Yesterday we visited a group of older people at Thornliebank Parish Church, as part of our ‘Creating Conversations’ project. We asked people to think about what helps them when they’re feeling down, what they do to stay active, and what they’d like to see happening in the area.

Talking about our mental health can be hard, but tea and scones helped get the conversation flowing and we got some really great insights into how people cope when they’re not feeling so great.

Some of the older women talked about how knitting blankets and scarves for charity helped them- it gave them something to focus on and by joining a crafts group, it became a sociable activity too. The fact that the knitting they did went to help other people was another thing that made them feel good.

For others, something as simple as making a cup of tea or getting out into the garden helped lift their mood. We also heard about a local line dancing class that helped the group stay active!

We’d love to hear from you if you have any tips for things that can help you improve your mental health and your wellbeing- comment on this blog or send an email to ciara@otbds.org