.

Once we have received your referral you will speak to our administration team who will take further details and will then book you in for your first appointment there and then. However, if you don’t live in our area, or your GP doesn’t have a surgery in Luton, there may be a service like ours in your area.

Total Wellbeing Luton Service provides workshops, courses, groups and individual treatment at a variety of locations across Luton as well as GP practices. Your therapist will discuss the options available to you at your first appointment.

Contact us

  • call us on 0300 555 4152
  • We're available 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am - 4pm on Saturday

Total Wellbeing Luton website

Self referral assessment form


Mind

Mind promotes the views and needs of people with mental health problems.

Phone: 0300 123 3393 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm)

Website: www.mind.org.uk


Mental health support lines

Whether you're concerned about yourself or a loved one, these helplines and support groups can offer expert advice.

Mental Health Support lines


NHS Every Mind Matters

Looking after your mental health

There are little things we can all do to help look after our mental health. Having good mental health helps us relax more, achieve more and enjoy our lives more.

We have expert advice and practical tips to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing, so discover what works for you.

NHS Every Mind Matters website


Samaritans

Samaritans provides confidential non-judgemental emotional support to people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those that may lead to suicide, on the phone, face to face, by email and by letter, 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Phone: 116 123 (free 24-hour helpline)

Samaritans Luton website


shout 85258

Shout is a free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. You can text from anywhere in the UK.

By texting the word ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 you will start a conversation with a trained Shout Volunteer, who will text you back and forth, sharing only what you feel comfortable with.

Our volunteers will work with you to take your next steps towards feeling better.


Supporting mental wellbeing resources and apps

This information sheet has been compiled to bring together resources and phone apps that may be useful to maintain mental wellbeing.

These resources are free to use unless otherwise stated.

Phone apps are available for both Android and IOS (Apple) operating systems unless otherwise stated.

Supporting mental wellbeing resources and apps


Young minds parent helpline

  • Young Minds Parents Helpline is available in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  • You’ll get through to a trained adviser who will listen and talk through your concerns in complete confidence.
  • Your adviser will help you to understand your child’s behaviour and give you practical advice on what to do next.
  • If you need further help, they’ll arrange for one of our qualified mental health professionals to call you for a 50-minute telephone consultation within seven days.
  • Please note, calls may be recorded for monitoring or training purposes.
  • Hard of hearing or speech-impaired? Please use Typetalk or Textdirect to contact us, or use our Parents Webchat.
  • If English is not your first language, we can arrange for an interpreter as a member of LanguageLine.

For more information click here


CAMHS wellbeing programme

This is a programme of webinars for parents and carers in Bedfordshire to get advice and strategies to support their children and young people with their emotional health and wellbeing.

The sessions are run throughout the year and are promoted on social media and on the Local Offer. 

The best way of finding out more is to follow the team on Twitter @CAMHSWELLBEING1


Bedfordshire and Luton Recovery College

Bedfordshire and Luton Recovery College is part of the Bedfordshire Mental Health Academy which is a formal partnership with East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) and the University of Bedfordshire.

The college is open to any adults who live or work in Bedfordshire and Luton.

Our courses and workshops focus on mental health wellbeing and recovery. They are delivered by people with lived experience and professional experience.

We promote a positive student experience based on the principles of recovery and the values of the University of Bedfordshire and ELFT.

  • Opportunity
  • Choice
  • Hope
  • The University of Bedfordshire strives to offer transformational educational change for people’s lives
  • East London Foundation Trust key values are:
    We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive.

All of our courses and workshops are FREE of CHARGE

Click here for the Summer 2023 April - August prospectus

Telephone 01582 708917 

Recovery College email

Recovery College Website

Luton Crisis Café MIND BLMK

Open 365 days of the year 5 to 11pm. No appointment necessary – just drop in

Luton Wellbeing Centre
46-56 Dumfries Street
Luton, LU1 5BP
Telephone: 01525 722 225