Stu came down to our Tuesday night well-being group at the end of 2021, and as soon as we got chatting I knew I wanted to invite him on the podcast. Stu captured the attention of all the members with his knowledge of meditation, cold showers and breathing techniques which he talks about more in this episode.

Stu led a Happiness Hub session about Meditation in February during our month on learning and kindly agreed to be a guest on our podcast to talk about his own experiences which has led him to help others.

As mentioned in the podcast Stu is offering a couple of sessions for free if you would like help setting your goals and achieving them and asks for a donation to MInd or any animal warfare charity. You can find Stu on his Life Survival Coach website, and often on a Tuesday night at The Granary Arts Cafe where we run the Happiness Hub.

Here are the books and podcasts we also mentioned in the episode:

• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• Conquest of Mind by Eknath Easwaran
• Dr Rangan Chaterjee - Feel Better Live More

Tianne is a highly experienced Resilience Consultant working across a number of business sectors, an expert in delivering corporate programmes and also runs her own private practice working with individuals.

Tianne kindly came down to our Happiness Hub Tuesday night wellbeing group a couple of weeks ago to talk to us about managing and reducing stress. In this episode, Tianne tells us more about her own experience of stress and burnout which led her to help others.

You can find out more about Tianne and her services on her Resilience Wellbeing Partnership website, Tianne's LinkedIn profile and via the Resilience Wellbeing Partnership Facebook page.

Tracey offers counselling in Warrington and surrounding areas with the option of online, telephone and face to face sessions.

Kedren and Tracey studied together for two years at the Cheshire Therapy Centre in Warrington to complete their Level 4 Diploma's in Therapeutic Counselling and they both qualified this year.

The pair talk about the benefits of counselling and their own experiences along with what they really love about the therapy and of course, Kedren asked Tracey for some well-being tips and what makes her happy.

You can find out more about Tracey and the services she offers on her website Tracey Worrall Therapy and you can also follow her on her social media channels below:

• Tracey Worrall Therapy Facebook Page
• Tracey Worral Therapy Instagram
• Tracey Worrall Twitter

​In 2010 Mandy became a member of the Healing Hands Network, travelling to Bosnia to work with civilian survivors of the civil war suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and physical injuries. When she returned to the UK she pursued her interest in working with UK forces suffering from the physical and mental effects of war.

​In doing so, she became more interested in how PTSD affects people and began psychotherapy training in order to become more holistic in her work of treating the body and the mind.

Mandy is currently working towards practitioner status via Human Givens and is offering FREE therapy sessions for (anonymous) case studies.

So if you are troubled with mild to moderate anxiety and/or depression, have a phobia or anything that you feel a few free sessions of psychotherapy could help you with. You can contact Mandy via her Nantwich Holistics website or call her on 07904 520890.

You can also find Mandy via her Nantwich Holistics Facebook page and down at our Happiness Hub Well-being group most Tuesdays.

After working in the early year's sector for 20 years and realising how the job consumed her, Fiona decided she needed a change. She realised she was that “go-to” person and that she wanted to help others achieve their goals. This is where Flourish Well-being came into being and Fiona took the brave step to set up her own business during lock-down.

Fiona offers well-being life coaching to help others realise their potential and achieve their goal of a more fulfilled, happy life.

We spoke to Fiona about what she does for her own well-being, how she helps her clients with theirs and of course what makes her happy.

If you'd like to find out more about Fiona and how she can help you achieve your goals, you can find more detail on her Flourish Wellbeing Coach website and on her Flourish Well-being Life Coach Facebook Page and Flourish Well-being Life Coach Instagram Page.

You can also give Fiona a call or send a text to 07986 536 472 or email her at: fiona@flourishwellbeingcoach.co.uk

If you would like to know more out about Happiness Hub Well-being groups head on over to our Happiness Hub Website and you can sign up here.

The group is free to attend and we run them every Tuesday evening from 8 pm, at the Granary Arts Cafe with activities and guest speakers on our monthly well-being themes.

Sobalicious is an alcohol-free community group with over 300 members who meet weekly online or at face to face events with activities like outdoor swimming and foraging walks.

Sarah shared with us her story of how she went alcohol-free three years ago and what led her to make the decision, and how she hadn't realised at the time the impact of alcohol was making on her mental health as well as her physical health.

There is still stigma and shame attached to admitting you may have an addiction to alcohol and society does have a strange way of viewing drinking with it often being used to celebrate. When you give up alcohol it can make you feel very isolated and awkward at social events but it's something that we can change by talking about it.

Thank you to Sarah for coming on and sharing her story so that others don't have to face going sober alone. Talking about alcohol and how it might be impacting your life with a supportive group can help you cut down or quit and also stay sober.

If you would like to know more about Sarah's Sobalicious group, visit the Sobalicious website, and you can also join the Sobalicious closed Facebook group and follow Sobalicious on Instagram.

Annie was diagnosed with both ME and Systemic Candida several years ago, causing her great pain and chronic fatigue, making everyday tasks and attending work incredibly challenging.

As luck would have it, a work colleague was able to spot Annie struggling having suffered from similar conditions herself and told her to go home, which resulted in Annie getting the help that she needed.

You can find out more about Annie and the work that she does on her website www.onelifeandstyle.co.uk.

Karen is very much an all or nothing sort of person and was running two self-employed businesses when her MS really took hold and prevented her from pursuing one of her businesses and taking stock of what the future might hold.

Karen shared with us tips and tricks she and her family have implemented to help budget her energy better and manage her MS but also to remove stress where possible from her life which can be a major trigger for chronic conditions.

If you'd like to know more about Karen's photo booth business you can find her at www.jollygoodphoto.co.uk

Listen to part one with Nichola Brain here and don't forget to visit our Happiness Hub Blog where we have weekly posts around the topics we discuss on the podcast.

And of course, we'd love to know what you think about the podcast and the subjects we cover and we're always looking for guests. Here's how to contact us and click here to be a guest.

Kedren one-half of the show's hosts was diagnosed with MS in January 2021 and wanted to invite others she had met on her journey who have helped her get her head around the diagnosis and to share their own stories.

Nichola was diagnosed in 2011 when living in the US and has secondary progressive MS and her symptoms affect her daily life. She very kindly came on the podcast to tell us about her experience and different treatments she's had for the condition and how she manages her physical and mental symptoms day to day.

Saskia talked mainly about her diagnosis of Bipolar but also how this led her to be diagnosed with other conditions such as diabetes and ulcerative colitis.

Saskia's story will help anyone with a chronic or mental health condition, the things that Saskia does daily to help manage her symptoms and take care of herself will help anyone living with a hidden disease.

Saskia talked about The Spoon Theory and how it's a useful way to describe your energy levels or lack of to others when you live with a chronic condition and how the book An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jameson really helped her understand her own Bipolar condition.

Saskia is also the CEO of a local domestic abuse charity called Cheshire Without Abuse. The charity is dealing with twice the amount of people needing their support at the moment due to COVID.

Visit their website if you would like more information about the services they offer and if you'd like to help, support or volunteer for the charity too.

Since treating the rare arthritis condition she was diagnosed with, Jo has gone on to train as a nutritionist and now helps others follow an anti-inflammatory diet that can help with many physical and mental symptoms of all sorts of conditions.

Jo is passionate about how the diet transformed her condition her weight and her mental health, reducing her anxiety.

You can find out more about Jo and the 6-week 123 New Me Course that she runs on her website at www.jobrimmell.co.uk and also follow her on Instagram and Facebook for tips and advice on why an anti-inflammatory diet is great for your overall wellbeing.

PCOS affects 1 in 10 women in the Uk and is the most common female hormone condition. It manifests differently in each individual and can be incredibly devastating to a woman’s self-esteem and quality of life.

Hannah's diagnoses when she was 16, was a shock and something that Hannah struggled to get her head around as very little information was given to her by her health care professionals.

Hannah is very passionate about helping others through their diagnosis and supporting them with their own PCOS conditions and has become an ambassador for Daisy PCOS and helps others through her Instagram account hannahsjourneypcosweightloss.

Hannah talks about how PCOS can affect women's mental health and some of the lesser know symptoms that can really impact sufferers mental health, and how the condition has affected her own since her diagnosis.

Hannah is more than happy for any of our listeners to contact her via her Instagram account with any questions about the condition. And she also recommends the following websites that she herself found useful and that can help you live with PCOS too. All of which you can find on social media for updates on the latest PCOS news and research.

https://www.pcosvitality.com/

https://www.verity-pcos.org.uk/

https://daisypcos.com/

If you, like Hannah would like to be more involved and support Daisy PCOS with their research, you can through participation, engagement, involvement or advocacy. See their website and social channels for more information and how to get involved.

80 to 90% of people diagnosed are women although it does affect men and children too. There is no one main cause for this condition, like similar conditions, but can be caused by genes, injury or trauma.

Dealing with the symptoms of conditions and diseases like Fibromyalgia can lead to depression and also low levels of certain hormones and dopamine associated with the disease can also make sufferers prone to depression.

Laura who's been a guest on the Happiness Hub before kindly agreed to come on the podcast again and talk in-depth about her experience of living with Fibromyalgia, after being diagnosed at 23 having lived with the condition for 9 years.

Laura talks about how frustrating it was trying to get a diagnosis and having to convince friends, family and health care professionals that there was something wrong with her and it wasn't all in her head.

Listen in to find out Laura's top tips and how she deals day to day with the condition and what helps her manage her symptoms and her mental health.

You can find out more about the condition and where to get help at Fibromyalgia Action UK and UK Fibromyalgia if you need some help and support.

We're also looking for guests to share their own stories, so if you'd like to be a guest please get in touch and complete our guest request form and Liz or Keds will be in touch.

Come join us on our closed Happiness Hub Facebook group for news on future Happiness Hub events and news and visit our Happiness Hub website for more information about our 6-week wellness programme the Happy Appy.

During lockdown, both Liz & Keds had diagnoses of their own. Throughout the podcast's previous series, they have interviewed and spoken to others who have their own challenges and inspirational stories to tell.

In this series, we'll be talking to people who have hidden and chronic diseases like PCOS, Fibromyalgia, Arthritis and MS to raise awareness, share peoples experiences and talk about the mental health challenges these type of diseases have on top of the physical and where to get help.

We're also looking for guests to share their own stories, so if you'd like to be a guest please get in touch and complete our guest request form and Liz or Keds will be in touch.

Come join us on our closed Happiness Hub Facebook group for news on future Happiness Hub events and news and visit our Happiness Hub website for more information about our 6-week wellness programme the Happy Appy.

Come join us on our Facebook group, to share and access daily mindful and wellness tips, good news stories and links to wellness resources.

You can also find out more about our Happy Appy programme and the themes we've covered on our Happiness Hub Blog and website.

And you can find more about Ben and his Mind Set Coaching on Ben's website and follow him on his Social Media Channels.

Mind Set coach Benjamin Stubbs talks to us about why we have thoughts and emotions that stay with us and takes Keds through an exercise called the Sedona method to welcome and subdue these thoughts and feelings that stay with us.

If you have difficulty letting go of thoughts and feelings about any of life's situations or events, you can practise this very powerful technique whilst listening to the podcast or practise at home.

Through our podcast, we want to help you make small little changes to your mindset and lifestyle that will help you with your well-being and optimise you with your happiness.

Come join us on our Happiness Hub Facebook page and visit our Happiness Hub Website to find out what other Happiness events and projects we're doing to improve peoples mental health.

Beckie has been in the fitness industry for over five years but decided to take the plunge going 'full-time fitness' when the pandemic hit.

She works with a wide range of clients but specialises in pre and postnatal fitness. She is also a group fitness instructor running several community classes.

Follow on Instagram @bek.mo and search for Fitness with Beckie on Facebook. www.fitnesswithbeckie.co.uk

If you would like to support Beckie with the London marathon training and The Rossendale Trust, you can sponsor her on JustGiving.

Janie talks about the things she eats and the supplements she takes that have helped her with her mental health.

Janie also discussed recent research that shows the types of food that will help you with anxiety and depression and the food to steer clear of.

If you've any questions you'd like to ask Janie or would like a free 15-minute consultation you can contact her on 07866 482873 or email her at: janie.bishop1@icloud.com.

You can also find out more about nutrition and the anti-inflammatory diet as mentioned on the podcast from Amelia Freer and Dr Michael Mosley.

Come find out more about the Happiness Hub on our website and Blog and join the conversation on our Happiness Hub Facebook Group.

New Habits is the theme of this week's Happy Appy and we'll be asking participants to reduce the time they spend on social media, watching the news, but also consciously choosing the media that they watch.

Ben also talks about how getting outside for 20 mins a day in daylight will help your mood, just by sitting in the garden, going out on your break... anything to get some natural light.

Then it's thinking about what you can do with your new-found time (due to minimised scrolling and cutting down on binge-watching TV) to pursue things that interest you... be it art, dance, DIY, walking, playing, catching up with a friend/family member, researching something of interest, playing an instrument or learning a new skill. What could you do with your new-found time?

Also if you'd like to learn more about Keds fundraiser and how she's getting on with hitting that 200 miles in May for MSTrust you can visit her JustGiving Page.

Giving and connecting are strong values that Liz holds and she talks about how making time to connect with friends, colleagues her community and her husband helps her to stay happy and fulfilled.

This week we talked to Transformational Coach Liam Hand about self-care, why it's so important and what self-care techniques he uses with his clients and himself to look after his clients and his own mental health and wellbeing.

Liam describes himself as a transformational coach, aiming to help people change, release what has been holding them back, and move towards their true potential.

His focus is on helping people to release fear and anxiety as quickly as possible and to build real confidence and self-esteem. To make huge, rapid shifts in their mindset and to discover resilience by accessing their own inner resources.

Liam uses a combination of coaching and therapy, combining hypnotherapy with other fast techniques and strategies such as TFT (Thought Field Therapy) tapping and a variety of coaching approaches from NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming).

Liam talked about always keeping things as simple and as practical as possible, his view is that 'simple gets done' so finding simple techniques and strategies are the most effective way for people to incorporate them into their routines. When it comes to self-care, he feels consistency is more important than the length of time you practice.

You can find out more about Liam on his website: www.liamhand.com and @liamhandcoaching on Instagram and on Facebook: Liam Hand Coaching.

We now also have a Happiness Hub website, with more details about our 6-week wellness programme, Happy Appy, all episodes of our podcast and a brand new mental health blog, come and join us on the site. Let us know what you think and what you'd love to see too.

Benjamin Stubbs who is a Mindset Coach already uses this with his clients and has already seen the benefits it can bring. Ben talked about how we need to practise gratitude as it doesn't come naturally to us, especially as it seems to us Northerners!

Tune in to find out more, and there is still time to sign up for our Happy Appy programme as we have extended the sign-up date till Friday the 16th of April.

You can find out more about the power of Gratitude on our new Happiness Hub Website, where you can access past episodes of our podcast and find out how to take part in our 6-week wellness programme.

Listen in to find out more about the course and what it offers, including:

• Daily wellness and mindfulness prompts
• Resources and videos to live a happier and healthy life
• A private chat area where you can chat and engage with the Happy Appy Team and other participants

Which you will be able to access all from the App, and on top of all that!

• You'll be invited to weekly ZOOM sessions with the team and special guests

Part-funded by a grant from the Cheshire Crime Commissioner Fund, we've ​15 places up for grabs, and anyone in CW5 can take part from the comfort of your own home. It's FREE to take part, and we ask for a £25 refundable deposit to secure your space which will be refunded when you complete the course.

If you would like to take part please complete the form below:

www.nantwichbuddies.org/happyappy

And if you would like more info and news about the podcast and the programme, come and join us on the Happiness Hub Facebook Group.

CWA is a local domestic abuse charity in Cheshire which has been operating since 1977. They deliver a whole family service, supporting adult and child victims of domestic abuse and adult and young perpetrators of domestic abuse. They offer refuge accommodation, emotional wellbeing support, recovery programmes, specialist training and resources for professionals, Monkey Bob resources for younger children and behaviour change interventions for adults and young people.

The pandemic has created more than double the demand for their services with a 40% increase in the risk of serious harm or death.

Saskia is the CEO of My CWA and has worked in this field for over half of her lifetime. She has lived experience, spending over a year in refuge in the early 1990s with her children. She also lives with invisible disabilities, dyslexia and for over 25 years, bi-polar disorder. She describes these ars her superpowers.

What makes Saskia Happy? Her 17 grandchildren! Sunshine in her garden, a ripe juicy pear, writing in her journal and daily meditating.

If you are interested in signing up for our Happy App 6 week wellness programme, please join our Happiness Hub Facebook Group.

Rest Easy Training is a simple, effective, affordable mental health programme for schools, families & businesses. As a self-help strategy, it has been designed to prevent mental illness in 6-25-year-olds. Using the acronym REST EASY children, staff, parents & carers are taught how they can Recognise Emotions, Stop Think, Engage Awareness & Support Yourself.  

The Rest Easy Method is supported by NHS Innovations Agency & validated by the University of Chester. The approach meets all the DfE principles & SEL recommendations.

Rest Easy was created by Emily Gearing who is a life coach, wellbeing educator & Youth Mental Health First Aider. She's passionate about preventing mental illness in children & young people as she suffered with social anxiety & body dysmorphic disorder from the age of 10. After a mental health diagnosis at 25, she began a journey of self-discovery & recovery leading her to train become a life coach & mindfulness practitioner in 2016. Having taught mindfulness in workshops & schools she created the Rest Easy Method as a whole school approach in 2018 & has been delivering it ever since.

Emily attended a Happy Heads event in Croyden in 2019 after being invited by their co-director Sandeep who she met after attending the Mental Health Debate at the House of Commons. Sandeep helped Emily compile a proposal for Parliament Street Think Tank that featured the Rest Easy Method as a suggested initiative for schools. She has since teamed up with Happy Heads to offer a wellbeing workshop for teens & parents alongside co-director Ruth.  

The workshop combines Ruth's recovery tool known as the Balance Ball & the Rest Easy Method to offer an informative, interactive workshop. The aim of the workshop is to empower & encourage young people to fulfil their potential, grow in self-awareness & manage emotions in a calm way.  

The event is on 27th March via Zoom from 11-2pm. £12 per family. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite.

Emily's team of Rest Easy Coaches also offer parent & carer workshops each month. Check out their Facebook page for forthcoming events.

We also talked about Hygge with Emily, so you can find her Hygge for mental health Facebook page here and also Hug a Home is the website Liz found that offers natural and sustainable homeware to help you make your house a safe, cosy and comfortable place to live. #NotSpon

MHRUK is the first UK charity dedicated to raising funds for research into mental illnesses, their causes and cures and raises money to fund students through their PhD research scholarships.

Clair talked about the reasons for setting up the charity due to the lack of mental health research out there at the time. Along with the work they are doing to plug the gaps now, including the following campaigns to raise awareness and funding for further research.

COVID-19 Psychological Trauma PhD Scholarship

To mark Mental Health Awareness Week 2020, MHRUK has launched a campaign to raise £120,000 for a new PhD research scholarship on psychological trauma arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brighten Up

Running on World Mental Health Day, 10th October. Everyone can join in! Just wear your brightest clothes to brighten everyone up as the days become shorter and get people talking about mental health.

Clair will also soon be a published poet, and has kindly sent a Happy poem from her collection for us to share:

A Perfect Breakfast

I get up early

leaving the children sleeping.

It is cool and quiet.

Outside in the white-walled garden

a lemon tree ripe with fruit gives shade

a white marble table, two cushioned chairs.

Greek yogurt with honey

a peach so perfectly ripe

that the stone splits in two.

You can find out more about Mental Health Research UK on their website, on their Mental Research UK Facebook Page and also on Twitter and of course, you can donate to MHRUK to help them continue the vital work they are doing.

And if you like Clair's poem head over to Claire Chilvers poetry for more.

Don't forget to join us on our Happiness Hub Facebook group from interactions with Liz & Keds, daily mindful tips and news about our up and coming Happy Appy! Our 8-week wellness programme launching in April.

Sign up form will be published shortly.

Ruth's experience along with meeting up with co-founder Natalie who experienced a traumatic birth led the pair to set up The Smile Group to provide help and guidance to families experiencing perinatal mental health illness.

The group has been running for 10 years now and is supporting families in Sandbach, Macclesfield, Congleton, and Nantwich and will be starting their weekly walks again around Nantwich Lake from Monday the 15th.

If you would like to know about the group and how you yourself can get support, email Ruth and Natalie at hello@thesmilegroup.org or visit their website for the latest news.

You can also find The Smile Group on facebook and Twitter.

Passionate about helping individuals be the best they can be, Emma set up Inspired learning to inspire people to achieve the results they want through engaging and interactive workshops, programmes and coaching.

Adding to the suite of training the team do, Emma who's a mental health First Aider has included a series of wellbeing and resilience face to face and e-learning workshops. The aim of these workshops is to provide learners with the knowledge to identify suspected mental health conditions whether it's their own or colleagues and the skills to start conversations and be able to signpost the person towards professional help.

Many business and workplaces have mental health help included in their health care package, although many employees don't know they can access mental health services like counselling through their work.

If you'd like to know more about Emma and the work that Inspired Learning does, you can find all links and details on Inspired Learning's Link Tree Page which includes links to the Inspiring Leaders facebook group Emma talked about, and links to their website and social media.

Jan told us how she was motivated through personal family experiences of mental health services and support in the area or, rather, the difficulties in being able to find high quality, flexible support and services that led her to set up Harbour.

The group have lots of exciting things lined up this year starting with a 12-week Kintsugi Well-being Course.

These well-being groups offer safe and supportive spaces for people to explore issues and skills to maximise mental and emotional well-being. The courses are free and will help attendees develop skills and resilience for positive mental health and well-being.  

The courses start on Thursday the 25th of February and you can register for the course here on Harbours website or email jan@harbour-cheshire.uk.

You can also find Harbour on Facebook and contact Jan if you'd like to know more about the Mental Health First Aid courses that are running in March or register your interest here.

Visyon is a local children's mental health charity that has been supporting the emotional health of children, young people, and their families in the Cheshire and Staffordshire moorlands areas since 1994.

Sam told us about the services the charity offers and how the current pandemic has changed how they operate. And of course what makes her happy and her tips for better mental health!

Visyon is celebrating its 28th birthday this year and to celebrate, the charity is asking people and their employees to come up with a fundraising activity based on the number. Find out how to get involved and ideas on what you could do on Visyons Facebook Page, Instagram and Twitter accounts. It could be anything from doing 28-star jumps every day for 28 days or cooking 28 cupcakes and giving them to friends and family for a small donation. You decide.

You can also find out more about the services they offer on Visyons website and book a consultation with one of the team to find out more about their services and if any of them would be right for you or your family.

You can comment and post questions to Liz & Keds on our Happiness Hub podcast facebook group and also find out more about the Nantwich Buddies volunteer group Liz and Keds co-ordinate on the Nantwich Buddies website.

Speak up Space is an Instant Messaging Service run 7 days a week through the Speak Up Space Website which also contains lots of self-help information and advice.

The Maccas project runs a weekly online group for young people, where they can talk about whatever is on their mind. The Maccas team also works closely with local schools offering training and support to children. 

Speak Up space is celebrating its second birthday this year on the 14th of February and as part of the celebrations, the team is asking young people in the area for help with designing an Instagram post for them to post that day.

To get involved use your imagination to design an exciting post to celebrate.

How to do this:

• Either draw your design on paper or on your computer
• Take a picture of your design
• Send us a private message on Instagram or Facebook with your photo attached
• The best one will be posted on our Instagram page!

To find out more about Speak Up Space and access the service visit the Speak Up Space website and for daily self-care tips follow both the Maccas Project and Speak up Space on their social media channels below:

Facebook

Speak Up Space

The Maccas Project

Instagram

Speak Up Space

Maccas Project

This week's guest Emma Dechoux from Inspired Learning couldn't join us, however, we took a leaf out of Emma's book to do a little bit of self-pampering and create a home spa experience!

We talk about Tropic as Lizzie is an ambassador for the brand and the products we're using and how they make us feel. It's so important to remember that the things we put on our bodies are just as important as the things we digest in our bodies.

We also talk about the anti-inflammatory diet we have both been following, mindfulness, making time for yourself, and setting goals to help you create new healthier habits. Whether that's improving your diet or moving a little more every day.

You can find out more about Tropic and the skincare range by contacting Liz through her Tropic Skincare with Liz Parkin Facebook page.

If you'd like to know more about the Anti-Inflammatory diet we are both following and the lovely grub we're eating to help with our physical and mental health, visit Jo's Nutrition for Health Facebook page.

We spoke to Kate about how the idea came about and how she worked at setting the platform up back in 2017 and how she keeps it up to date, which is no mean feat.

YouinMind.org is an online platform helping you find mental health and wellbeing services in Cheshire.

Simple in design and easy to use, YouinMind.org is designed to connect those with mental health needs with local providers and online resources that they would otherwise be unable to find.

Whether you're looking for professional support like counselling or wish to join a community group to improve your wellbeing, there's something for everything on the website. Simply search by condition and postcode to discover suitable services near you.

Kate's goal for YouinMind.org, was to make mental health services in Cheshire more accessible. Finding the right support can be a challenge; that's why she created this platform dedicated to signposting you to relevant services.

Tim tells us about his experiences of volunteering for Nantwich Buddies AND how he's raised nearly £4,000 from home for national mental health charity Mind.

Tim also shared with us his own challenges with mental health and the things he did and still does to look after it.

If you've been inspired by Tim you can still sponsor him on his JustGiving page here, as he's keen to reach £4,000 and you can also find out more about Mind and donate directly to the charity here.

Don't forget you can join Liz & Keds and other Happiness Hubsters on The Happiness Hub Facebook Group to interact with the hosts and ask questions.

Simon is fundraising manager of the local mental health charity, he's also a listening volunteer, a mentor, and has previously been a treasurer for the charity too.

We asked Simon about how he came to be a volunteer for Samaritans, how people can get in touch with the charity if they need help, and how you can become a volunteer yourself.

The Samaritans is a free service for those struggling with their mental health and offer a 24-hour confidential phone line, you can contact them on 116 123 or email them at jo@samaritans.org

If you want to make a donation to Samaritans of South Cheshire there are various ways to donate:

1. Bank Transfer. Payments can be made directly to their Branch current account (Cooperative Bank ) Sort code 08-92-99 Account number 65826766
2. Branch website /Virgin Money giving . Via the main Samaritans website, navigate to "Crewe Samaritans " using the search engine for our secure donation portal. Alternatively via Virgin Money Giving, using " Samaritans of South Cheshire" as the search term. Donation link below  https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity web/charity/finalCharityHomepage.action?charityId=1018368
3. Cheque Payments (Samaritans of South Cheshire ) can be made by post, marked for the Branch Treasurer, and sent to our Branch at 2 Hall O’Shaw Street, Crewe, Cheshire CW1 4AE
4. Cash. Our least favoured option due to the "hassle factor" but can be paid over the counter via the Post Office or any Co-op bank, account details as above 
5. Text to Donate Simply text CREWESAMS to 70085 to make a £5 donation, collected via your mobile phone provider

If you are fundraising for Samaritans and would like any help and support, get in touch with Simon on simon.koefman@btinternet.com

You can also follow the local branch on Twitter for the latest news from the branch and Samaritansas a whole @CreweSams

The duo also answers your questions, some of which will shape Series 2 of the podcast, and read out the lovely feedback we've had since launching the Happiness Hub along with the tips you've shared with us on what makes you happy.

You can comment and post questions to Liz & Keds on our Happiness Hub podcast facebook group and also find out more about the Nantwich Buddies volunteer group Liz and Keds co-ordinate on the Nantwich Buddies website.

We loved talking to Ben as you can tell from this episode, his energy was contagious. Ben shared some great tips on how to be more positive and everyday things we can all do to help ourselves when we're feeling overwhelmed especially by the news.

You can find more about Ben and his App on his website www.benjaminstubbs.com and follow him on Facebook @BenjaminStubbsMindsetCoach and Instagram @BenjaminStubbs_mindsetcoach.

We hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we did making it!

Nigel is a fully qualified and experienced hypnotherapist, psychotherapist, and Mindfulness practitioner & teacher, committed to improving the lives of others in need of help. He is trained in a wide range of therapies and interventions and offers a personalised, totally confidential service.

Hypnotherapy isn’t the answer to all of life’s problems, but it has been proven beyond doubt to be highly beneficial for a vast range of conditions.

You can find out more about Hypnotherapy and Nigel at Right Minds Clinical Hypnotherapy

Or contact him directly on 01270 666442 and email: nigel.keegan@rightminds.org.uk

Hannah was diagnoses with PCOS when she was 17 and has been learning over the last 13 years how to manage her condition through physical and mental exercises and learning.

She has also become an ambassador for promoting awareness of the condition to help others. She is passionate about sharing her experiences with others due to the lack of information and support she was given when she was first diagnosed

You can following Hannah and find out more about her journey on the following channels

• Instagram @hannahsjourneypcosweightloss
• Twitter @hannahguthpcos

Hannah also wanted to share details of the charity Verity who offer info and support groups for women with PCOS and you can find up to date research and info on the Daisy project Hannah talked about at Daisy PCOS.

Mum and a Wife. Then I'm a Life Coach, Personal Stylist and Writer. Skills in the kitchen are a bit hit and miss; as a Coach I'm an absolute Pro!

Annie covers how she helps her clients plan and achieve their goals and how building confidence and self belief is a big part of the process.

And of course Annie shares with us what makes her happy and what she does for her own mental health.

Annie is also a sylist and writer, more about these things in future podcasts when we invite her back on the Happiness Hub.

You can find out more about Annie on her website, Annie Taylor Coaching and via Linked In and Facebook.

You can also watch Annie's How to be at your best workshop which she delivered for the Nantwich Buddies.

Join Liz & Keds and other Happiness Hubsters on The Happiness Hub Facebook Group to interact with the hosts and ask questions.

She gives some top tips on things to look out for in our food and foods that can benefit our health.

Liz also talks about her experience of working in a Health shop in the 1920's????!!!

If you've any questions you'd like to ask Janie, or would like a free 15 minute consultation you can contact her on: 07866 482873 or email her at: janie.bishop1@icloud.com.

You can also get in touch with Liz and I on our Happiness Hub Podcast Facebook Group and request to be a guest on our Contact form below.

Laura has lost 6st 11lb herself through being a member, loves food and is passionate about helping local people change their health, lifestyle & mental wellbeing.

We talked to Laura about how Slimming World changed her life and how she helps her members change their habits to improve both their physical and mental health. Oh and why Blueberries make you happy.

You can find out more about Laura and her groups here:

Slim with Laura B Slimming World Website

Congleton Slimming World Wednesdays Facebook Page

Slim with Laura B on Instagram

Slim with Laura B on Twitter

Slimming World has over 50 years experience in weight management for men and women, and is the most advanced and effective weight loss organisation in the UK.

Come join us on The Happiness Hub facebook Group to interact with our hosts, happiness tips and news about the latest episodes and guests.

Weekly episodes uploaded every Sunday morning.

We talked about lots of different things with Rachel including the impact of COVID-19 on childrens, young peoples and family's mental health and what her company Play Pizzazz which Rachel set up in lockdown is doing to combat it!

Here's a bit about Play Pizzazz Ltd... Play Pizzazz provides arts-led coaching and learning experiences for teaching professionals, children/ family services, and child-focused business owners. Rachel and Play Pizzazz are your ‘go-to’ for advice and activities to support children’s wellbeing in fun, accessible ways.

And you can find out more and contact Rachel at these places:

www.playpizzazz.com

hello@playpizzazz.com

www.facebook.com/playpizzazz

www.instagram.com/pizzazzplay

www.youtube.com/channel/UCyhAbm_3

Come join us on The Happiness Hub facebook Group to interact with our hosts, happiness tips and news about the latest episodes and guests.

Weekly episodes uploaded every Sunday morning.

The ‘Lion who Longed for Spots’ is a rhyming story promoting self-belief and emotional well-being. It follows an adorable young lion cub, named Lottie. Lottie has doubts about her appearance and opts to confide in her mum about the way she is feeling. Together they venture into the savannah on a journey to improve the way Lottie feels about herself. By confiding in someone she trusts, Lottie can begin believing in the cub she really is. 

You can find Sarah at:

Facebook - @SJHudsonAuthor

Instagram - @sjhudson_author

Twitter - @SJHudsonAuthor

Come join us on The Happiness Hub facebook Group to interact with our hosts, happiness tips and news about the latest episodes and guests.

Weekly episodes uploaded every Sunday morning.

Mark also shares his experiences as a writer, a volunteer and someone who's mental health has led them to darker places.

Mark's book Day Return to Cocoa Yard was published on 28th August 2020 and available to buy from Amazon Waterstones, Barnes&Noble & W H Smith. For more about Mark and to purchase his book visits Mark's site here: markbickerton.com

If you're local and would like to know more about the volunteer group, Nantwich Buddies, talked about in this episode visit the buddies website here: www.nantwichbuddies.org

Come join us on The Happiness Hub facebook Group to interact with our hosts, happiness tips and news about the latest episodes and guests.

Weekly episodes uploaded every Sunday morning.

Find out all about our podcast and our hosts Liz & Keds. What brought them to this point in time, deciding to record a podcast and things that make them happy.

We hope this podcast makes you happy and we want to know what else does! (Keep it clean) So listen in, get involved and be happy!

Come join us on The Happiness Hub facebook Group to interact with our hosts, happiness tips and news about the latest episodes and guests.

Weekly episodes uploaded every Sunday morning.