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Brighton and Hove Buses have produced a downloadable card for people who cannot wear a mask

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Brighton and Hove Buses have produced a downloadable card for people who cannot wear a mask

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Curating brave spaces for creatives of colour. (IG)

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A social and wellness club designed to celebrate people of colour, online and IRL. (IG)

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Connecting black individuals and families with  professional mental health services across the U.K

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That's what we offer.

That's what you deserve.

Black Minds Matter UK is a fully registered charity connecting Black individuals and families with free therapy by qualified and accredited Black therapists.

We've teamed up with a collective of Black therapists, who work tirelessly alongside us to remove stigma and redefine mental health experiences for Black individuals.

We take pride in offering a safety net of culturally relevant mental health support and have grown a community of people who value equality in mental health care. Together, we are demanding better resources and treatment for Black people and acknowledging that the status quo is simply not good enough. Empowering Black individuals with support and safe spaces, every step of the way.

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Black Minds Matter UK is a fully registered charity connecting Black individuals and families with free therapy by qualified and accredited Black therapists. We've teamed up with a collective of Black therapists, who work tirelessly alongside us to remove stigma and redefine mental health experiences for Black individuals.

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Weekly MindSET Livestream session that will be accessible to any young person in psychological distress. MindSET delivers effective, concrete skills to help young people manage emotional distress.

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For 23 years Body & Soul have been on the frontline of delivering a trauma informed community response. We have supported families struggling with the life-threatening effects of trauma, whether someone has been neglected or abused, trafficked, attempted suicide or stigmatised because of HIV.

In this time of collective crisis, Body & Soul has further mobilised to bring a community response to Covid-19 for our members, our volunteers, staff and to the wider community. This is the time for us all to come together, uniting with love in the face of such adversity.

Physical distancing does not mean emotional distancing. What we do today will change all our lives. Through this darkness there is hope, but it requires us as humans to reset - to return to the values of love, connection and empathy. The most powerful buffer to trauma we have is our ability to connect.

We need a return of reverence for this planet, for our communities, for one another.

We know for those of you who already have experienced adversity in your childhood, this crisis may feel even tougher and we want to be here to support you in managing these difficult times.

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For 23 years Body & Soul have been on the frontline of delivering a trauma informed community response. We have supported families struggling with the life-threatening effects of trauma, whether someone has been neglected or abused, trafficked, attempted suicide or stigmatised because of HIV.

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Self care tips for black people feeling overwhelmed by the media

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Self care tips for black people feeling overwhelmed by the media

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Lots of resources & community

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Living with Honour Based Abuse during lockdown – Karma Nirvana

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Living with Honour Based Abuse during lockdown – Karma Nirvana

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Self Care For People of Color After Psychological Trauma — Just Jasmine

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Self Care For People of Color After Psychological Trauma — Just Jasmine

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I love Black people. I love us so much. I have so many friends who work in the anti-racist space. I worry for our wellbeing when we are inundated with racism. Continuing to engage in confronting racism in the online space can mean taking a risk with your brain and psychological wellbeing. All of the interactions and conversations in the online space, can be received as micro-aggressions and race-based traumas. Though the work of creating a better racial digital landscape is all of our responsibility and intentional conversations matter, we must be mindful to take good care of ourselves. We must be mindful to create space, establish relaxation routines, and recharge with people who give us life while engaging in these discussions and doing this very important work.

When people of color are exposed to repetitive acts of racism (racism has been shown to be processed in our brains as trauma) a kind of post traumatic stress syndrome can develop. Race-based trauma can come in several forms:

Witnessing ethnoviolence or discrimination of another person, historical or personal memory of racism, institutional racism, micro aggressions, and the constant threat of racial discrimination (Helms et al., 2012).

This syndrome can be a response to any traumatic event and can be marked by an acute state of fear, anxiety, and hopelessness. If the acute trauma does not reach resolve, or is not diffused within a reasonable timeframe, it can develop into post traumatic stress disorder.If you are a person of color or an ally you need to evaluate yourself and your loved ones for signs of emotional and psychological trauma. If you already have a history or mental illness, you need to be extra diligent.

If you or your loved one are showing signs of trauma you need to take active steps to care for your psychological well-being (and your brain). To make what happens in your brain plain lets consider what happens to a muscle:

Say 200 people lined up to press their thumb firmly into your bicep. After the 20th person you may feel a little sore, but your body isn't sending signals that you should stop. Each time the next person presses their thumb into your muscle you might flex to resist the pressure. By the 50th person your muscle is communicating signs of pain and fatigue, but there are still people in line to press their thumb into your bicep. You realize that what you are about to experience will hurt.

[In anticipation of the pain, your body signals to activate the limbic system. The limbic system is responsible for the functions that inform our survival instincts and reflexes. It also regulates the autonomic nervous system and informs your stress and relaxation. Your amygdala lights up and begins attaching emotional meaning to these sensations (the thumb in your arm). It signals other parts of the brain that there is danger (habitual pain) and sends outputs to the hypothalamus for activation of your sympathetic nervous system.]

You don't run, because you can't. So you endure 50 more and then 100 more thumbs being pressed into your bicep. When it is over, a bruise has formed. If you don't stop, rest that bicep, provide nutrients that promote healing the wounded part, your adrenal systems goes into overdrive. Your sympathetic nervous system requires a level of signals that communicate that you are safe (no one is going to stick their thumb in your bicep now) in order to achieve homeostasis . If homeostasis isn't achieved, the message of fight or flight gets stuck and other systems attempt to compensate and increase their neuro-response to keep up with your fear signals. Essential your brain will continue to work as if it needs to respond to thumbs being pressed into your bicep even when no one is threatened to repeat the act. The thumb pressing has now been assigned in your brain as a trauma memory. This memory can be triggered (thus activating your fight or flight into a hyper-elevated response) by anything that your brain has filed as related to the incident (schema).

(Of course environment and other biological factors impact this process as well, but for the point of the illustration I've parsed some of the systems down.)

So to bring this illustration back to race-based trauma, your brain is the bicep and the neuro-response translates to your emotional and psychological well-being. Race-based trauma literally leaves bruised spots on your brain. By continuing to enter online conversations, as important as you warrant them to be, you are allowing the bruise to be pressed on over and over. You are harming yourself if you do not step away and heal. These conversations are impacting your emotional and psychological well-being.

If you are still with me, I've provided a way to respond to the trauma in order to help discharge the fight-or-flight response and create homeostasis for your brain.

Take Care of You

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Self Care For People of Color After Psychological Trauma - Just Jasmine

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I love Black people. I love us so much. I have so many friends who work in the anti-racist space. I worry for our wellbeing when we are inundated with racism.

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What does self-care look like when you’re black, in the media and can’t switch off? | gal-dem - gal-dem

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What does self-care look like when you’re black, in the media and can’t switch off? | gal-dem - gal-dem

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We are living through something we have never seen before in our lifetimes. And I'll be honest, being black right now feels scary and draining both physically and mentally. We're juggling life in a pandemic where black people are already more at risk while in the midst of historic Black Lives Matter protests and anti-racist organising. Between petitioning, protesting, donating and sharing resources, all while being reminded that your existence means less than others, it's a challenge to get some respite, even if, in some ways, it's a time of hope.

Thankfully, in opposition to some of the content that's been harder to digest, there's been a plethora of self-care resources for black people online. But while much of the advice has been very helpful, the main suggestions are often to "log off" and "take time away from the media". But what does self-care and self-preservation look like for those of us who are black, living under Covid-19 and working in the media? How do you take a break when your livelihood forces you to stay logged on? How do you alleviate some pressure when you're expected to fight for change in your job while doing the same in your life?

Switching off can seem like an impossible feat. I find myself jumping from writing an article about my mortality to diving into the news or trending videos on Twitter which further remind me about the racism we face. The line between work and my life as a black person feels washed out and blurred. So, I asked eight black women working in media, both at gal-dem and beyond, how they're feeling, and what they're doing to look after themselves when it's not always possible to switch off.

Becoming drained and frustrated

"The (re)negotiation of what self-care looks like for me in this time is a continually shifting process. I move between feeling energised, motivated and ready to fight and then feeling utterly exhausted," says Liv Little, founder of gal-dem. "We're going to be angry, we're going to cry and we will also find joy."

Many of us are irritated that it has taken recent events for people to listen or care, whether at large, in our lives or in the media. "I've been exhausted by the news that I have to keep consuming, exhausted by the loved ones I want to console, and exhausted by the white people who think my DMs are their one-stop redemption shop from decades of indifference and apathy," adds gal-dem's head of strategy Mariel Richards.

"We are interfering with the regular programming and forcing them to engage with this content that's is an inconvenient truth for a lot of them," says Natty Kasambala, a journalist and broadcaster. "You see people trying to shield themselves from the discomfort of having those conversations and that can be frustrating." On a long walk to unwind, listening to Nina Simone, followed by a much-needed cathartic cry, Natty realised that she had a lot of pent-up anger. "All I wanted to ask was, 'Where have you been all this time?'" Being heard only now feels frustrating. "We are essentially being forced to discuss and justify our existence now that we are on white people's time."

Pressure to feel like the voice of your community

Yomi Adegoke, journalist and co-author of Slay In Your Lane, believes there's an added pressure for black journalists, making it hard to find time to decompress. "If you're a black journalist having to report on current events for work, there's really no escape at all from the weight of the situation. I've been trying to turn off and it just feels completely impossible," she says. "We're still in the era of 'churnalism'. You feel like you're commissioned to churn out fast-turnaround pieces on stuff that's really quite painful to write about, and stuff that many of us don't have the time to grieve."

This is a sentiment journalist Seren Jones reiterates. "This past week has been the hardest week of my career," she says. "It's been really hard as a human being, but on top of that as a black journalist it's been extremely emotionally and psychologically taxing, exhausting, draining." She adds: "It's quite strange - I'm really happy that I'm covering George Floyd's death and covering the movement because it's a part of history, but at the same time I want a break."

Jameisha Prescod, who works for a big media company, also thinks it's a "tricky time" to be a black woman working in the media. "I feel like I want to do a lot more than I'm currently doing. I want to make this space better for the young black people coming after me, but it's hard."

Self-care through black joy and friendships

While the need to accurately represent our community and speak up is still very much a balancing act, we're finding ways to assert some self-preservation amid recent events. For Yomi, spending time with her black friends has been "absolutely crucial" for her self-care. "We talk about other things. Non-black people don't really understand - for them this might be the first time they've felt moved to give a fuck, for us this is our existance," she says. "When I talk to white people, it's like I'm walking on eggshells."

Self-care is all about "enriching" yourself in black joy, Jameisha explains. "Black art, film, TV - Insecure has been a lifeline for me. It's been the main thing that's helped me smile over the last few weeks." Issa Rae's Insecure seems to be working as the perfect break for many black women right now. Seren enjoys tuning in for a chance to watch "the positive aspects of black culture, our everyday lives - not the struggle, just black people at our best."

Setting boundaries with screen time and social media

For many of us, trying to limit the amount of time we spend on social media has been helpful, although it can be harder than anticipated. "I put myself on a Twitter ban on Friday," gal-dem columnist Kimberly McIntosh admits, "which did not work, but it did mean I logged in less and spent less time on the app scrolling and despairing." Aside from bans, Kimberly is also setting boundaries with the work she does, recently turning down an opportunity to speak on Sky News. "I asked myself, 'Am I emotionally strong enough for this right now? And ultimately, who will it serve if I do this?' I decided it wasn't worth it."

For Shanice Dover, head of social media at gal-dem, logging out of the apps is pretty much impossible. "The fact that we're in the middle of a global pandemic and our capacity to access offline entertainment has reduced means it's now even less likely for me to go more than an hour without my fingers flexing instinctively to launch the Instagram app," she says. Instead she's found shifting onto Pinteresthas worked wonders. "In a time where everything feels out of our control, I've found solace in visually planning small, everyday elements of my life. From pinning meals I want to make to deciding on new ways of decorating my room, focusing on small, superficial aspirations is a welcome distraction."

Boundaries are helping Liv with her screen-time consumption. "I don't respond to messages that I don't have the energy to respond to, and I've also had to assert clear boundaries with those around me. I also take solace in checking in with friends," Liv adds.

Distracting activities for peace of mind

Doing activities that force Natty to stay off social media, like having a bath where she is unable to go on her laptop or going on walks in the park, has been her self-care. Physical exercise is doing the trick for Yomi, who tried out her first yoga class recently. "It was amazing to feel completely disconnected and do something that kind of took me out of the world for a moment," she says. Meanwhile, Mariel has been absorbing herself in sewing, knitting or mending clothes as a "physical respite from the digital onslaught of donating, sharing, reading, arguing, watching and working this week".

"Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare" - Audre Lorde

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What does self-care look like when you're black, in the media and can't switch off? | gal-dem

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We are living through something we have never seen before in our lifetimes. And I'll be honest, being black right now feels scary and draining both physically and mentally. We're juggling life in a pandemic where black people are already more at risk while in the midst of historic Black Lives Matter protests and anti-racist organising.

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Affirmations for Hope During the Coronavirus Pandemic | The Mighty

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Affirmations for Hope During the Coronavirus Pandemic | The Mighty

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As an activist-therapist whose work is guided by the feminist principle "the personal is political," I'm keenly aware of the emotional toll of not only due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) - new-to humans virus that causes respiratory infection and can lead to serious or fatal health complications - but also the sociopolitical context driving this public health crisis. Right now, a good number of Americans are feeling overwhelmed by a myriad of complex feelings: exhaustion from breaking news; powerlessness in response to financial precarity and the scarcity of resources; pressure from employers and schools to remain productive; and betrayal and disillusionment about our government's slow action. Compounded with this constellation of stressors is anticipatory grief, contagion or , cabin fever and isolation from social distancing.

However, arguably the most stressful part of surviving COVID-19 - for working people, at least - is the realization that "going back to normal" means history could repeat itself, thus retraumatizing us. Consequently, this pandemic has forced American workers to reckon with a sober reality check that many have preferred to numb or remain in denial about, until now: the ugly truth that the "American Dream" of financial security and stability could perhaps always be out of reach, particularly when natural disasters undermine our hard work. This pandemic's spiraling death toll, and its disruption of our daily lives, have forced many Americans into an awakening of critical consciousness about the ways in which America's individualistic brand of patriotism serves to mask corruption, inequity and a profit-over-people national ethos.

To be sure, the most disenfranchised, exploited and marginalized Americans have long been aware that U.S. schools offer an incomplete political education that intentionally inculcates poor and working Americans with the self-sabotaging conviction that any form of an economic safety net constitutes a crutch or handout. Yet, for the first time in forever, the majority seems hyperaware of the pressure of survival under capitalism, and the dire need for an approach to addressing societal problems that is humane and preventative, not simply eleventh-hour and reactive. Moreover, despite how moving it's been to witness the recent surge in celebrity philanthropy, corporate social responsibility and mass solidarity with "essential workers" on the frontlines, many of whom are often underappreciated or invisibilized, the fact remains that our collective sacrifice compensates for a government that largely devalues our humanity.

The bottom line is that if our legislators ceased extending tax breaks to banks and billionaires, our basic survival needs - food, functional housing and healthcare - wouldn't need to be tied to employment or a company's inhumane sick leave policies. For many, this harsh epiphany, along with the fact there's not yet a light at the end of the tunnel, has been a bitter pill to swallow. As a result, many of us are fretting over where we go from here, especially with election season nearing. Here are a few affirmations I penned to help myself and others weather this storm, and console ourselves as we navigate our way through uncharted territory ahead.

1. Feeling emotionally exhausted as I process the constant flux of this crisis only means I am concerned, compassionate and humanly vulnerable.

2. I rebuke the capitalistic conditioning that drives self-shaming, whenever I prioritize much-needed rest over grind culture and productivity.

3. My inability to focus or stay on task is my system's natural response to being overwhelmed, and I only dehumanize myself by pathologizing how I adapt.

4. Mitigating my distress with good news, joy, pleasure and self-care is a healing act of self-preservation, not self-indulgence.

5. Small contributions to my community and within my networks are helpful and meaningful, even if I'm not on the frontlines.

6. Muting pandemic-related posts for the sake of my , or altogether "unplugging," doesn't suggest I'm apathetic, disengaged, or self-centered.

7. My method of staying up-to-date with news can differ from everyone else's.

8. Relapsing into maladaptive coping mechanisms is OK, as long as I consult my own accountability plan, and/or am honest with my accountability buddy.

9. Missing the physical touch or presence of others doesn't make me needy.

10. I'm never alone, though I may feel forgotten about while social distancing.

11. COVID-19 recoveries are happening every day, and there is a collective effort beyond my awareness that will see us through.

12. I'm allowed to feel simultaneously fortunate/grateful and miserable.

13. Reaching out for help with my financial struggles takes bravery and radical vulnerability.

14. People can relate to my , existential dread, fear, grief and hopelessness more than I presume, and if/when I open up to others, I'll be validated.

15. Adjusting to change is difficult, but a new, better "normal" is underway, and my role in bringing it to fruition matters immensely.

Struggling with anxiety due to COVID-19? Check out the following articles from our community:

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An Activist-Therapist's 15 Affirmations for Hope Amidst COVID-19

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As an activist-therapist whose work is guided by the feminist principle "the personal is political," I'm keenly aware of the emotional toll of not only due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) - new-to humans virus that causes respiratory infection and can lead to serious or fatal health complications - but also the sociopolitical context driving this public health crisis.

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Speaking to my Jamaican grandma about her depression taught me how to be a mental health advocate | gal-dem - gal-dem

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Speaking to my Jamaican grandma about her depression taught me how to be a mental health advocate | gal-dem - gal-dem

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Growing up, I looked forward to spending my summers at grandma Missi's house in Amity, a small subdivision close to Savanna-la-Mar in Westmoreland, Jamaica. In these pre-internet, pre-mobile phone days, I would find ways to busy myself, avoiding the age-old question, "yuh tek up a book from mawnin?" I rode my bicycle at full-speed on the gravelled roads, made conversations with the cows and goats in the neighbouring fields, smuggled puppies into the house with my cousin and incessantly begged my grandfather to take me for rides where I would sit in the open back of his grey Nissan pickup truck.

My fondest memories, though, are of spending days sitting on the verandah with grandma listening to her stories. She would have some Kenny Rogers or Shania Twain playing in the background while she recounted memories of her young adult years. Sometimes she would tell me about what it was like to court my grandpa, sometimes she would tell me about my mother's days as a beauty pageant contestant, other times she would tell me about her parents and their days working in the rice fields. The most riveting stories were the ones she told me about her experiences with depression and taking medication for her mind. The word depression was always paired with the statement: "Dis yah sickness, is an ugly feeling. Iz not a physical pain. It's a mental pain." She would speak gravely about its ability to"tell yuh some ugly things and mek yuh feel fi do some ugly things".

As a little girl, I couldn't quite understand what she meant, but I continued listening nevertheless. This ugly sickness somehow also stretched its way to the neighbour's daughter who left the island to go to school in England, then came home years later to spend her days locked in the house walking aimlessly in her pyjamas. This ugly sickness put up a fight when grandma tried antidepressants for the first time, making her feel like she was going mad as the walls closed in on her, and she fought off intense urges to ditch her clothes and go running through the fields filled with thorns.

"This ugly sickness put up a fight when grandma tried antidepressants for the first time"

In a country that brutally stigmatises those with mental health conditions, labelling the untreated as "mad" and "sick in the head", I didn't recognise the radical and life-saving nature of my grandma's storytelling until I was much older. She was engaging me in a rich history of knowledge sharing through oral tradition that would later arm me with the language I would need to identify my own struggles with depression.

So when I was 17 years old and in university, living away from my family for the first time, I knew how to recognise when the ugly feelings began to crawl out of my chest and my head. This thing that wasn't a physical pain, but a mental pain, that was telling me to do some ugly things as the walls closed in, and incited harmful urges in me. While terrifying, it wasn't a novel occurrence; I had already experienced it through my grandmother's words. I knew its power and knew what it would do to me if I didn't try to find some help.

I'll admit that while going through my own treatment and healing process, I gave in to shame and stigma. I adopted a "stiff upper lip" for fear of being judged, labelled, excluded and misunderstood. For many years, this shame and secrecy served as a barrier preventing me from actively engaging with, and identifying my pain, my vulnerabilities and the parts of myself I deemed most unlovable. It wasn't until my diagnosis with bipolar II depression in April 2016 that I realised how my fear of being "found out" nearly cost me my life.

"Despite our collective pain, sadness and individual experiences with poor mental health episodes, we were choosing to fight our battles in secrecy"

I started advocating for mental health awareness within my community, following in my grandmother's footsteps by using storytelling to unmask universal human truths we seem to collectively fear. I began understanding how despite our collective pain, sadness and individual experiences with poor mental health episodes, we were choosing to fight our battles in secrecy, effectively holding ourselves hostage to our fears.

These days, while curating virtual and in-person community discussions on mental health through my advocacy campaign, Embrace Your Unknown, I remain steadfast in my commitment to oral tradition as a vehicle for destigmatising conversations on mental illness. I regularly choose to emulate my grandmother's levels of vulnerability and transparency, thanking her for giving me a roadmap to a kind of freedom that has been liberating whilst also propelling me towards my own healing.

Engaging in this tradition of storytelling has empowered me to go beyond the lifeless statistics enumerating the gravity of untreated mental illness. It has enabled me to embed my activism in the heart of what mental health advocacy should be: sharing our stories as a tool to validate other's experiences in the hopes more people will feel encouraged in their choices to embark on their own wellness journeys with the support of their chosen communities.

I think back to my childhood listening to grandma's stories on the verandah in Amity and am reminded of these words shared by bell hooks in her book, Sisters of the Yam: Black Women and Self-Recovery: " It is important that black people talk to one another, that we talk with friends and allies, for the telling of our stories enables us to name our pain, our suffering, and to seek healing."
If you or a loved one are if you or a loved one are suffering from depression please seek professional help as soon as possible. More information and online help centres can be found here.

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Speaking to my Jamaican grandma about her depression taught me how to be a mental health advocate | gal-dem

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Growing up, I looked forward to spending my summers at grandma Missi's house in Amity, a small subdivision close to Savanna-la-Mar in Westmoreland, Jamaica. In these pre-internet, pre-mobile phone days, I would find ways to busy myself, avoiding the age-old question, "yuh tek up a book from mawnin?"

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Self-Care Tips for Black People Who Are Feeling Overwhelmed by Racism - VICE

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Self-Care Tips for Black People Who Are Feeling Overwhelmed by Racism - VICE

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Friends, I don't need to tell you that it's been an especially hard few weeks for Black people in the United States. Breonna Taylor. Ahmaud Arbery. Chris Cooper. George Floyd. Tear-gassing the protesters who had the gall to be upset about a racist murder. All of this, during a time when Black people are disproportionately dying from the COVID-19 pandemic. It's exhausting.

Amid all this suffering, it can be hard to believe Audre Lorde when she said that caring for yourself is a form of self-preservation and, thus, "an act of political warfare." But it is, and it matters. If you are feeling sad and overwhelmed and angry right now, here are some things you might do to get a tiny bit of relief.

Make sure you're meeting your basic needs.

It's so easy to hop between Twitter and your group chats for hours, and, as you do, totally forget to drink water, go pee, eat a meal, or go to bed at your normal hour. But when you're already feeling bad, skipping on basic self-care is only going to make you feel worse. Set reminders throughout the day so you remember to have a cup of tea, stretch, fix lunch, and turn in for the night-and whatever else you need to do in order to be functional.

Let yourself feel your feelings.

Two therapists I interviewed recently for an article about anger told me that pushing negative feelings away doesn't actually help you process them. So if you're feeling angry-an emotion that is typically rooted in sadness or fear-know that that's OK. If you have PTO, or a little flexibility in your work schedule, you might consider taking a day or half-day off to reset and recharge, or to simply sit with your grief without worrying that you're not being productive. If you don't have that option right now, think about how to make time in your schedule to intentionally care for yourself-for a weekend, an evening, or just an hour.

Therapist Ryan Howes said that moving your body in some way tends to be a good way to process anger-e.g., doing an activity like working out, stomping around while listening to angry music, dancing or painting furiously, or rage cleaning or rage baking. Howes also said it's a good idea to think about why you're so pissed as you do this. "Get that off your chest as you're doing the physical stuff, and it will provide some relief. That helps your brain come back online to be able to think, OK, what do I really want to do about this? " he told VICE.

Find ways to connect with other Black people.

In times like this, I don't have a ton of space for people who don't get it-like, deep in their bones get it. If you tend to mainly interact with white people in your daily life, make a point to reach out to Black people or other people of color whom you trust, and who you can be your full self around. If you are currently in quarantine with white people, or if most of your friends are white, consider joining a Facebook or Slack group for Black people who share some of your interests (like a community of Black girl gamers or Black book lovers or Black parents), or even just listening to a podcast with a Black host-anything that helps you remember that you're not alone in your experiences and your grief.

Change your media diet to the extent that you can.

A lot of Black people feel obligated to bear witness to what is happening right now-to read the articles, to look at the photos and videos of protests, to consume every single Twitter thread.

I do think it's important to not look away or numb yourself to what is happening. But there's a limit to the things we, as Black people, can carry right now. (Also, a lot of what is being shared right now is intended to raise awareness among white people.)

If possible, give yourself permission to only read the news twice a day, for no more than 30 minutes at a time. Change your Twitter settings so videos don't autoplay in your feed, and consider deleting the app from your phone so you don't open it out of habit. Remind yourself that you can stay informed without being glued to news or commentary every waking minute.

Set firm boundaries around engaging with people who are trying it right now.

Having to manage other people's feelings in this moment-whether those people are well-meaning, would-be allies, or bad faith actors-is just too much, and it's not your job as a Black person. You won't always be able to opt out, of course, but give yourself permission to do so more often to the extent that you can.

Maybe you decide to stop engaging with people who clearly aren't entering discussions in good faith, who aren't willing to do any reading, or who try to bait you into an argument with classics like, "Hm, seems like you're being pretty intolerant of me right now."

In cases when you do want to engage without having to burden yourself further, you may want to start keeping a couple of links handy and that you can send to people who come to you with genuine questions-the implication being that you're happy they want to learn more, but they aren't entitled to a three-hour lesson directly from you, personally, when so much great information already exists. (Here's one on general allyship with a corresponding YouTube video; a list of ways white people can take action in response to state-sanctioned violence; and my personal reading recommendations. And: It's also more than fine if you don't feel inclined to do this at all.)

Or: Maybe now is the time to get comfortable saying, "I'm not the best audience for this," when people want to process their feelings about racism with you. Look for small ways to protect your time and energy right now, and allow yourself to hold that line.

Repeat a mantra or affirmation that helps you stay grounded.

Mantras aren't for everyone, but if the idea appeals to you at all-or you've reached the, Whatever, I'll try anything at this point, stage of grief-it might be a good time to find a truth that feels right to you to remind yourself of in this moment. I love this list of affirmations that Araya Baker wrote for The Mighty; even though the list was written with COVID-19 in mind, a lot of them are applicable to coping with general violence against Black people. (Also... Black people are still dying from COVID-19, so... y'know.)

Remember to consume Black art and celebrate Black joy.

Seeing photos of dead Black people (and furious, threatening white people) is traumatic. When I'm struggling to focus in moments like this, I find that positive, joyful, silly images and inspiring, moving, or just damn good art helps me feel rooted-connected to something bigger than myself and bigger than my grief.

Put on Moses Sumney or Megan Thee Stallion or Thundercat or Whitney Houston or Tracy Chapman (or just this playlist); browse old photos from Afropunk; revel in Black love; watch Homecoming or old episodes of Living Single or your favorite Vine videos or this incredible Tandi Iman Dupree lip sync.

As the writer Hannah Giorgis put it during a particularly bad week in the summer of 2016: "From every corner of the continent, of the world, Black people hold me. We hold each other. We carry our community with love, with a commitment to disregard every message that says we are unworthy." This kind of mutual support is possible when we try our best, in a terrible situation, to care for ourselves in any way that we can. Looking out for Black people includes looking out for you, too.
Rachel Wilkerson Miller is the author of The Art of Showing Up: How to Be There for Yourself and Your People. Follow her on

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Self-Care Tips for Black People Who Are Struggling With This Very Painful Week

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Friends, I don't need to tell you that it's been an especially hard few weeks for Black people in the United States. Breonna Taylor. Ahmaud Arbery. Chris Cooper. George Floyd. Tear-gassing the protesters who had the gall to be upset about a racist murder.

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Staying indoors? Here are five online workouts by women of colour | gal-dem - gal-dem

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Staying indoors? Here are five online workouts by women of colour | gal-dem - gal-dem

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From Cassey Ho's cheery-yet-gruesome cardio to Jessamyn Stanley's feel-good yoga - here are the best workout vids that aren't Yoga by Adriene.

Whether you're self-isolating or social distancing, we're all finding ourselves sat indoors while we get through the Covid-19 outbreak. It means most parts of our lives have been disrupted and that includes our physical routines. If you're missing long runs in the morning or football on the weekends, fear not, that's when online workouts come in hand. Okay, it's not the same as a breezy cycle, but right now, it's the best we've got.

No shade to yoga with Adriene, she does have some great content, but she is for sure monopolising the YouTube yogi world, and we are going to need some variety, people! And personally, I think the market for a practice that originated in India, is already so saturated with Californians with high ponys, doing downward dog next to an infinity pool, before whispering "namaste".

All this time indoors could be the perfect opportunity to learn that thing you never got round to: try out meditation, perfect a dance routine, do those squats. Personally, I'm going to use my extra time at home to finally learn the splits, (I have this fantasy of me slowly waltzing into a dance circle unannounced before jumping into them).

So, here's a list of workouts by women of colour to try indoors to help you relax, sweat and ultimately love the body you're housed in.

Blogilates

Cassey Ho is perpetually cheery - but don't let that fool you, her workouts are gruesome! Her "go-get 'um" attitude kind of rubs off on you, and in times like this, we need some encouragement. With over 4 million subscribers, it's easy to see why she's so popular. Cassey's Silent Death Cardio workout is ideal if you can't make a racket around your home, or have neighbours downstairs.

Jessamyn Stanley

Jessamyn Stanley is a yoga teacher, body positivity advocate and writer from North Carolina. Her practice focuses on all bodies, levels and abilities. She really makes me feel good about my body and the journey, rather than feeling bad for not being perfect. This 8-minute self-love yoga routine is great in the morning to wake your body up, or try out her 30-minute sequence for total beginners.

Scola Dondo

Scola's workouts are fun and full of life. By far, my favourites are her afrobeats dance videos but check out her cleaning and dance workout too - why not multitask and make your chores fun? The rest of her content is pretty great, she gets real about the faults in the fitness industry and her own body image.

Kim Ngo

You might have seen Kim making light work of SAS: Who Dares Wins on Channel 4 earlier this year. She also led gal-dem's run club in 2019 and got total beginners to complete a 5k race in a matter of weeks. Kim is the definition of "stay ready so you don't have to get ready", it doesn't seem like there's anything she can't do with her body. Kim's tough but encouraging! Check out her Instagram for short workout tips and tricks.

Natasha Noel

Natasha is perfect for all you intermediate yogis out there or those who like a challenge (having said that, don't go getting hurt by pushing yourself beyond your capabilities - the NHS is too overrun right now). She can do chin stands and faultless Bird Of Paradise Pose, which is pretty impressive to watch. I, however, tried out her morning joint movements routine because you get to stay in bed to do it.

What does self-care look like when you're black, in the media and can't switch off?

Me, Myself and I

Portrait of a lady on fyah: how come selfies are narcissistic but self-portraits are highbrow?

Me, Myself and I

Me, Myself and I: gal-dem's self-portrait series looks at the possibilities of creating art alone

error: Content is protected !!

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Staying indoors? Here are five online workouts by women of colour | gal-dem

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From Cassey Ho's cheery-yet-gruesome cardio to Jessamyn Stanley's feel-good yoga - here are the best workout vids that aren't Yoga by Adriene. Whether you're self-isolating or social distancing, we're all finding ourselves sat indoors while we get through the Covid-19 outbreak. It means most parts of our lives have been disrupted and that includes our physical routines.

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Mental Health is Different for People of Color in These 3 Ways (And More) — Rest For Resistance

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Mental Health is Different for People of Color in These 3 Ways (And More) — Rest For Resistance

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The white-centricism of mental health is evident in self-help books, memoirs, YouTube videos, and peer support groups. This makes friends, family, and mental health professionals less likely to see that we are struggling. On top of that, we do not get mirroring of our symptoms - in other words, we don't see people like us suffering in similar ways - and are left to doubt our experiences and the severity of our mental health issues.

If this wasn't the case, we wouldn't need The People of Color and Mental Illness Photo Project, which collects portraits of POC holding up signs that say they have depression, anxiety, PTSD, and more. Dior Vargas who's the brains behind the project also wrote an article: "People of Color Have Mental Illness, Too."

This is where we're at: the first stages of even seeing ourselves and other people of color within the mental health system.

Not only does this glaring absence make it harder for us to believe our experiences, but it means others are likely to deny our experiences too. If the image of eating disorders is a thin blond woman, then fat Black persons of all genders are less likely to have an eating disorder seen or validated. And without that basic recognition of a struggle that the individual can't handle alone, there's no way to get support from other people to heal and live with less anxiety.

This also impacts us when we do identify our depression, anxiety, and/or trauma. Going to seek help, either peer support or therapy, often means asking white people to carry some of a burden they literally can't bear or fully understand. And if we bring up the impact of racism on our mental health, it can invite white fragility and gaslighting. So we try to shrink ourselves to fit the shared (white-centric) understanding of ADHD or borderline personality disorder or general anxiety.

There are so many ways people of color are negatively impacted by being invisible within mental health. And regardless of the specific details, the impact can make our mental health even worse. This won't change until we're invited to the conversation, invited without caveats about what we should or shouldn't say.
1) There's no end to our trauma.
Within minutes of opening The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook, I found this: "Healing occurs in a climate of safety and pacing. When you were traumatized, you were not safe. This time, however, you will always remain safe and in control." In other words, we just have to realize we're safe now, and then the trauma responses can slow down.

We're supposed to accept that trauma is in the past. But what if it's not?

When trauma is tied to systemic oppression such as racism, leaving it in the past can be and often is impossible. Given that safe spaces are an ideal, not a reality for most of us, these kinds of statements are invalidating. If feeling safe is a required condition for healing, that makes any kind of recovery inaccessible to those of us enduring chronic trauma from the world around us.

The white picture of therapy is you sit there and talk for 45 mins about one thing that happened in the past.

But I literally can't do that.

My therapist regularly stops me to say I've brought up a lot already - family, work, queerness, abuse history, mania, avoidance anxiety - and need to prioritize what can be covered in this session. What I most often find myself doing is spend that time discussing present-day problems with random tangents about the past. There's just too much happening now and too much interconnected trauma to spend a full 45 minutes focusing on any one thing that's impacting my mental health.
2) POC healing practices and spirituality are often culturally appropriated, meaning that they can be as harmful to us as they are helpful.
That's not to say there's no space to heal in my life, but that the conditions of my healing involve not having access to safety or stability. And that's ok because there are always opportunities to heal - even if the field of psychology says otherwise. Just we need a lot more opportunities, especially ones that work for POC.

So much new age "culture" steals from POC beliefs and traditions. Herbalism, crystals, meditation, the list goes on and on. Cultural appropriation isolates many people of color, especially in white-dominated locations, from the healing practices that make up the fabric of our and our ancestors' lives - and our survival. If we see our culture being tokenized and otherwise disrespected, how are we going to have a supportive experience in the room?

Cultural appropriation pushes out the very people who are culturally bound to these healing practices, preventing them from accessing the healing they need.

When I talk about my experiences as a South Asian in yoga studios, people often react as though I'm making a big deal out of nothing, like I'm taking it too seriously or that I don't want others to benefit from the undoubtable healing properties of yoga. Yet, the yoga industrial complex has traumatized me. As a result, it made me believe that there was no space for me to heal in this world. I spent a couple years avoiding yoga because it made me cry. But through that I've learned that's the experience I need to honor myself. I need to give space to overwhelming emotions, as well as the memories of racism and repeated abandonment.
3) The cultural contexts of mental health experiences have been stripped away by colonialism.
Now that I accept that reality rather than strive for Western yoga Lululemon ideals, I am slowly returning to asana practice at home. But I can't always handle that level of physical and emotional engagement. The same goes for meditation. It should be challenging - we don't live in a world where we are quietly with ourselves very often.

Living under the myth that healing is relaxing, easygoing, and inherently joyful is limiting for me. But that is too often the practice that's available in Western studios and sanghas.

There could (and should) be multiple articles on this topic alone. I'm not an expert in this by any means, but thankfully there are mental health professionals and community healers raising awareness about the cultural knowledge that has nearly been lost. For example, the book Mental Health, Race, and Culture by Suman Fernando is a great resource on this. It talks about how what we call psychosis in Western society can have more positive connotations in parts of Africa and Asia. Yet the Western mental health system uses it to further other people of color.

When our experiences and identities are erased from history, from our lineages, from our traditional systems of community - which also happens with trans identities - we can only see ourselves through the negative lenses that remain. We exist in colonized frameworks where we're a burden, a problem, a mistake, even if there was once a community role or place of belonging for us.

We're often isolated as mentally ill people of color, silenced from speaking our truths, and stripped of a sense of belonging. Then we are expected to get well, nobody asks if the picture of wellness that's supposed to be the end goal is even good for us.

As Kai Cheng Thom writes in the DSM: Asian-American Edition:

"The World Health Org suggests that mental health is largely about 'realizing potential,' 'working productively,' and 'making a contribution.' Rather conspicuously missing, of course, is any reference to feeling good about oneself, enjoying or finding meaning in what one does, or having better (less conflicted, more connected) relationships with others [...] Is that all that mental health - vaunted, elusive, so highly prized - boils down to? Do this, do that, feel this, feel that, in the right place, at the right time?"

Cultural context for our identities and experiences can help us reclaim our sense of belonging. It can free us from the social constraints of false (colonized) expectations that actually fuck up our mental health. These expectations do nothing but limit our capacity for self-compassion and break trust within our communities.

Even though they're not perfect, the healing methods and frameworks that were overwritten to leave us with these false expectations are often a better starting point than the many of the health care systems that we have - the "care" systems that reduce access, come at a high cost, and can leave us feeling like we'll never be able to have what we need to heal.

* * *
Edited by O.A.O.
The mental health care system is not only different for people of color to navigate, but it also leaves out some of our communities' most effective resources. Not everyone who's a licensed mental health professional has the knowledge that people of color need to heal. And not everyone who's a healer or who helps others survive is trained within some kind of certificate program.

Western psychology isn't an authority; it has to exist alongside other psychologies in order to serve every individual's best interest and truly support our wellbeing.

Enjoyed this article? Read: "3 More Ways Mental Health is Different for People of Color" now.

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Mental Health is Different for People of Color in These 3 Ways (And More) - Rest For Resistance

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The white-centricism of mental health is evident in self-help books, memoirs, YouTube videos, and peer support groups. This makes friends, family, and mental health professionals less likely to see that we are struggling.

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Self care

This section contains readings on the importance of self care, mental health care, and healing for people of color and within activist movements. Please email poconlineclassroom@gmail.com if you have any suggestions on resources to add.

READINGS

RESOURCES

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This section contains readings on the importance of self care, mental health care, and healing for people of color and within activist movements. Please email poconlineclassroom@gmail.com if you have any suggestions on resources to add.

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NHS test and trace: how it works - GOV.UK

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NHS test and trace: how it works - GOV.UK

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The NHS test and trace service:

ensures that anyone who develops symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) can quickly be tested to find out if they have the virus, and also includes targeted asymptomatic testing of NHS and social care staff and care home residents

helps trace close recent contacts of anyone who tests positive for coronavirus and, if necessary, notifies them that they must self-isolate at home to help stop the spread of the virus

We are introducing this service to help return life more to normal, in a way that is safe and protects our NHS and social care. The service will allow us to trace the spread of the virus and isolate new infections and play a vital role in giving us early warning if the virus is increasing again, locally or nationally.

How test and trace helps fight the virus

The NHS test and trace service will help to control the rate of reproduction (R), reduce the spread of the infection and save lives. By playing your part through the actions set out below, you will directly help to contain the virus by reducing its spread. This means that, thanks to your efforts, we will be able to go as far as it is safe to go in easing lockdown measures.

You can help in the following ways:

if you develop symptoms, you must continue to follow the rules to self-isolate with other members of your household and order a test to find out if you have coronavirus

if you test positive for coronavirus, you must share information promptly about your recent contacts through the NHS test and trace service to help us alert other people who may need to self-isolate

if you have had close recent contact with someone who has coronavirus, you must self-isolate if the NHS test and trace service advises you to do so

This specific guidance applies in England only. All 4 administrations are working closely together to have a consistent and joined-up approach to testing and tracing.

Definitions

'Self-isolation if you have symptoms' means you and all household members must remain at home. Do not go outside your home for any reason i.e. to work, school, or public areas, and do not use public transport or taxis. The guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection page has more information on self-isolation.

'Contact' means a person who has been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus and who may or may not live with them.

How NHS test and trace service works

1. isolate: as soon as you experience coronavirus symptoms, medical advice is clear: you must self-isolate for at least 7 days. Anyone else in your household must self-isolate for 14 days from when you started having symptoms

2. test: order a test immediately at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119 if you have no internet access

3. results: if your test is positive, you must complete the remainder of your 7-day self-isolation. Anyone in your household must also complete self-isolation for 14 days from when you started having symptoms. If your test is negative, you and other household members no longer need to self-isolate

4. share contacts: if you test positive for coronavirus, the NHS test and trace service will send you a text or email alert or call you with instructions of how to share details of people with whom you have had close, recent contact and places you have visited. It is important that you respond as soon as possible so that we can give appropriate advice to those who need it. You will be told to do this online via a secure website or you will be called by one of our contract tracers.

1. alert: you will be alerted by the NHS test and trace service if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus. The alert will usually come by text, email or phone call. You should then log on to the NHS test and trace website, which is normally the easiest way for you and the service to communicate with each other - but, if not, a trained call handler will talk you through what you must do. Under-18s will get a phone call and a parent or guardian will be asked to give permission for the call to continue

2. isolate: you will be told to begin self-isolation for 14 days from your last contact with the person who has tested positive. It's really important to do this even if you don't feel unwell because, if you have been infected, you could become infectious to others at any point up to 14 days. Your household doesn't need to self-isolate with you, if you do not have symptoms, but they must take extra care to follow the guidance on social distancing and handwashing and avoid contact with you at home

3. test if needed: if you develop symptoms of coronavirus, other members of your household must self-isolate immediately at home for 14 days and you must book a test at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119 if you have no internet access. If your test is positive, you must continue to stay at home for at least 7 days and we will get in touch to ask about your contacts since they must self-isolate. If your test is negative, you must still complete your 14-day self-isolation period because the virus may not be detectable yet - this is crucial to avoid unknowingly spreading the virus.

When to self-isolate

The medical advice is clear: you must self-isolate if you have coronavirus symptoms or live in the same household as somebody who does. The main symptoms of coronavirus are:

high temperature - this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)

new, continuous cough - this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)

loss or change to your sense of smell or taste - this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

For more information, read the further guidance on symptoms.

If you have one or more of these symptoms, you must self-isolate straight away for 7 days - or longer if you still have symptoms other than cough or loss of sense of smell/taste.

If you live in the same household as someone with coronavirus symptoms, you must self-isolate straight away for 14 days.

How to order a test

Please tell us about your symptoms as soon as possible and get a test to find out if you have coronavirus. Please tell us about your symptoms as soon as possible. The sooner you have a test, the sooner we can let you know if you and other members of your household must remain in self-isolation.

Members of the public can order a test through the NHS website.

If you are an essential worker or an employer, please visit:

If you don't have access to the internet, you can order a test by phoning 119.

Our guidance on testing has more information on our testing programme.

We've made it as easy as possible for everyone who has symptoms to access a test quickly, and there are now many potential ways to be tested:

drive-through regional testing sites

mobile testing units

test kits delivered to your home

hospital-based testing for NHS patients and staff

dedicated testing centres in other care settings (for example, care homes)

When you order a test, you will get information on the options available to you.

We currently aim to provide results within 48 hours of taking a test, but some results may take longer.

You will get your results by text, email or phone - and the message will advise you about what to do next.

If you test negative

If you get a negative test result, this means you are at low risk of having coronavirus.

Other members of your household can stop self-isolating. If you feel well and no longer have symptoms similar to coronavirus, you can stop self-isolating. You could still have another virus, such as a cold or flu - in which case it is still best to avoid contact with other people until you are better.

If you test positive

If you get a positive test result, this means that when you took the test, you had coronavirus. You - and other members of your household - must continue to self-isolate.

Health and care workers

If you work in a health or care setting, you should follow the separate guidance for health and care workers on testing and when to return to work.

Telling people about your test result

If you develop symptoms, you may wish to alert the people with whom you have had close contact over the last 48 hours. You should tell them that you might have coronavirus but are waiting for a test result.

At this stage (until the test result is known), those people do not need to self-isolate, but they should take extra care in practising social distancing and good hygiene, like washing their hands regularly. They should also watch out for their own symptoms.

You may want to write down your recent close contacts now so that you have them to hand if you test positive.

If you get a positive test, we will contact you and ask you to share information about any close contacts you had just before or after you developed symptoms. This is vital if we are to stop the spread of the virus.

We will contact you by text message, email or phone. If you are under 18 years old, we will contact you by phone wherever possible and ask for your parent or guardian's permission to continue the call.

You will be sent a link to the NHS test and trace website and asked to create a confidential account where you can record details about your recent close contacts. If you do not have internet access or if you don't complete the online process, one of our contact tracers will phone you to gather this information from you.

The information you give will be handled in strict confidence and will only be kept and used in line with data protection laws. It will help us to contact people who are at risk of having been exposed to coronavirus and explain what they must do to help prevent the further spread of the virus.

When we contact people to advise them to self-isolate, we do not tell them your identity. But if you have alerted them when you first develop symptoms or when you get your test result, they will be better prepared for the advice we give them.

If the NHS test and trace service contacts you, the service will use text messages, email or phone.

All texts or emails will ask you to sign into the NHS test and trace contact-tracing website.

If NHS test and trace calls you by phone, the service will be using a single phone number: 0300 013 5000.

All information you provide to the NHS test and trace service is held in strict confidence and will only be kept and used in line with the Data Protection Act 2018.

Contact tracers will:

call you from 0300 013 5000

send you text messages from 'NHS'

ask you to sign into the NHS test and trace contact-tracing website

ask for your full name and date of birth to confirm your identity, and postcode to offer support while self-isolating

ask about the coronavirus symptoms you have been experiencing

ask you to provide the name, telephone number and/or email address of anyone you have had close contact with in the 2 days prior to your symptoms starting

ask if anyone you have been in contact with is under 18 or lives outside of England

Contact tracers will never:

ask you to dial a premium rate number to speak to us (for example, those starting 09 or 087)

ask you to make any form of payment or purchase a product or any kind

ask for any details about your bank account

ask for your social media identities or login details, or those of your contacts

ask you for any passwords or PINs, or ask you to set up any passwords or PINs over the phone

disclose any of your personal or medical information to your contacts

provide medical advice on the treatment of any potential coronavirus symptoms

ask you to download any software to your PC or ask you to hand over control of your PC, smartphone or tablet to anyone else

ask you to access any website that does not belong to the government or NHS

What we will ask you

We will ask you:

if you have family members or other household members living with you. In line with the medical advice they must remain in self-isolation for the rest of the 14-day period from when your symptoms began

if you have had any close contact with anyone other than members of your household. We are interested in in the 48 hours before you developed symptoms and the time since you developed symptoms. Close contact means:

having face-to-face contact with someone (less than 1 metre away)

spending more than 15 minutes within 2 metres of someone

travelling in a car or other small vehicle with someone (even on a short journey) or close to them on a plane

if you work in - or have recently visited - a setting with other people (for example, a GP surgery, a school or a workplace)

We will ask you to provide, where possible, the names and contact details (for example, email address, telephone number) for the people you have had close contact with. As with your own details these will be held in strict confidence and will be kept and used only in line with data protection laws.

How this information is used

Based on the information you provide, we will assess whether we need to alert your contacts and ask them to self-isolate.

We may refer the case to local public health experts if your case is complex, for example, if you work in or have recently visited:

a health or care setting, such as a hospital or care home

a prison or other secure setting

a school for people with special needs

critical national infrastructure or areas vital for national security

Local public health experts are Public Health England staff and teams employed by your local authority who work together with all parts of the local community to prevent or respond to local outbreaks.

We are currently developing our NHS coronavirus app, which is being trialled on the Isle of Wight. When rolled out nationally this app will supplement the other forms of contact tracing.

If you are told to self-isolate

If we identify you as someone who has had close recent contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, we will notify you that you must self-isolate in line with medical advice.

You may be feeling well and not have any symptoms, but it is still essential for you to follow the advice that you are given.

This is because, if you have been infected, you could be infectious to others at any point up to 14 days. Some people infected with the virus don't show any symptoms at all and it is therefore crucial to self-isolate to avoid unknowingly spreading the virus.

If you do not have symptoms, you must not seek a test, as the scientific evidence shows that the test may not be able to detect whether you have the virus.

How you will be told to self-isolate

If you are aged 18 or over, we will contact you by text message or email but will follow up by phone if we don't get a response. If we only have a landline number for you, we will contact you on that number.

If you are under 18 years old, we will contact you by phone wherever possible and ask for consent from your parent or guardian to continue the call.

If you have internet access, we will ask you to log onto our NHS test and trace website. This is the simplest way of giving you the information you need and the opportunity to ask any questions. The online service will also ask you to confirm that you are following the advice on self-isolation.

If you do not have internet access, we will arrange for a trained call handler to speak to you by phone to give you the information and advice you need.

What happens next

You must self-isolate for 14 days after you were in contact with the person who has tested positive for coronavirus. This is crucial to avoid unknowingly spreading the virus.

Self-isolation means staying at home and not going outside your home at any time. If you live with other people, they do not need to self-isolate, but they should avoid contact with you as far as possible and follow advice on hygiene. If you do not live with other people, you should seek help from others, or delivery services, for essential activities such as food shopping. Self-isolation can be particularly challenging if you are looking after children, or if you care for vulnerable people who cannot stay with friends or family.

If you go on to develop symptoms, anyone you live with must then self-isolate and you must report your symptoms and get tested.

It is crucial that you complete your 14-day self-isolation period if you've been identified as a contact, even if you get a negative test result. This is because you may have the virus, but it cannot yet be detected by a test, so you could unknowingly spread the virus if you leave the house. Other members of your household, however, do not need to remain in self-isolation.

If the NHS test and trace service contacts you, the service will use text messages, email or phone.

All texts or emails will ask you to sign into the NHS test and trace contact-tracing website.

If NHS test and trace calls you by phone, the service will be using a single phone number: 0300 013 5000.

All information you provide to the NHS test and trace service is held in strict confidence and will only be kept and used in line with the Data Protection Act 2018.

Contact tracers will:

call you from 0300 013 5000

send you text messages from 'NHS'

ask for your full name and date of birth to confirm your identity, and postcode to offer support while self-isolating

ask if you are experiencing any coronavirus symptoms

provide advice on what you must do as you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus

Contact tracers will never:

ask you to dial a premium rate number to speak to us (for example, those starting 09 or 087)

ask you to make any form of payment or purchase a product of any kind

ask for any details about your bank account

ask for your social media identities or login details, or those of your contacts

ask you for any passwords or PINs, or ask you to set up any passwords or PINs over the phone

disclose any of your personal or medical information to your contacts

provide medical advice on the treatment of any potential coronavirus ymptoms

ask you to download any software to your PC or ask you to hand over control of your PC, smartphone or tablet to anyone else

ask you to access any website that does not belong to the government or NHS

Support for people who are self-isolating

We will direct you to your local authority helpline if you need the following during the period of self-isolation:

practical or social support for yourself

support for someone you care for

financial support

This is so you can access the local support available to you, like help delivering food or medicine. You may also be able to get help from the NHS volunteer responders.

Employers should support workers who are told to self-isolate and must not ask them to attend work. See the guidance on the NHS test and trace service for employers, businesses and workers. If you are in employment, speak to your employer to discuss if you can work from home or other options are available during your period of isolation.

Workers in self-isolation are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for every day they are in isolation, as long as they meet the eligibility conditions. Guidance has been produced for employees that are unable to work because they are self-isolating.

The NHS test and trace service will provide a notification that can be used as evidence that someone has been told to self-isolate. This notification can be shared with an employer or education provider, for example.

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The NHS test and trace service: ensures that anyone who develops symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) can quickly be tested to find out if they have the virus, and also includes targeted asymptomatic testing of NHS and social care staff and care home residents helps trace close recent contacts of anyone who tests positive for coronavirus and, if necessary, notifies them that they must self-isolate at home to help stop the spread of the virus We are introducing this service to help return life more to normal, in a way that is safe and protects our NHS and social care.

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Stay Up Late supports adults with  learning disabilities

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Stairway - GCSE Maths, Physics and Biology!

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Stairway - GCSE Maths, Physics and Biology!

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Free platform for learning

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Providing informative, inspiring and topical stories about mental health and wellbeing

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Families Under Pressure | Maudsley Charity

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Families Under Pressure | Maudsley Charity

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Short video tips for coping for families under pressure

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Tips and tricks to help with challenging behaviour

Formulated by Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke and the POP-UP team, these tips and tricks are backed by science and proven to work with families.

Tips and tricks to help with emotions

These videos focus on emotions and are formulated by Professor Andrea Danese and colleagues at the Maudsley CAMHS Trauma, Anxiety and Depression clinic. They are drawn from Cognitive Behavioural-Therapy (CBT) principles used to help young people who experience anxiety or depression.

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Parenting Tips & Tricks - Families Under Pressure - Maudsley Charity

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A guide with simple tips and tricks for parents on dealing with challenging behaviour and negative emotions, developed by researchers & NHS mental health experts.

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SLOW TV - Turn left for London (Grand Union Canal)

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SLOW TV - Turn left for London (Grand Union Canal)

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SLOW TV - Turn left for London (Grand Union Canal)

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All Aboard: The Sleigh Ride - A Slow TV Christmas Special

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All Aboard: The Sleigh Ride - A Slow TV Christmas Special

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All Aboard: The Sleigh Ride - A Slow TV Christmas Special

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Train Journey to the Norwegian Arctic Circle, WINTER

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Train Journey to the Norwegian Arctic Circle, WINTER

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[9:56 Hours] Train Journey to the Norwegian Arctic Circle, WINTER [1080HD] SlowTV

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[11:34 Hour Docu] MS Victoria on the Telemark Canal, Norway - Video & Audio [1080HD] SlowTV

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Robot Tours - Hastings Contemporary : Hastings Contemporary

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Robot Tours - Hastings Contemporary : Hastings Contemporary

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Helpful on ways to save money

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Offering support for people experiencing financial hardship in the form of grants and sometimes items for the home as needed.

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Turn2us is a national charity offering information and practical support to people facing financial insecurity. We help people gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and other support - online, by phone and face to face through our work in communities and the organisations we partner with.

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Advice on money and debt, including for survivors of domestic abuse

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Our Mission is to help people manage their money effectively. We do this by providing free innovative money handling and advice services, working in partnership with other agencies. Our independent, confidential and flexible approach is tailored to individuals’ needs, allowing us to reach those who…

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Free Debt Advice. Get Help With Debt Today. StepChange

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Free Debt Advice. Get Help With Debt Today. StepChange

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We recommend collecting details about your living costs and the amount you pay towards any arrears, for costs like:

Housing and utility bills

Household services

Travel

Food and housekeeping

Living expenses

You can put these details together in a useful form. Find out more about what to include in an income and expenditure form and download a budget template to help you get that information together.

Then collect information about your income (including benefits, pensions and tax credits), and details of your debts.

If you know who you owe money to, you can contact creditors for up-to-date debt balances. If you're unsure, you can get a copy of your credit report from one of three credit reference agencies:

These are private companies that hold details about your debts and credit history. Most of these companies offer a free service or a trial, but you can also request a paper copy of your credit file for £2 each.

If your debts aren't on your credit file, there are other ways you can find out who you owe money to.

If you're struggling to complete your budget form or need extra assistance, please call us on 0800 138 1111 and our advisors will be able to help. If possible, have details about your income, outgoings and debts ready when you call.

If you're self-employed, living in England, Wales or Scotland and looking for help with your debts, please contact Business Debtline.

They offer specialist help to the self-employed, including advice on tax implications, court proceedings and business liabilities. They'll also be able to help with any personal debts.

Call them on 0800 197 6026. They're open Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm.

If you live in Northern Ireland, please contact Advice NI who offer free and impartial advice for Sole Traders, Partnerships and Limited Companies.

You can call them on 0800 0838 018, Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5.30pm.

We understand that most people will want a debt solution that will mean staying in their home. There are several debt solutions that won't affect assets such as your home and any equity it may have.

If you're insolvent and can't afford to repay your debts in a reasonable time, some of the debt solutions available might require you to sell your home, remortgage or release some of the equity, depending on your individual situation.

However, during your debt advice session you'll be told about the risks associated with each available debt solution, so you can make an informed choice that's right for your situation.

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Free Debt Advice. Get Help With Debt Today. StepChange

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We recommend collecting details about your living costs and the amount you pay towards any arrears, for costs like: Housing and utility bills Household services Travel Food and housekeeping Living expenses You can put these details together in a useful form.

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They offer support around benefits, work and finances/debt, amongst other things

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Volunteer with us

Over 16,000 highly trained volunteers support the delivery of our service. Our volunteers come from a range of backgrounds and find volunteering rewarding, challenging and fun. We have a range of roles in local Citizens Advice and Witness Service, want to find out more?

Our volunteer opportunities

Find your local Citizens Advice

For more information and advice

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Online free advice from Citizens Advice to help you find a way forward, whatever the problem. Our research enables us to campaign on issues affecting people's lives.

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Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide – Overcoming the isolation of people bereaved by suicide

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Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide – Overcoming the isolation of people bereaved by suicide

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Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide – Overcoming the isolation of people bereaved by suicide

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Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide – Overcoming the isolation of people bereaved by suicide

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WAY Widowed & Young - Bereavement support UK

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WAY Widowed & Young - Bereavement support UK

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Support. Understanding. Friendship.

WAY is a UK charity that offers a peer-to-peer support network for anyone who's lost a partner before their 51st birthday - married or not, with or without children, inclusive of sexual orientation, gender, race and religion.
Donate via JustGiving
+

Join hundreds of others who get what you're going through.

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WAY Widowed & Young - Bereavement support UK

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WAY is the only national charity in the UK for men and women aged 50 or under when their partner died.

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charity providing signposting to bereavement support uk wide

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AtaLoss.org is the UK's signposting and information website for bereaved people

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Find support services, information, helplines and resources to help you and family members at any stage in your bereavement. Easy to use filters tailor results to suit your needs and circumstances, location and age. Over 1400 listings including free and paid for services.

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Get help with grief after bereavement or loss - NHS

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Get help with grief after bereavement or loss - NHS

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Get help with grief after bereavement or loss

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Read practical tips and advice on what to do if you’re struggling with bereavement, grief and loss.

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How does bereavement affect people with learning disabilities?

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How does bereavement affect people with learning disabilities?

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Coming to terms with the death of a loved one can be very difficult, as it can stir up a whole range of complicated feelings. People often move between denial, anger, grief and confusion before acceptance is reached.

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Online Safety; Challenging the Narrative around Sexual Violence | Rape Crisis South London

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Online Safety; Challenging the Narrative around Sexual Violence | Rape Crisis South London

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‘10 top tips for keeping children and young people safe from online sexual abuse’

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Earlier in April, initial research into the impact of COVID-19 on young people by UK Youth highlighted that young people are worried about an increase in sexual exploitation, grooming and other types of sexual violence and abuse that might be perpetrated against them online. Many parents and organisations supporting children and young people share these same worries. And their concerns are valid.

In recent weeks we've seen reports in the UK of students posting extreme pornography in online lectures, a surge in the number of people contacting the National Revenge Porn Helpline and calls for action over the expected rise in child sexual abuse during pandemic.

Recent reports from the National Crime Agency revealed that early on during the Covid-19 crisis perpetrators were discussing opportunities to abuse children over online chat forums, whilst Europol said it had seen an 'increase in online activity by those seeking child abuse material'.

Sexual violence being targeted and perpetrated against children and young people online as well as in person is nothing new. Experiences of all kinds of sexual violence including rape, sexual abuse within families and what is often referred to as 'image-based sexual abuse' have been a lived reality for women and girls around the world long before COVID-19 began. Girls aged between 12 and 18 frequently tell us that they receive sexual requests, comments and images of, for example, unsolicited 'dick pics' also called 'cyber-flashing' almost every single day, mainly from boys and men, who are known and unknown to them.

After decades of working frontline with survivors of sexual violence, we know all too well that the different kinds of sexual violence that girls and young women endure and survive are not isolated - they overlap across a continuum and within a framework of violence against women and girls. So when we talk about the sexual abuse of children and young people online, we need to connect this with the reality that two-thirds of all sexual abuse is perpetrated against children by someone within their own family, which often includes sexual abuse that is also perpetrated online.

As children and young people are spending more time than ever online, there has been an increasing focus around online sexual abuse and how children and young people can 'keep themselves safe'. The language we use when talking about sexual violence matters, and we know that any safety messaging which places the responsibility with children, young people and adults to prevent someone else sexually abusing them, doesn't work. This is because sexual violence isn't rooted in the carelessness of survivors, it happens because of the decision-making of those who perpetrate.

So instead of messaging which suggests children spending more time online make them more vulnerable to abuse, let's change this toperpetrators targeting children and young people online make them vulnerable to abuse! And instead of focussing on the so-called " heightened risk-taking such as sending sexualized images " let's acknowledge and talk about the prevalence of grooming, coercion and manipulation that girls disproportionately experience to create and send sexual images.

It's subtle, yet language matters and the narrative on all types of sexual violence and abuse against women and girls so often shirks away from naming and challenging the harmful choices perpetrators make.

Messaging which focusses on what children and young people can do to 'protect themselves' often colludes with the myth that men who sexually abuse children (particularly online) are usually strangers, which completely ignores that for many young and adult survivors, the person who abused them was someone they knew, who they were often close to and who they trusted. That this could be a friend, an intimate partner, family member or neighbour gets lost.

This avoidance to name and hold perpetrators accountable often means that the tools and platforms perpetrators use, such as the internet, and survivors of all ages are the ones being held responsible. This needs to change.

Whilst we as support services, parents and youth workers work to prevent online sexual abuse, it is vital that any advice we give to children and young people around keeping safe online reassures them that any abuse they experience is not their fault, or has happened because they have 'failed' at following our advice.

This might feel obvious, but many girls and young women tell us that they would not feel able to tell anyone if they were being pressured to do something sexual online, or if their sexual images were shared without their consent. This is because they feel like the blame will be placed with them, or that they will be in trouble.

In our prevention workshops it is common for young people to exclaim that 'everyone knows it's stupid to send nudes' as a justification for holding survivors responsible for preventing sexual violence rather than perpetrators. In response to the constant requests that girls receive to send sexual images, they are often told to message back and 'just say no' or 'block them'. These messages come from a place of wanting to keep someone safe but they miss the reality of grooming and coercion which inherently limit someone's freedom and choice.

The result is that across the UK, girls particularly are being bullied, shamed and blamed for their experience of sexual violence, such as image based sexual abuse, whilst those who pressure, coerce and share their images without consent are rarely held responsible. When we give messages about preventing sexual violence, we must stop and ask ourselves, "What does this say to survivors and what does this say to perpetrators?" and "if we believe this message, who are we likely to hold responsible for sexual violence?"

It was refreshing to see two recent campaigns from RESPECT and Police Scotland that have targeted violence and abuse prevention messaging during Covid-19 at the people who are responsible for abuse - those perpetrating. We need to see so much more of this.

With this in mind and inspired by Rape Crisis Scotland, we've created our own '10 top tips for keeping children and young people safe from online sexual abuse'.

1. Practice safe browsing and don't pressure anyone to send you sexual photos of themselves.

2. Think before you post, and don't share sexual images of somebody else online.

3. Click smart and don't send someone else pornography they haven't asked to see.

4. Surf-savvy and don't make sexual comments, start sexual conversations or ask someone to do sexual things online without explicit consent. For extra savvy points: Not sure if you have consent? Ask. Still not sure? Stop.

5. Be selective with what you share, by never giving out an unsolicited picture of your genitals. Especially not to a child.

6. Be on the ball and don't pretend to be someone you are not.

7. If you are struggling with being limited to your home, keep children and young people safe by not using the internet to sexually abuse them.

8. Make sure your antivirus software is up-to-dateand then don't make plans to groom and gain the trust of a child or young person.

9. Anyone can own a computer and make the choice not to use it to sexual abuse a young person. If you won't make this choice, then take a deep breath, disconnect your internet, throw away your computer, and keep children and young people safe whilst you stay at home.

10. Don't rape or sexually abuse children and young people - or anyone at all - ever.

If you are worried about your own behaviour, support is available from Stop it Now

If you are worried about someone else's behaviour and want some advice, you can contact NSPCC

Whilst ultimately the only way to keep children and young people safe from abuse is for people not to abuse, we are not powerless in the face of their actions. We can work together against a victim-blaming culture which silences survivors of abuse, by challenging abusive behaviour, believing survivors and providing non-judgemental support instead.
Specialist Support for Survivors of any kind of Sexual Violence

For women and girls aged 13 and over; our free and confidential National Rape Crisis Helpline is open every day, for survivors and their supporters providing support around any type of sexual behaviour online or offline, which has left them feeling scared, frightened or uncomfortable.

For men and boys aged 13 and over; support is available from Survivors UK

For anyone who is LGBTQ+ aged 13 and over; support is available from Galop

For children and young people aged under 18; support is available from Childline

Whether the abuse you've survived happened yesterday or 50 years ago, we are still here.

For non-abusing parents and carers of child survivors of sexual violence, support is available from Mosac

For further information on speaking to children about their rights to be treated safely online; support is available from NSPCC

Information and support for reporting sexual violence and abuse seen online
Sexual Violence Training and Prevention

We also know how important it is that young people are empowered with knowledge about the reality of sexual violence so that someone can adjust their own abusive behaviour, and/or be reassured that anything which makes them feel scared, uncomfortable or frightened is not okay.

If you are a youth worker or teacher and would like to find out more about our training for professionals or our prevention workshops with young people please contact training.coordinator@rasasc.org.uk

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Online Safety; Challenging the Narrative around Sexual Violence | Rape Crisis South London

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Earlier in April, initial research into the impact of COVID-19 on young people by UK Youth highlighted that young people are worried about an increase in sexual exploitation, grooming and other types of sexual violence and abuse that might be perpetrated against them online.

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Talking to your child about online safety | NSPCC

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Talking to your child about online safety | NSPCC

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Online life and offline life is just life

For many of us, we see our online lives and offline lives as different, but children are growing up with technology and the internet and for them there isn't a difference; online life and offline life is just life.

Technology can move at an extraordinarily fast pace and it can be difficult to know how to start talking to your child about what they're doing online, who they might be speaking to or discussing the potential risks and issues.

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Talking to your child about online safety

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Sometimes you might be worried about what your child's doing online or who they're speaking to, but not know how to talk to them about it. We've got advice to help.

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Participate free for a year in a great citizen science project by watching the wildlife outside your window.

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Upland bird recording and monitoring (1-day, Dalmellington, Ayr)

Brush up on your upland bird identification by songs and calls. Learn more about opportunities for participation, and practice techniques for BirdTrack and the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS). Find out about the BBS 'Upland...

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Brush up on your upland bird identification by songs and calls. Learn more about opportunities for participation, and practice techniques for BirdTrack and the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS). Find out about the BBS 'Upland...

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LGBT Foundation - The Essential Guide to LGBT Rights and Covid-19

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LGBT Foundation - The Essential Guide to LGBT Rights and Covid-19

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In March 2020, everyone in the UK was asked to change the ways in which we go about our daily activities. New rules about where we can go, when we can leave the house, and who we can see have left many of us wondering about what our rights are in the time of Covid-19.

Who this guide is for

This guide has been developed for all lesbian, gay, bi and trans (LGBT) people, our supporters, allies, families and friends.

Many of us have questions about what we can expect during this time of change. Can we still get the healthcare and support we need? What should happen if we are worried, concerned or in danger? This guide will try and answer these questions.

All our experiences and needs are different. This guide has been written to support people to understand the situation and make informed choices that are right for them.

If you'd like more information, further support, or to talk to someone about what is right for you, call LGBT Foundation's helpline on 0345 3 30 30 30 or email helpline@lgbt.foundation

Can I get sexual health testing?

Sexual health services are still running but they may be operating differently or open during different times. If you need sexual health support or need a sexual health test, you should contact your local service or check their website for opening times. Many sexual health services are offering telephone appointments. They will only see patients in person when this is absolutely necessary, and you should only go to a service if their staff tell you to. They might send you a testing kit or some medication by post.

You can also get a HIV home testing kit by visiting www.freetesting.hiv/. If you are having trouble ordering one, you can call us on 0345 3 30 30 30.

Services are prioritising urgent cases, such as:

If you have had a reactive result on a HIV test

If you need PEP because you may have been at risk of HIV

If you have been sexually assaulted

If you are under 16

If you need emergency contraception because you may be at risk of being pregnant.

If any of these things apply to you, you can call your local sexual health service for support and they may ask you to come in for an appointment.

Can I get my medication?

If you are taking prescribed medications, including HIV anti-retroviral medication, then you should be able to pick these up at your pharmacy like you normally do.

If you are shielding and you cannot leave the house you should contact your pharmacy and ask for your medication to be sent to your home.

If you are struggling to get your HIV medication, you can contact Pride in Practice on pip@lgbt.foundation or 0345 3 30 30 30.

Can I still get PrEP from the Impact Trial or monitoring tests if I'm ordering PrEP myself?

If you are on the PrEP Impact Trial you should still be able to get your PrEP. Sexual Health Clinics have changed the way the Impact Trial is delivered. You should check your clinic's website for information about how to get a PrEP appointment.

Most PrEP Impact Trail clinics are not accepting new people on to the trial at the moment.

If you are ordering PrEP yourself, you should still be able to get monitoring tests. Visit your clinic's website for information about how to get an appointment.

Many people are choosing to pause taking PrEP if they are not having sex. If you would like to speak to someone about using PrEP, you can email our sexual health team at sexualhealth@lgbt.foundation. They can call you back if you leave your number.

Can I get my hormones?

If a Gender Identity Clinic (GIC) has prescribed you hormones then you should be able to pick these up at your pharmacy like you normally do.

You should still be able to get your hormone injections at your GP practice. The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Guidelines encourage GPs to continue working as close to normal as possible.

Your GP might suggest that you change to a different kind of hormone medication like gel or an injection which doesn't need to happen as often.

If you are shielding and need to have your hormone injection, you can ask for a video consultation with a GP or nurse to teach you how to do your own injections at home. Your GP will be able to prescribe you needles, syringes and a sharps box. You can ask your pharmacy to send these to your home.

You might not be able to get your normal blood tests at your GP practice. If you are worried about this, you can contact your GP practice and get a phone or video appointment to talk about it.

If you are struggling to get your hormone medication, you can contact Pride in Practice on pip@lgbt.foundation or 0345 3 30 30 30.

What about my Gender Identity Clinic (GIC) appointment?

Some GICs are offering telephone and video consultations, and many are still taking on new patients.

You can find out the most up to date information about GICs by checking the Trans Health UK website or by checking the website of your GIC.

Currently, all transition-related surgeries have been postponed.

Can I get help if I'm being hurt by someone who I live with?

Reports of domestic violence towards LGBT people have increased since the start of Covid-19 restrictions.

Everyone has the right to live free from violence. This includes whether it is from partners, family members or other people you live with. You have the right to be free from:

Physical abuse

Emotional abuse

Psychological abuse

Financial abuse

Sexual abuse

Cultural/identity abuse (including abuse for being LGBT)

Even though many services are changing and focusing on Covid-19, help and support is still available.

Your right to be safe remains as valid today as it has always been.

If you are experiencing or living in fear of domestic violence contact the organisations below:

If you are in immediate danger, call 999

Galop helpline - 0800 999 5428

LGBT Foundation helpline - 0345 3 30 30 30

Can I get help if I experience a hate crime?

You have the right to be free from homophobic, biphobic and transphobic harassment and name-calling, and the right to feel safe in your home and in your neighbourhood.

If you are experiencing abuse or bullying for being LGBT from your neighbours or from anyone else, you can report this as a hate crime.

You can report a hate crime and find out more here: www.lgbt.foundation/report

Can I get support with my mental health?

Many organisations and services are still supporting people with their mental health by telephone and online.

If you are struggling with your mental health or you just need to talk to someone, you have the right to help and support.

Below are some organisations that can help you:

If you are having a mental health crisis and you've already been given a crisis line number to use in an emergency, you should call that.

If you have not been given a crisis line number, you can call NHS 111.

If you do not think you can keep yourself safe, you should call 999.

A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a physical one. You will not be wasting anyone's time.

The Coronavirus Act makes some changes to the Mental Health Act. These changes are temporary and you can find out more about them on the Rethink Mental Illness website: https://www.rethink.org/news-and-stories/blogs/2020/03/coronavirus-temporary-changes-to-the-mental-health-act/

What if I am a disabled person?

The government have recently updated their advice for autistic people, people with learning disabilities, and anyone who has a health condition that requires you to leave the house to maintain your health.

The government guidelines say that you can travel outside of your local area to keep yourself well if this what you normally did before lockdown. For example, some autistic people and some people with learning disabilities need to exercise in a specific open space two or three times each day. It is best if you can show that this is in a care plan agreed with a medical professional. It might be harder to get an updated care plan at the moment because of Covid-19 restrictions.

If you have a carer or support worker who does not live with you, it is okay for them to accompany you when you leave the house.

You can find out more about your rights as a disabled person here:

What about the Care Act?

The Coronavirus Act makes some changes to the Care Act. The changes mean that during the emergency period social services will not be able to support everybody. The emergency period means a time when the spread of Covid-19 is very high.

The Secretary of State decides when the emergency period will start. The changes to the Care Act will finish when the emergency period ends.

Under the Coronavirus Act, local authorities and social services only have to make sure people get support if their human rights are being breached. This means that you may have to explain to your local authority why you need the support in order to stay safe and well.

Your right to live in safety, and to live free from abuse and neglect remains the same as it was before Covid-19.

You can contact the following organisation if you want to know if being denied social care is a breach of your human rights:

Equality Advisory and Support Service
Telephone: 0808 800 0082
Website: www.equalityadvisoryservice.com

Where can I find more information?

As the Covid-19 situation changes, people might have other questions.

If you have any questions that we haven't answered here, if you would like support, or if you just need someone to talk to, we're here if you need us.

You can call LGBT Foundation's helpline on 0345 3 30 30 30 or email us on helpline@lgbt.foundation

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The Essential Guide to LGBT Rights and Covid-19

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In March 2020, everyone in the UK was asked to change the ways in which we go about our daily activities. New rules about where we can go, when we can leave the house, and who we can see have left many of us wondering about what our rights are in the time of Covid-19.

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COVID-19 – how LGBT-inclusive organisations can help

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COVID-19 – how LGBT-inclusive organisations can help

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service directory from Stonewall

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We are in increasingly difficult and uncertain times.

As coronavirus (COVID-19) has been declared a pandemic - a global health crisis - we are feeling it at every touchpoint in society.

Whenever something happens, there are always those of us who face additional barriers through being more excluded than others. For some lesbian, gay, bi and trans people, the risks of homelessness, insecure employment, restricted access to healthcare and other inequalities deepen. Our LGBT in Britain - Health Report shows us that LGBT people are at greater risk of marginalisation within such crises, and those with multiple marginalised identities can struggle even more.

We aren't able to provide healthcare advice, as we are not a health charity. It's important to stay informed on current advice for the public, including from the UK Government.

However, even in times like these, something becomes abundantly clear.

LGBT communities across the country are coming together to show each other solidarity, support and provide lifesaving services. Here's how they can help - and how we can help each other.

How Stonewall can help

Our Info Service is here to help with any issues affecting LGBT people or their families. Whatever your situation, you're not on your own. We'll do what we can to listen and help or point you in the right direction of someone who can.

The list is not exhaustive, but we hope these organisations can help you or your loved ones if you ever need them.
Don't see your services listed here?
If you're an individual, get in touch with our Info Service.

If you're an LGBT community group or organisation, email campaigns@stonewall.org.uk so we can amplify your great work in solidarity.

MUTUAL AID

COVID-19 Mutual Aid UK
This network of local mutual aid groups supports communities to look out for one another. You can find your local group, or even set up your own group using these resources.
Oxford Mutual Aid
This group was set-up to help at risk and isolated people in Oxfordshire. To volunteer, or to access support, you can fill in their form. They also have a group dedicated to trans healthcare, providing practical advice to trans and gender non-conforming people. Follow them on Twitter for updates.

They are a social enterprise that supports LGBTQ+ people and their families, in South Devon and beyond. They're providing emergency food parcels to anyone who needs them.

They're a transfeminist autonomous care organisation. They've compiled resources for support workers, and those taking part in mutual aid efforts, including how to safely deliver food and items to others.

The Sex Workers Advocacy and Resistance Movement in the UK is acutely aware of the impacts upon sex workers during this uncertain time. They've created a list of resources on dealing with financial hardship, lowering risk of transmission during work, and creating household action pans.
Unmuted Brum
This organisation for QTIPOC (queer, trans, intersex people of colour) in Birmingham is looking for people of colour who can volunteer to gift up to an hour of their time to deliver online sessions from anywhere in, e.g. yoga, craft, singing, facilitators for safe online spaces.

HOMELESSNESS SERVICES

Albert Kennedy Trust support young people facing or experiencing homelessness or a hostile environment. They released this update on how to access services, as well as a list of free or fair-cost wellness activities led by people of colour, womxn and queer folks.
The Outside Project
The UK's first LGBTIQ+ community shelter and centre has opened a virtual hub. You can sign up to volunteer, or if you need help.
Stonewall Housing
This national charity ensures LGBT people can live in safer homes free from fear. Their free, confidential advice line and self-referral systems are still running. They also have simple guidelines for self-isolating.

SELF-ISOLATION HELPLINES AND GUIDANCE

Consortium
The national specialist infrastructure organisation strengthens the LGBT sector and service provision. They have guidance for anyone delivering services, and can provide support to any organisations who need it.
Doctors of the World
This international medical care charity has worked with British Red Cross, Migrant Help and Clear Voice to translate NHS guidance into 20 languages, continuously being updated. This includes Albanian, Pashto, and Spanish, to name a few.

This national LGBT+ anti-violence charity has a domestic abuse helpline. You can call them on 0800 999 5428. Find out more information on their website. They have a dedicated trans advocacy helpline, too.
Intercom Trust
They are a regional LGBT+ charity providing support to LGBT+ individuals and families in the South West. They are currently providing a confidential helpline service and other remote support. Find out more here.
LGBT Foundation
This national LGBT charity are running their helpline as usual, and welcome calls or emails from anyone worried about the impacts of coronavirus. You can find out more about their approach.
LGBT Helpline Scotland
This organisation works to improve the health, wellbeing and equality of LGBT people in Scotland. You can call, email or chat with them via their LiveChat service. They are also running a digital social programme online over the next few months, find out more here.

They are a social enterprise that supports LGBTQ+ people and their families, in South Devon and beyond. They're running online social groups for LGBTQ+ people and their families.
Samaritans
They run a free, 24-hour helpline to those struggling with their mental health. Telephone them on 116 123 - their phone line is running as usual.

They are a text crisis service for those in a personal crisis who need support. Texts are free on all major networks including EE, O2, Three and Vodafone. Text SHOUT to 85258 in the UK to text with a trained crisis volunteer.
Switchboard LGBT
This national charity listens to LGBT+ people, providing a lifeline and calm words to those who need them. You can get in touch about anything on the phone, via email, or the live chat.

DISABILITY, HEALTH AND WELLBEING

This organisation specialise in easy read resources, and have created a webpage about coronavirus in easy read format. They also have a guide you can download with illustrations.
Live Through This
For LGBTQ+ people living with cancer, Live Through This offer advocacy and support. They've taken some of their peer support services online, so get in touch to access these opportunities.
MESMAC Newcastle
They are a sexual health promotion and HIV prevention service for gay and bisexual men, MSM and men questioning their sexuality. They provide information, advice and support, in addition to a free HIV testing service.

This national mental health charity has put together plans for staying home or indoors, as well as tips for self-isolating while taking care of your wellbeing.

The LGBT advocacy and online support charity for those facing mental health issues will continue running its services. Access their services.

This national organisation for LGBT Disabled people has produced guides for Disabled and older people, featuring advice for food shopping, as well as how to cope with extended isolation.
SignHealth
The national Deaf health charity has made videos in British Sign Language, covering issues from what coronavirus is, what the government guidance is, to how to self-isolate.
Spectra London
This London-based CIC provides sexual health and wellbeing services. They have moved their 1-2-1 support online, offering live web chat with their staff for sexual health questions, with a weekly virtual face-to-face drop in. They also have information about accessing free testing kits.
The Rainbow Project
They are a health organisation that work to improve the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of LGBT people in Northern Ireland. You can send them a message on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, email them or call them on 02890319030.
Terrence Higgins Trust
The national HIV and sexual health charity has issued guidance for those living with HIV in the context of coronavirus.

TRANS-SPECIFIC CARE

The team at the LGBT+ anti-violence charity has compiled this resource, including how to cope with isolation and draw on community resilience. They have a dedicated trans advocacy helpline, too.

Download a Trans Resilience in Isolation PowerPoint.
Gendered Intelligence
This trans youth work charity provides peer support groups, youth worker-led sessions and activities for young trans, non-binary people and gender questioning people. They've adapted to provide some online services, with updates about other services.
Spectra London
This London-based CIC provides sexual health and wellbeing services. They have moved their 1-2-1 support online, with an online social group for trans people, and are offering live web chat with their staff for sexual health questions, with a weekly virtual face-to-face drop in. They also have information about accessing free testing kits.
TransgenderNI
Transgender Northern Ireland advocate for and fund work for trans people in Northern Ireland. They shared some safety and wellbeing tips for those binding at the moment.
What The Trans!?
This podcast caters to the needs of trans, intersex and non-binary people. To combat isolation, they've set up a discord server for chats, gaming, and community-building.

SERVICES FOR OLDER AND YOUNGER PEOPLE

This charity for older people has guidance during this period, and a free, independent advice line open every day from 8am-7pm. They also offer telefriending services for those aged 60 and over.
Allsorts Youth Project
This Sussex-based charity supports LGBTU young people aged 5 to 26 and their families. They have taken their services online, providing online youth groups, one-to-one emotional support sessions, parent/carers groups, and advocacy support.

You can call or email this children's charity for free if you're a person under 18 who needs support. You can call on 0800 1111, even if you don't have credit on your phone, and it won't show up on your phone bill. They have tips and information about coronavirus.
Gendered Intelligence
This trans youth work charity provides peer support groups, youth worker-led sessions and activities for young trans, non-binary people and gender questioning people. They've adapted to provide some online services, with updates about other services. You can contact their support line and see their online training.

They work with LGBT people aged 50 and over in Greater Glasgow and Lothians. They are currently holding a free telephoning befriending service for LGBTQ+ people over 50 which is Scotland-wide. They are also sending out a weekly newsletter to LGBTQ+ older people. Contact Jean for further information.
LGBT Youth Scotland
This Scottish charity for young LGBT people issued an update on their services, with their live chat continuing to run and provide vital support to those who need it.
Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre
This London based organisation delivers a diverse range of services to support young LGBT+ people aged 13-19. Check their website, get in touch with them via email, or text/WhatsApp them on 07550124393.

This charity for children's safety has a helpline for those who are concerned about a child or young person. You can contact them on 0808 800 5000 to speak to professional counsellors.

They are a social enterprise that supports LGBTQ+ people and their families, in South Devon and beyond. They're running online youth social groups, and mentoring sessions for young LGBTQ+ people.
The Proud Trust
This LGBT+ charity for young people has an online tool to find your local youth group, many of whom have created virtual alternatives. You can search for trans-specific, BAME-specific and LGBT+-specific groups through the tool.
Opening Doors London
This charity for older LGBT people have a free telefriending (telephone befriending) service for anyone aged over 50. Contact them for online dementia support groups, and online social groups for LGBT+ people of colour. They also have a range of activities to do in lockdown.

SERVICES FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS

Micro Rainbow
This charity works for a future free from discrimination, with a specific focus on providing safe housing for LGBTI asylum seekers and refugees. Their advice services, including their helplines, are still open for those who need their help.
Rainbow Home North East
This charity provides information and support to LGBT asylum seekers and to those who have been granted leave to remain but are not yet settled. They work in the North East of England covering Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, Gateshead, Durham, Stockton-on-Tees and Middlesbrough. Find out more here.

UK Lesbian & Gay Immigration Group support those seeking asylum. They offer legal advice, and can support you during this time of uncertainty.

Related Posts:

Related Information:

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COVID-19 - How LGBT-inclusive organisations can help

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We are in increasingly difficult and uncertain times. As coronavirus (COVID-19) has been declared a pandemic - a global health crisis - we are feeling it at every touchpoint in society. Whenever something happens, there are always those of us who face additional barriers through...

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Free origami instructions, photo & video tutorials, diagrams, downloads and more!

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Free origami instructions, photo & video tutorials, diagrams, downloads and more!

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I teach people how to handletter with easy tutorials for every skill level! Want to learn modern calligraphy?! Join the tribe and take the #howtohandletterto...

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Add a meerkat to your own window, or go on a hunt with your children to spot some

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Children (and parents!) across Brighton & Hove are being given the chance to add a little more fun and adventure to their daily exercise outing. The council is looking for nursery and school children across the city to take part in a new meerkat trail while out walking, scooting or cycling as part of their once-a-day exercise routine.

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Aging Well Service Directory of supermarket opening times for older people and NHS workers

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Aging Well Service Directory of supermarket opening times for older people and NHS workers

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Sexual health support from home, and remote support for people living with HIV

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Terrence Higgins Trust At Home | Terrence Higgins Trust

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Services and support available to you without leaving the house.

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Open every Friday from 12pm to 3pm.

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The BMECP Food Bank provides emergency food parcels for people in crisis who live in Brighton and Hove. Each food parcel contains non-perishable and nutritionally balanced food items. Our food bank is open every Friday from 12pm to 3pm commencing May 1st 2020. We take referrals for individuals, families and professionals.

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Monday - Friday 10am - 5pm, Sunday 2pm - 4pm

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Due to the repetitive nature of stalking and the psychological stress this places on victims, coping and recovering from stalking can be difficult. Victims are often isolated, unable to turn to friends and family or professionals who lack understanding of the nature of stalking behaviour and are often quick to dismiss seemingly 'harmless' behaviour.

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How to get in touch

Many of the usual services have closed but the teams are there to support over the telephone, by sharing activities which can be done at home and linking people with others they can maintain contact with.

A list of places you can get support can be downloaded below, we will be regularly updating this and refining it as organisations get their revised services in place so do check back for more information. You can always call us on 07770 061072 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm we will be happy to chat to you. Phone numbers for emergency or urgent services are on the list.

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Many of the usual services have closed but the teams are there to support over the telephone, by sharing activities which can be done at home and linking people with others they can maintain contact with.

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Support for those Self-Isolating | How to refer for help from an NHS Volunteer Responder

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Support for those Self-Isolating | How to refer for help from an NHS Volunteer Responder

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How do I get volunteer support?

Find out if you're eligible for support from the NHS Volunteer Responders programme and how to get in touch.

If you, or someone you know, would like to register for support from the volunteers please call 0808 196 3646 (8am to 8pm, 7 days a week).

If you're already getting support from our team of NHS Volunteer Responders, then find out more about what happens next on our I'm getting support page.

Who's eligible to receive supporting services from NHS Volunteer Responders?

You're eligible for support if:

You have ever been advised to shield by a health professional.

You are vulnerable for another reason, (for instance, due to disability, pregnancy, aged over 70, you have a long-term condition such as Parkinson's or epilepsy, or are vulnerable due to a mental health condition).

You have caring responsibilities.

You are self-isolating because you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or have symptoms, or you've been in contact with someone who has.

You have been instructed to self-isolate by the Test and Trace service, because you've been near someone infected.

You are self-isolating ahead of planned hospital care.

You have been instructed to self-isolate following entry into the country.

The programme's support services are also open to frontline health and care staff.

Following feedback from people who are using the service, we've created some frequently asked questions.

This is updated regularly to ensure the information is accurate, so please check them often, to ensure you have the latest guidance.

If you need any information that's not provided, please ring our Support Team on 0808 196 3646 (8am to 8pm, 7 days a week).

What kind of help is available?

Our volunteers can help you with various day-to-day tasks that might have become more difficult during the pandemic. Our volunteer services include:

What happens after I register for support?

Help with grocery shopping and other essentials

Once you've requested help, your volunteer will contact you by phone. You'll be able to talk through your shopping list and arrange how you'll pay. There are a number of payment options open to you.

Help with prescription collections

If you're self-isolating or avoiding busier places, you can arrange for your prescriptions to be picked up by our volunteers from your pharmacy of choice. Volunteers have been provided full guidance on transporting medicines.

Check In and Chat phone calls

Self-isolating or limiting contact with others can be tough going, so it's important to talk regularly to other people while you're at home. Our volunteers are always on hand for a friendly chat and we'd be delighted to book you in for a call.

You can schedule a one-off call or a regular check in.

Please note: the volunteer will be a different person each time.

I'm a carer, can I make a referral on someone's behalf?

Yes. You can make a referral for someone that you care for.

You can also arrange volunteer support for yourself if it will help you to continue in your caring role. Please call us on 0808 196 3646 (8am to 8pm, 7 days a week) to arrange support.

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Find out if you're eligible for support from the NHS Volunteer Responders programme and how to get in touch. If you, or someone you know, would like to register for support from the volunteers please call 0808 196 3646 (8am to 8pm, 7 days a week).

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Support resources for LGBTQ+ survivors of sexual violence during lockdown, from Galop

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Support resources for LGBTQ+ survivors of sexual violence during lockdown, from Galop

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Galop's Sexual Violence Support Service remains committed to supporting LGBT+ survivors during these challenging times. We encourage you to contact our service if you need support or help.

The Sexual Violence Support Team

NOTE:

All the information on this page is correct as of 24th April 2020. If you notice something that should be corrected or changed, please let us know: advice@galop.org.uk.

Galop lists contact details for support services and well-being resources in good faith. Not every resource will be suitable for every survivor; we encourage you to choose those that are helpful for you.

These are worrying times and having days when you feel anxious or struggle to cope are normal reaction s in the circumstances . If you are having a hard time, it's ok to ask for help .

Should I be worried if I have a cough/fever?
We are not able to provide any kind of medical advice. Please go onto the NHS website if you have questions about transmission of the virus:

If you are concerned about symptoms you might have, you can access support online.

Only call 111 if you are not able to get support online.

You can also access information about Covid-19 in other languages (Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Mandarin, French, Gujarati, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Urdu, Welsh).

You can use the free Government Coronavirus Information Service on WhatsApp. Simply add 07860 064422 in your phone contacts, and message the word 'hi' in a WhatsApp message to get .
I am a person living with HIV, am I at risk?
We are not an HIV specialist organisation and so cannot give specific advice. The Terrence Higgins Trust offers an online hu b to support people living with HIV during the lockdown.

While we are not able to provide counselling services, many excellent services are still running during the lockdown, and can offer online or phone support.

The Samaritans helpline - 116 123 - is open 24/7. They also offer tips on how to look after yourself during the lockdown

Mind Out offers phone/email/ livechat emotional support to anxious or isolated LGBT+ people

Rainbow Mind has useful ideas and resources for LGBT+ people in London and Manchester:

Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline is open 10am-10pm . They also have an emotional wellbeing support pack .

There is a list of LGBT+ Helplines around the country here .

Misery Party is a mental health collective for queer, trans and non-binary BIPOC.

Cruse Bereavement Care provide s a helpline and advice for those coping with a loss in these difficult circumstanc es .

Having to self-isolate and not being able to attend your usual support groups, or to put in place your regular coping mechanisms might be worrying. Specialist services can offer support if you are worried about dealing with addiction during the lockdown.

Antidote , from L ondon Friend , offer support for LGBT+ people in London needing support around substance use. They have also put together resources to address cra vings and triggers in isolation .

If you are involved in the chemsex scene, London Friend have a page specifically for those who have questions about chemsex in these times of self-isolation . It covers every thing from staying at home to how to take a break, while including how to be safe if you're considering taking any substances while engaging in phone or video sex. You could also use the care plan tool created by 56 Dean Street.

12 Step meetings : T here are several weekly recovery meetings for LGBT+ and ethnic minorities living in London taking place on zoom. If you would like to join one, have a chat with your caseworker (or contact Galop , if you are not a service user) and we can signpost you .

Talk to Frank offers great information and support if you're worried about your smoking, drinking or substance use.

ABA (Anorexic & Bulimics Anonymous) have zoom meetings Monday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday for those living in London.

For some people, bei ng able to share in faith-based communities is very helpful in dealing with trauma. The Proud Trust offers several booklets for LGBT+ people of faith: https://www.theproudtrust.org/for-young-people/faith-and-culture/ .

The following gatherings are all accessible online for free:

Free daily community meditation via Facebook , Instagram live or zoom, especially for QTIPOC

Inclusive G athering Birmingham is running prayer groups, community meetings and online worship .

Quest has resources for LGBT+ Catholics during the lockdown .

Open Table Manchester , an ecumenical LGBTI Christian network, host s an online service and i s normally accessible in British Sign Language.

The Inclusive Mosque Initiative , an intersectional feminist and queer-friendly mosque , will hold its first onl i ne Jummah prayer on Friday 10 th April.

The  Virtual Iftar Initiative  will aim to hold iftar   programmes   -  feminist, queer and inclusive -every evening for the month of Ramadan.

Keshet has a video about Queering the Seder

Sarbat is holding their meetings on zoom during the lockdown for all LGBT+ Sikhs.

Mancs Buddhist Centre, have a meditation on Zoom , Monday-Friday from 1-2pm

If your living situation is safe but you are missing being part of LGBT+ networks, here are some sugg estions to help you get through the lockdown:

London Friend , M etro , Gendered Intelligence , ELOP and many LGBT+ youth groups in London are running online groups for various ages .

Information about online groups nationally can be found online through the LGBT Consortium or The Proud Trust

Stay Home and Stay Queer is a resource pack full of helpful websites made for self isolating young (and older) LGBTQIA+ people who may currently be unable to fully express themselves or are feeling distant from their identities due to the current climate.

C ovid-19 is an unprecedented situation that has affected everyone . Survivors may find that memories and feelings about a previous experience have come into your mind. You might find that Covid-19 and its discussion in the media might heighten a sense of threat you already feel.

T rauma symptoms might get worse during this time, such as sleep disturbance ; lack of concentration ; flashbacks; or feeling hyper-alert . Some people might feel the opposite : more disconnected and unable to concentrate or think about previous experiences.

Peer support groups for survivors are available online. Some run as closed groups from established sexual violence services and offer moderated safe spaces (see Rape Crisis England and Wales and SurvivorsUK).

Other groups are set up and run by survivors outside of organisations. Some survivors will find these spaces welcoming and supportive. Galop is sharing the information below but does not endorse any particular group. We suggest that, if you are interested, you approach the group to find out more about who they are and how they run before committing to taking part.

As always, whenever accessing support online, it is important to remember that all spaces should have boundaries and should be safe. This is very important for survivors of sexual violence. If a space feels re-triggering or unsafe, then it might be wise to leave.

The Survivors Library runs each week a chat for survivors of all genders and sexualities from around the world , with a different focus for each session

Having to isolate at home is easy for no one, and it can be even harder for young LGBT+ people. We're here for you.

In London, these LGBT+ youth groups are offering online ways to meet up:

If you're worried about your safety at home or you're experiencing any sort of abuse or threat, contact Galop's Young People's Service: advice@galop.org.uk / online / or via the National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline 0800 999 5428 .

Stonewall Housing can give advice and help to LGBT+ young people in London facing homelessness .

The Albert Kennedy Trust has Covid-19 information and resources for LGBT+ young people . This includes access to webchat , advice for those who are homeless, and information about free or fair-cost online wellness sessions.

Consent is important and the law is the same , regardless of COVID-19 and the lockdown. More detailed information can be found in Galop's factsheet , but in summary:

You cannot consent if you are asleep or unconscious .

You cannot give your free consent if you are threatened, tricked, or coerced into sex.

Sex is not legal for anyone aged under-16.

If someone does not respect your boundaries, or i f you are concerned about something that has happened , however or whenever it happened, contact Galop for support and advice: tell us about it online or email advice@galop.org.uk .

If you are experiencing sexual assault from someone you live with, whatever the relationship, contact us online or via the National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0800 999 5428.

Created by Lily Ash Sakula and Project Indigo

The Metropolitan Police say that victims of sexual violence can report, whatever the circumstances. If you have experienced sexual violence but are concerned that reporting will reveal that you have broken the rules around social distancing, please get in touch so we can talk this over with you, without any judgement.

If you ne ed help urgently, whether you are inside or outside your home, we encourage you to call 999.

If you are experiencing sexual assault or sexual abuse from someone in your household , online or in any other way, we encourage you to contact us.

If you would like support about sexual violence you experienced in the past, however or whenever it happened, you can contact us.

We are here to listen and help. We work with all LGBT+ people aged 13+. Our advocacy services are available to those in Greater London but, if you live outside London and don't know where to get help, please get in touch and we will do our best to find the right service for you.
Tell us about it online
Or e mail us at advice@galop.org.uk

Or c all us on the National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0800 999 5428 .

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Galop's Sexual Violence Support Service remains committed to supporting LGBT+ survivors during these challenging times. We encourage you to contact our service if you need support or help. The Sexual Violence Support Team NOTE: All the information on this page is correct as of 24th April 2020.

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Sussex Mental Healthline - 0300 5000 101 - provides a 24/7 service to people needing urgent help with their mental health.

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Sussex Mental Healthline - 0300 5000 101 - provides a 24/7 service to people needing urgent help with their mental health.

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As well as crisis support it also provides psychological support to people who have general concerns about their mental health.

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Weekends during lockdown can feel extra lonely and may trigger feelings of anxiety or depression. If you're worried about your mental health during this time and need some advice or support you can...

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Eating well with limited equipment – Brighton and Hove Food Partnership

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Eating well with limited equipment – Brighton and Hove Food Partnership

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If you eat better, you'll feel better. But not everyone has cooking facilities like hobs and ovens which can make this easier. We worked with people living in temporary accommodation in Brighton, alongside a registered nutritionist, to test and design a set of healthy, tasty recipes which can be made with just a kettle, toaster or microwave.

Not having enough food, worrying about electricity and not feeling confident to cook are just some of the reasons that get in the way of eating well. However, regularly skipping meals and not eating enough nutritious food affects how our body functions. What we eat can help us to feel better and be healthier.

Cooking tasty food which is good for you is possible when money is tight and cooking facilities are limited.
We have developed a range of easy and cheap recipes that will give you energy and help you feel good. Give them a go!

Recipes and tips
Thank you to Fran, the Brighton Nutritionist, who developed these resources with us.
useful documents

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If you eat better, you'll feel better. But not everyone has cooking facilities like hobs and ovens which can make this easier. We worked with people living in temporary accommodation in Brighton, alongside a registered nutritionist, to test and design a set of healthy, tasty recipes which can be made with just a kettle, toaster or microwave.

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Information on seeing a dentist during lockdown

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Information on seeing a dentist during lockdown

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from Healthwatch B&H

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Coronavirus (Covid-19) Information about seeing a dentist - Healthwatch Brighton and Hove

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This guide provides some information about seeing a dentist at this current time. Seeing a Dentist 7.5.20 KEY POINTS Patients can still contact a dentist if they require medical help. This does not have to be the dental practice you are registered with, and you can contact any practice which is near to your home.

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Coronavirus Information - Doctors of the World

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Coronavirus Information - Doctors of the World

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Latest NHS Guidelines translated into 48 languages

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Below you will be able to find a series of resources addressing common questions including how to register with a GP, COVID 19 and the vaccine as well as keeping young people healthy. Please use the filters to search documents by keyword, narrow by topic or select your language or type you are looking for. For the Vaccine Confidence toolkit please click here.

Language and Search

©2022 Doctors of the World UK
Registered company 3483008 | Charity 1067406
29th floor, One Canada Square, London E14 5AA
+44 (0)20 7167 5789

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TRANSLATED HEALTH INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS - Doctors of the World

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Below you will be able to find a series of resources addressing common questions including how to register with a GP, COVID 19 and the vaccine as well as keeping young people healthy. Please use the filters to search documents by keyword, narrow by topic or select your language or type you are looking for.

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Brighton Women's Centre "Women Supporting Women" Helpline

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Brighton Women's Centre "Women Supporting Women" Helpline

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01273 698036 or email dropinservices@womenscentre.org.uk
Mondays 2-4pm (for women who are 50+) | Wednesdays 2-4pm | Thursdays 10-12pm

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We've been supporting self-identifying women in Sussex for over 40 years. We help women from all backgrounds, facing all kinds of issues, to live happier lives.

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Hungry Little Minds – Simple fun, activities for kids aged 0 – 5

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Hungry Little Minds – Simple fun, activities for kids aged 0 – 5

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Chat, play, read!

Here are some tips and activities to help your child develop their speech skills:

use things your child is interested in for play, follow their lead and make sure you're physically at their level while playing

if you notice your child looking or pointing at something, talk to them about it before they lose interest in it

picture books introduce your child to new things they haven't seen yet in real life - ask them to tell you the story, or talk about what the characters might be thinking and feeling

make reading, singing and playing even more fun by using lots of actions and different voices

take turns to make noises or speak - your child will be able to hold longer conversations, so slow down your speech, give them plenty of time to respond and listen carefully to what they have to say

talk to your child in short, simple sentences, as it's easier for them to understand you and have a go at copying when they are ready

try to use the same book or sing the same song, as young children learn a lot from repetition

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Find out how you can help your child with their speech & language development. If you have any concerns, talk to your doctor or health visitor.

# data[].attributes.headline
Covid Brighton & Hove: a coronavirus help directory

# data[].attributes.subject
Covid Brighton & Hove: a coronavirus help directory

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Covid Brighton & Hove: a coronavirus help directory

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A coronavirus help directory for Brighton & Hove. Need help with food shopping, getting medicine, feeling worried or lonely? Find help in your area.

# data[].attributes.headline
Emotional Well-being Support Pack from @switchboardLGBT 

# data[].attributes.subject
Emotional Well-being Support Pack from @switchboardLGBT 

# data[].attributes.wish_content.attachment_props.text
We’ve put together this Emotional Well-being Support Pack at @switchboardLGBT which you can download direct from our homepage https://t.co/t06MlK2ym2 - we hope you find it helpful and please share with others who might too 💜 #COVID19 #EveryDayCounts

# data[].attributes.wish_content.attachment_props.original_text
We’ve put together this Emotional Well-being Support Pack at @switchboardLGBT which you can download direct from our homepage https://t.co/t06MlK2ym2 - we hope you find it helpful and please share with others who might too 💜 #COVID19 #EveryDayCounts https://t.co/0fNpJwS4iU

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.embed_code
We’ve put together this Emotional Well-being Support Pack at @switchboardLGBT which you can download direct from our homepage https://t.co/t06MlK2ym2 - we hope you find it helpful and please share with others who might too 💜 #COVID19 #EveryDayCounts pic.twitter.com/0fNpJwS4iU
— Switchboard (@switchboardLGBT) April 16, 2020

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props_source.data.text
We’ve put together this Emotional Well-being Support Pack at @switchboardLGBT which you can download direct from our homepage https://t.co/t06MlK2ym2 - we hope you find it helpful and please share with others who might too 💜 #COVID19 #EveryDayCounts https://t.co/0fNpJwS4iU

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
We’ve put together this Emotional Well-being Support Pack at @switchboardLGBT which you can download direct from our homepage https://t.co/t06MlK2ym2 - we hope you find it helpful and please share with others who might too 💜 #COVID19 #EveryDayCounts https://t.co/0fNpJwS4iU

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.text
We’ve put together this Emotional Well-being Support Pack at @switchboardLGBT which you can download direct from our homepage https://t.co/t06MlK2ym2 - we hope you find it helpful and please share with others who might too 💜 #COVID19 #EveryDayCounts

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from B&H Healthwatch

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Stay Safe, Stay Inspired images from Pinteres

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Stay Safe, Stay Inspired images from Pinteres

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
225 Best Stay safe, stay inspired images in 2020 | Home activities, Health, wellness, Stay safe

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Apr 15, 2020 - Tips and ideas for overall health and wellness. Inspiration for at-home activities for everyone. See more ideas about Home activities, Health and wellness and Stay safe.

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Sparklers is normally a classroom, wellbeing toolkit. But during this time Sparklers is a great option for home use too. So, ta daaaa!

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Free Wellbeing Booklet for Download from Sage Holistic, Brighton

# data[].attributes.subject
Free Wellbeing Booklet for Download from Sage Holistic, Brighton

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Free Wellbeing Booklet for Download

Hello from all our Practitioners at Sage Holistic to our lovely Community in Brighton & Hove.

We hope you are not struggling in these unusual and somewhat unpresidented times.

As you are aware we had to shut our doors to contact to all treatments, so myself and our practitioners have been busy in the background learning new tech and ways in which we can still help our Community to keep there health and wellbeing optimal in these trying times.

We know stress can effect our immune system and leave us depleted, both energetically & physically but it also has an detrimental effect on us emotionally. Some of you may be experiencing anxiety, depression, fear or your aches and pains can seem worse at this time. So we have designed a lovely booklet that you can read, download and print out for free, as we want to share as many easy self-care routines to keep you sane, healthy and happy at this time, until we can open our doors and see all your lovely faces again.

Our Tips will help you cope and build your immune system and respiritory health, but most importantly keep you emotionally stable, relaxed and happy.

Until then please look out for some of our online vidoes, classes and workshops that we will be posting in due course that you can book onto through a donation basis charge - as we know many people are not able to work at these times, including our practitioners....so we are keeping things as cost effective as possible.

I look forward to hearing your feedback re the Wellbeing Booklet and any suggestions re online classes that you would like to try. You can still email or phone if have any queries, we are still here trying our best to serve you our community.

Kind Regards

Clinic Manager - Denise Millar

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Free Wellbeing Booklet for Download Hello from all our Practitioners at Sage Holistic to our lovely Community in Brighton & Hove. We hope you are not struggling in these unusual and somewhat unpresidented times.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
There are plenty of ways to reconnect with nature from your own home.

In the next few months things will be a little different across Sussex, but that doesn't mean we can't connect with wildlife. It is proven that a daily dose of nature improves your mental health, so we've got a few hints and tips of ways you can get wild at home.

We will keep updating this page with even more things you can do to boost your mood and keep healthy whilst spending time indoors and around the garden, so don't forget to check back regularly.

Read our response to Coronavirus

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There are plenty of ways to reconnect with nature from your own home. In the next few months things will be a little different across Sussex, but that doesn't mean we can't connect with wildlife. It is proven that a daily dose of nature improves your mental health, so we've got a few hints and tips of ways you can get wild at home.

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Supporting young people's mental health | CAMHS Resources

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Supporting young people's mental health | CAMHS Resources

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Is this your domain?Connect it to your Wix website in just a few easy steps:

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An anti-online grooming activity pack, helping keep children and young people safe online.

# data[].attributes.headline
Net Aware: Your guide to social networks, apps and games

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Net Aware: Your guide to social networks, apps and games

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Children and young people can be groomed online or in the real world, by a stranger or by someone they know. If you’re worried about a child, we have advice to help.

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Protecting children from grooming | NSPCC Learning

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Protecting children from grooming | NSPCC Learning

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We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our site. By continuing to use the site you agree to our use of cookies.
Find out more

What is grooming?

Grooming is "a process by which a person prepares a child, significant adults and the environment for the abuse of the child" (Craven, 2006). Grooming can happen anywhere, including:

online

in organisations

in public spaces (also known as street grooming)

(McAlinden, 2012).

Children and young people can be groomed by a stranger or by someone they know - such as a family member, friend or professional. The age gap between a child and their groomer can be relatively small (NSPCC and O2, 2016).

Grooming techniques can be used to prepare children for sexual abuse and exploitation, radicalisation (Department for Education (DfE), 2017) and criminal exploitation (All Party Parliamentary Group for Runaway and Missing Children and Adults, 2017).
> Learn more about teaching children about healthy relationships

Signs of grooming

Signs a child is being groomed include:

sudden changes in behaviour

going missing from home or school

secretive use of technology

having unexplained gifts

alcohol and/or drug misuse

having a much older 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend'

developing sexual health problems

mental health problems

(Rigg and Phippen, 2016).

Signs of grooming can easily be mistaken for 'normal' teenage behaviour but you may notice unexplained changes in behaviour or personality or inappropriate sexual behaviour for their age.

> Find out how to recognise the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships

How it happens

How does grooming happen?

Gaining trust

A groomer hides their true intentions and over time "gains the child's trust and confidence" in order to abuse them ( Sexual Offences Act 2003: explanatory notes). They may work to gain the trust of a whole family, to allow them to be left alone with a child. If they work with children they may use similar tactics with their colleagues.

The online grooming process can be much quicker than offline grooming (CEOP, 2013). There's evidence that some online grooming chats can develop in less than 20 minutes (Lorenzo-Dus and Izura, 2017).

Groomers gain trust by:

pretending to be someone they're not, for example saying they are the same age as the child online

offering advice or understanding

buying gifts

giving the child attention

using their professional position or reputation

taking the child on trips, outings or holidays

(Rigg and Phippen, 2016).

Gaining power

Once they've established trust groomers will exploit the relationship by isolating the child from friends or family and making the child feel dependent on them. Groomers will use power and control to make a child believe they have no choice but to do what the groomer wants.

Secrets

Groomers may introduce 'secrets' as a way to control or frighten the child. Sometimes they will blackmail the child or make them feel ashamed or guilty to stop them telling anyone about the abuse.

Manipulation

Groomers use a range of strategies to entrap a child and manipulate the child into participating in both online and offline sexual activity. They present themselves as approachable, likeable and having shared interests with the child they are targeting.

Groomers will test a child's compliance by persuading them to carry out inappropriate or abusive activities. They use tactics such as reverse psychology (for example, "I'm not sure about this, I think you might be too young") or strategic withdrawal (such as, "It was just an idea, it's completely up to you") which give the child the impression they are in control of the situation (Lorenzo-Dus, Izura and Perez-Tattam, 2016).

Online grooming

Groomers can use social media, instant messaging apps (including teen dating apps) or online gaming platforms to connect with a young person or child.

They can spend time learning about a young person's interests from their online profiles and then use this knowledge to help them build up a relationship.

It's easy for groomers to hide their identity online - they may pretend to be a child and then chat and become 'friends' with children they are targeting.

Groomers may look for:

usernames or comments that are flirtatious or have a sexual meaning

public comments that suggest a child has low self-esteem or is vulnerable.

Groomers don't always target a particular child. Sometimes they'll send messages to hundreds of young people and wait to see who responds. The online environment makes it easier for groomers to target several children at once (Lorenzo-Dus, Izura and Perez-Tattam, 2016).

Groomers don't need to meet children in real life to abuse them. Increasingly groomers are sexually exploiting children and young people by persuading them to take part in online sexual activity.

Speaking out

Speaking out about grooming

It's rare for a child to tell an adult about being groomed. This means we don't know how common grooming is.

Children may not speak out because they're:

ashamed

feeling guilty

unaware that they're being abused

believe they are in a relationship with a 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend'.

The grooming relationship can move quickly from being something that seems to have positive benefits for the child to being very frightening and isolating. Initially the child or young person is conditioned to respect, trust and love their groomer. They may not understand they are being groomed because they consider their groomer to be their boyfriend or girlfriend (Coffey et al, 2014).

The child may be uncomfortable with what they are being asked to do but not feel able to say no or seek help because they:

are worried about jeopardising the relationship if they don't give consent

are scared of what the groomer will do if they speak out or refuse to comply

don't want to get the groomer in trouble

blame themselves for getting involved in the relationship

are ashamed of sharing sexual details with other people.

Children at risk

What makes children vulnerable to grooming?

Grooming can affect any child. However, children who may be particularly vulnerable include:

children in care

children who are exploring their sexuality and identity online

those who are experiencing difficulties with peers, including social and communication problems

children with low self esteem and confidence (those who want to be liked)

children who have limited awareness about online risks (they may not recognise 'stranger danger' in the online world and they may see all online contacts as friends)

those whose online activity isn't appropriately supervised or monitored

(Coffey and Lloyd, 2014; DfE, 2017).

Many children who contact Childline about online sexual abuse also talk about:

mental health problems

loneliness

social isolation

family problems

(NSPCC and O2, 2016).

Those who have been groomed often say their groomer was the first person who really seemed to understand and care about these issues (NSPCC and O2, 2016). As with any form of abuse, children who are disabled (Jones et al, 2012) and those who have already experienced abuse (Finkelhor, Ormrod and Turner, 2007) are particularly vulnerable to grooming.

Prevention

How to prevent grooming

To prevent grooming it's important for there to be community awareness about what grooming is, how it works and how it can lead to abuse. Communities can be the strongest allies in protecting children from exploitation (Coffey and Lloyd, 2014).

It's also essential for those who work with children and young people to empower children to recognise and speak out about abuse. This includes:

teaching children and young people about healthy relationships

helping children and young people develop the awareness and skills needed to keep safe online.

Our Stop TIME Online activity pack (NSPCC Cymru/Wales and Swansea University, 2017) gives professionals and young people a better understanding of the strategies online groomers use to build trusting relationships with young people. The materials can be used during one-to-one or small group work sessions with children and young people aged 8 to 18 who are at risk of online grooming.

We're currently piloting the activity pack. If you'd like more information about our activity pack, email PublicAffairs.Cymru@nspcc.org.uk.

References and resources

References

All Party Parliamentary Group for Runaway and Missing Children and Adults (2017) Briefing report on the roundtable on children who go missing and are criminally exploited by gangs (PDF). [London]: Missing People.

All Wales Child Protection Procedures Review Group (2013) Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children who are at risk of abuse through sexual exploitation (PDF). [Cardiff]: All Wales Child Protection Procedures Review Group.

Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) (2013) Threat assessment of child sexual exploitation and abuse (PDF). London: CEOP.

Coffey, A. and Lloyd, T. (2014) Real voices: child sexual exploitation in Greater Manchester (PDF). [Manchester]: Greater Manchester Police Force.

Craven, S., Brown, S. and Gilchrist, E. (2006) Sexual grooming of children: review of literature and theoretical considerations. Journal of sexual aggression: 12 (3): 287-299.

Department for Education (DfE) (2017) Safeguarding and radicalisation (PDF). London: Department for Education (DfE).

Finkelhor, D., Ormrod, R. K. and Turner, H. A. (2007) Re-victimization patterns in a national longitudinal sample of children and youth. Child Abuse and Neglect, 31(5): 479-502.

Jones, L. et al (2012) Prevalence and risk of violence against children with disabilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Lancet 380(9845): 899-907.

Lorenzo-Dus, N., Izura, C. and Perez-Tattam, R. (2016) Understanding grooming discourse in computer-mediated environments. Discourse, Context and Media, 12: 440-450.

Lorenzo-Dus, N. and Izura, C. (2017) "Cause ur special": understanding trust and complimenting behaviour in online grooming discourse. Journal of Pragmatics 112: 68-82.

McAlinden, A. (2012) 'Grooming' and the sexual abuse of children: institutional, internet, and familial dimensions. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

NSPCC and O2 (2016) "What should I do?": NSPCC helplines: responding to children's and parents' concerns about sexual content online (PDF). [London]: NSPCC.

Rigg, K. and Phippen, A. (2016) Grooming within organisations: how to keep children safe (PDF). London: Farrer & Co LLP.

Information for parents

Find advice for parents on the NSPCC website:
> Learn about preventing online abuse > Learn about e-safety for schools > Learn about online safety for organisations and groups > Take our Online safety training

What is grooming?

Grooming is "a process by which a person prepares a child, significant adults and the environment for the abuse of the child" (Craven, 2006). Grooming can happen anywhere, including:

online

in organisations

in public spaces (also known as street grooming)

(McAlinden, 2012).

Children and young people can be groomed by a stranger or by someone they know - such as a family member, friend or professional. The age gap between a child and their groomer can be relatively small (NSPCC and O2, 2016).

Grooming techniques can be used to prepare children for sexual abuse and exploitation, radicalisation (Department for Education (DfE), 2017) and criminal exploitation (All Party Parliamentary Group for Runaway and Missing Children and Adults, 2017).
> Learn more about teaching children about healthy relationships

Signs of grooming

Signs a child is being groomed include:

sudden changes in behaviour

going missing from home or school

secretive use of technology

having unexplained gifts

alcohol and/or drug misuse

having a much older 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend'

developing sexual health problems

mental health problems

(Rigg and Phippen, 2016).

Signs of grooming can easily be mistaken for 'normal' teenage behaviour but you may notice unexplained changes in behaviour or personality or inappropriate sexual behaviour for their age.

> Find out how to recognise the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships

How it happens

How does grooming happen?

Gaining trust

A groomer hides their true intentions and over time "gains the child's trust and confidence" in order to abuse them ( Sexual Offences Act 2003: explanatory notes). They may work to gain the trust of a whole family, to allow them to be left alone with a child. If they work with children they may use similar tactics with their colleagues.

The online grooming process can be much quicker than offline grooming (CEOP, 2013). There's evidence that some online grooming chats can develop in less than 20 minutes (Lorenzo-Dus and Izura, 2017).

Groomers gain trust by:

pretending to be someone they're not, for example saying they are the same age as the child online

offering advice or understanding

buying gifts

giving the child attention

using their professional position or reputation

taking the child on trips, outings or holidays

(Rigg and Phippen, 2016).

Gaining power

Once they've established trust groomers will exploit the relationship by isolating the child from friends or family and making the child feel dependent on them. Groomers will use power and control to make a child believe they have no choice but to do what the groomer wants.

Secrets

Groomers may introduce 'secrets' as a way to control or frighten the child. Sometimes they will blackmail the child or make them feel ashamed or guilty to stop them telling anyone about the abuse.

Manipulation

Groomers use a range of strategies to entrap a child and manipulate the child into participating in both online and offline sexual activity. They present themselves as approachable, likeable and having shared interests with the child they are targeting.

Groomers will test a child's compliance by persuading them to carry out inappropriate or abusive activities. They use tactics such as reverse psychology (for example, "I'm not sure about this, I think you might be too young") or strategic withdrawal (such as, "It was just an idea, it's completely up to you") which give the child the impression they are in control of the situation (Lorenzo-Dus, Izura and Perez-Tattam, 2016).

Online grooming

Groomers can use social media, instant messaging apps (including teen dating apps) or online gaming platforms to connect with a young person or child.

They can spend time learning about a young person's interests from their online profiles and then use this knowledge to help them build up a relationship.

It's easy for groomers to hide their identity online - they may pretend to be a child and then chat and become 'friends' with children they are targeting.

Groomers may look for:

usernames or comments that are flirtatious or have a sexual meaning

public comments that suggest a child has low self-esteem or is vulnerable.

Groomers don't always target a particular child. Sometimes they'll send messages to hundreds of young people and wait to see who responds. The online environment makes it easier for groomers to target several children at once (Lorenzo-Dus, Izura and Perez-Tattam, 2016).

Groomers don't need to meet children in real life to abuse them. Increasingly groomers are sexually exploiting children and young people by persuading them to take part in online sexual activity.

Speaking out

Speaking out about grooming

It's rare for a child to tell an adult about being groomed. This means we don't know how common grooming is.

Children may not speak out because they're:

ashamed

feeling guilty

unaware that they're being abused

believe they are in a relationship with a 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend'.

The grooming relationship can move quickly from being something that seems to have positive benefits for the child to being very frightening and isolating. Initially the child or young person is conditioned to respect, trust and love their groomer. They may not understand they are being groomed because they consider their groomer to be their boyfriend or girlfriend (Coffey et al, 2014).

The child may be uncomfortable with what they are being asked to do but not feel able to say no or seek help because they:

are worried about jeopardising the relationship if they don't give consent

are scared of what the groomer will do if they speak out or refuse to comply

don't want to get the groomer in trouble

blame themselves for getting involved in the relationship

are ashamed of sharing sexual details with other people.

Children at risk

What makes children vulnerable to grooming?

Grooming can affect any child. However, children who may be particularly vulnerable include:

children in care

children who are exploring their sexuality and identity online

those who are experiencing difficulties with peers, including social and communication problems

children with low self esteem and confidence (those who want to be liked)

children who have limited awareness about online risks (they may not recognise 'stranger danger' in the online world and they may see all online contacts as friends)

those whose online activity isn't appropriately supervised or monitored

(Coffey and Lloyd, 2014; DfE, 2017).

Many children who contact Childline about online sexual abuse also talk about:

mental health problems

loneliness

social isolation

family problems

(NSPCC and O2, 2016).

Those who have been groomed often say their groomer was the first person who really seemed to understand and care about these issues (NSPCC and O2, 2016). As with any form of abuse, children who are disabled (Jones et al, 2012) and those who have already experienced abuse (Finkelhor, Ormrod and Turner, 2007) are particularly vulnerable to grooming.

Prevention

How to prevent grooming

To prevent grooming it's important for there to be community awareness about what grooming is, how it works and how it can lead to abuse. Communities can be the strongest allies in protecting children from exploitation (Coffey and Lloyd, 2014).

It's also essential for those who work with children and young people to empower children to recognise and speak out about abuse. This includes:

teaching children and young people about healthy relationships

helping children and young people develop the awareness and skills needed to keep safe online.

Our Stop TIME Online activity pack (NSPCC Cymru/Wales and Swansea University, 2017) gives professionals and young people a better understanding of the strategies online groomers use to build trusting relationships with young people. The materials can be used during one-to-one or small group work sessions with children and young people aged 8 to 18 who are at risk of online grooming.

We're currently piloting the activity pack. If you'd like more information about our activity pack, email PublicAffairs.Cymru@nspcc.org.uk.

References and resources

References

All Party Parliamentary Group for Runaway and Missing Children and Adults (2017) Briefing report on the roundtable on children who go missing and are criminally exploited by gangs (PDF). [London]: Missing People.

All Wales Child Protection Procedures Review Group (2013) Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children who are at risk of abuse through sexual exploitation (PDF). [Cardiff]: All Wales Child Protection Procedures Review Group.

Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) (2013) Threat assessment of child sexual exploitation and abuse (PDF). London: CEOP.

Coffey, A. and Lloyd, T. (2014) Real voices: child sexual exploitation in Greater Manchester (PDF). [Manchester]: Greater Manchester Police Force.

Craven, S., Brown, S. and Gilchrist, E. (2006) Sexual grooming of children: review of literature and theoretical considerations. Journal of sexual aggression: 12 (3): 287-299.

Department for Education (DfE) (2017) Safeguarding and radicalisation (PDF). London: Department for Education (DfE).

Finkelhor, D., Ormrod, R. K. and Turner, H. A. (2007) Re-victimization patterns in a national longitudinal sample of children and youth. Child Abuse and Neglect, 31(5): 479-502.

Jones, L. et al (2012) Prevalence and risk of violence against children with disabilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Lancet 380(9845): 899-907.

Lorenzo-Dus, N., Izura, C. and Perez-Tattam, R. (2016) Understanding grooming discourse in computer-mediated environments. Discourse, Context and Media, 12: 440-450.

Lorenzo-Dus, N. and Izura, C. (2017) "Cause ur special": understanding trust and complimenting behaviour in online grooming discourse. Journal of Pragmatics 112: 68-82.

McAlinden, A. (2012) 'Grooming' and the sexual abuse of children: institutional, internet, and familial dimensions. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

NSPCC and O2 (2016) "What should I do?": NSPCC helplines: responding to children's and parents' concerns about sexual content online (PDF). [London]: NSPCC.

Rigg, K. and Phippen, A. (2016) Grooming within organisations: how to keep children safe (PDF). London: Farrer & Co LLP.

Information for parents

Find advice for parents on the NSPCC website:
> Learn about preventing online abuse > Learn about e-safety for schools > Learn about online safety for organisations and groups > Take our Online safety training

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Protecting children from grooming | NSPCC Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our site. By continuing to use the site you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more Grooming is "a process by which a person prepares a child, significant adults and the environment for the abuse of the child" (Craven, 2006).

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Coronavirus explained: free book illustrated by the Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler

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Coronavirus explained: free book illustrated by the Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler

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Posted by Nosy Crow, April 6, 2020

Axel Scheffler has illustrated a digital book for primary school age children, free for anyone to read on screen or print out, about the coronavirus and the measures taken to control it. Published by Nosy Crow, and written by staff within the company, the book has had expert input: Professor Graham Medley of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine acted as a consultant, and the company also had advice from two head teachers and a child psychologist.

The book answers key questions in simple language appropriate for 5 to 9 year olds:

* What is the coronavirus?
* How do you catch the coronavirus?
* What happens if you catch the coronavirus?
* Why are people worried about catching the coronavirus?
* Is there a cure for the coronavirus?
* Why are some places we normally go to closed?
* What can I do to help?
* What's going to happen next?

We want to make sure that this book is accessible to every child and family and so the book is offered totally free of charge to anyone who wants to read it. However, we have suggested, at the back of the book, that families might make a donation to help our health service if they find the book useful: https://www.nhscharitiestogether.co.uk/.

Kate Wilson, Managing Director of Nosy Crow, said:

"We were very aware that many parents and carers are struggling to explain the current extraordinary situation to children, many of whom are frightened and confused. We thought that the best thing we could do would be to use our skills to produce a free book to explain and, where possible, reassure children. We asked Axel, whose work is so familiar and so loved, to illustrate it. He was happy to do it, and did it extraordinarily quickly. Meanwhile, having heard Professor Medley interviewed by the BBC, we looked him up and wrote to him, and despite his huge workload, he reviewed the book over a weekend, and we were able to incorporate his suggestions, together with those of two head teachers and a child psychologist, into the final version of the book. We hope it helps answer difficult questions in difficult times."

Axel Scheffler, illustrator of The Gruffalo, said:

"I asked myself what I could do as an children's illustrator to inform, as well as entertain, my readers here and abroad. So I was glad when my publisher, Nosy Crow, asked me to illustrate this question-and-answer book about the coronavirus. I think it is extremely important for children and families to have access to good and reliable information in this unprecedented crisis, and I hope that the popularity of the books I've done with Julia Donaldson will ensure that this digital book will reach many children who are now slightly older, but might still remember our picture books."

Professor Graham Medley, Professor of Infectious Disease Modelling at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said:

"This pandemic is changing children's lives across the globe and will have a lasting impact on us all. Helping children understand what is going on is an important step in helping them cope and making them part of the story - this is something that we are all going through, not something being done to them. This book puts children IN the picture rather just watching it happen, and in a way that makes the scary parts easier to cope with."

You can read the new, revised edition of Coronavirus and Covid: A book for children about the pandemic below, and download it as a PDF here.
We have also created a free audio edition of the book, read by Hugh Bonneville. You can listen to the audio for free on Soundcloud here, and below. It is also available to download for free through the Cloudaloud audiobook app, which can be found on the App Store here.
Nosy Crow produced the audiobook with Strathmore Publishing, and both Strathmore and Bonneville gave their time for free.

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Out now: a free information book explaining the coronavirus to children, illustrated by Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler

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Axel Scheffler has illustrated a digital book for primary school age children, free for anyone to read on screen or print out, about the coronavirus and the measures taken to control it. Published by Nosy Crow, and written by staff within the company, the book has had expert input: Professor Graham Medley of the London ...

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Speak Out Helpline and Support for people with learning disabilities during the Coronavirus outbreak

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Speak Out Helpline and Support for people with learning disabilities during the Coronavirus outbreak

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The Reader

The Reader at Home initiative will bring you wonderful reading materials, Shared Reading online and by phone and more.

Whether you're a member of one of our groups, a volunteer or a partner organisation, they hope there is something for you. And if you're new to The Reader, they hope to inspire you to get involved in the community.

Big Weekend UK 2020

Big Weekend 2020 is going ahead as planned (Friday 22 - Sunday 24 May 2020), but with a twist: it's a virtual festival. Radio 1 and the world's biggest artists will be joining you remotely while you stay at home.
The likes of Sam Smith and Jonas Brothers will be performing from their homes and maybe even home studios.

CALM Comedy Club

The CALM Comedy Club is a live streamed comedy series offering big laughs from big names direct to your Twitter feed.
Starting on 27 April, every day of the week at 3pm (BST), exclusively live streamed through our Twitter feed, they will be having an array of very funny people who'll be providing 10 mins of laughs, where you can take shelter away from the news and these weird times we're in.

Armchair Gallery

Discover, play & create with your favourite artists. Including artworks and artefacts from the collections of Chatsworth House, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, The Lowry, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Pitt Rivers Museum, Mr Straw's House & Newstead Abbey.

Colour a Canaletto, create your own Hepworth, take a selfie with Lowry and much, much more...

English National Ballet

The English National Ballet is inviting audiences to weekly viewings of never-before-seen performance recordings as part of its new watch-along series.

The online premieres of Broken Wings, based on the life of artist Frida Kahlo, and Akram Khan's Dust will be the first ballets to be released.

A new full-length show will premiere every Wednesday on Facebook and YouTube at 7pm, when viewers can watch together with the ENB on social media. Each show will then be available for the next 48 hours.

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The Reader The Reader at Home initiative will bring you wonderful reading materials, Shared Reading online and by phone and more. Whether you're a member of one of our groups, a volunteer or a partner organisation, they hope there is something for you.

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Possability People Covid-19 Resource List

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Possability People Covid-19 Resource List

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Covid-19 (Coronavirus) - Possability People

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Receive all the latest news, information and events about Possability People.

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Gig Buddies Coronavirus Fest - free, ongoing festival on FB

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Gig Buddies Coronavirus Fest - free, ongoing festival on FB

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Welcome to Coronavirus Fest. We'll be live streaming a variety of acts to keep us all entertained over the coming weeks (or months).
Want to perform? Drop us a line.
Want to come to our festival?...

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While Disney World & Disneyland Are Closed, Take Your Kids On Virtual Rides

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While Disney World & Disneyland Are Closed, Take Your Kids On Virtual Rides

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Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, and more might be taking some time off during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak as Disney World and Disneyland are closed for at least a few weeks, but you can still experience some of that magic while everyone is cooped up at home. With a quick visit to YouTube, you and your kids can be momentarily transported to Orlando.

Thanks to a very handy tip Rich Juzwiak wrote for Jezebel, there are loads of ride-through videos on YouTube from parkgoers who've documented themselves going down attractions like Space Mountain and Slinky Dog Dash. And, hey, beyond just watching the videos, you can take it up a notch with inspiration from the creative dad who put his daughter in a laundry basket for the roller-coaster ride of her life.

Below is a list of some rides you can enjoy virtually as we all practice some very important social distancing to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

In response to the ongoing concerns surrounding the spread of the novel coronavirus, Disney parks in the United States announced plans to close last week. According to Disney, Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure closed on March 14, while Walt Disney World closed on March 15. Both will remain closed until the end of the month, and Disney said they "will continue to stay in close contact with appropriate officials and health experts."

Though Disney has not said otherwise, it's possible that the park closures could last longer. On Sunday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a guidance recommending against gatherings of 50 people or more for at least eight weeks to help reduce the spread of the virus. So, with that said, it may a while before the "happiest place on earth" opens its doors once again. In the meantime, try a recipe for a homemade Dole Whip and take a few virtual rides to help pass the time.
If you think you're showing symptoms of coronavirus, which include fever, shortness of breath, and cough, call your doctor before going to get tested. If you're anxious about the virus's spread in your community, visit the CDC for up-to-date information and resources, or seek out mental health support. You can find all of Romper's parents + coronavirus coverage here, and Bustle's constantly updated, general "what to know about coronavirus" here.

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Psst! Take Your Kids On Virtual Rides While Disney Parks Are Closed Due To COVID-19

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Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, and more might be taking some time off during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak as Disney World and Disneyland are closed for at least a few weeks, but you can still experience some of that magic while everyone is...

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Explore The Hidden Worlds of our National Parks

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Explore The Hidden Worlds of our National Parks

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Follow rangers on a journey to places most people never go in stunning 360° video.

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The National Theatre is going to stream a free play every Thursday night

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The National Theatre is going to stream a free play every Thursday night

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The Thursday night extravaganzas come to a close with 'Amadeus'

One of the highlights of lockdown (not a phrase we thought we'd ever be saying, tbh) has to have been the weekly theatre dose administered by London's National Theatre. The line-up of plays streamed for free via YouTube - a new one released each Thursday - has kept audiences at home on the edge of their sofas. And they've been pretty starry, too: James Corden, Gillian Anderson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tamsin Greig and Tom Hiddleston have all already appeared on our on-screen stages.

Alas, all good things (and lockdown) must come to an end, and the National Theatre is now entering the final throes of free streaming. We have just one instalment left. Airing from Thursday July 16 is a 2016 production of ' Amadeus' by Peter Shaffer that we described at the time as 'overwhelming'. The Amadeus in question is, of course, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - here, a young prodigy whose success is in the hands of Vienna director of opera Antonio Salieri, played by masterful National Theatre regular Lucian Msamati. This particular production was directed by Michael Longhurst and chucked the Southbank Sinfonia into the mix, a move that made this 'total theatre', in our book.

With the greatest archive of cinema-quality recordings of stage plays of any theatre on the planet, it's little surprise that the National Theatre has been doing such a great job entertaining us all. The NT Live programme was designed to beam productions from the NT into cinemas across the country, but there are, of course, no cinemas in operation at present. So the NT switched to broadcasting via its YouTube channel.

National Theatre at Home launched on YouTube on April 2, and since, every Thursday (7pm BST/2pm EST) has seen a new play released - free to watch for one week - along with bonus content including cast and creatives Q&As and post-stream talks.

There's been a definite emphasis on good cheer for the line-up, which kicked off with Richard Bean's beloved farce 'One Man, Two Guvnors', starring a pre-chatshow-days James Corden, and which drew more than 2.5 million viewers. But the final additions to the line-up showed the NT's power at tackling the topical, too. And with 'Amadeus', it seems that the smash-hit streaming season is going out with a bang.

Here's the full programme:

April 2 'One Man, Two Guvnors' by Richard Bean, starring James Corden. Read our review.

April 9 'Jane Eyre', adapted by Sally Cookson. Read our review.

April 16 'Treasure Island', adapted by Bryony Lavery. Read our review.

April 23 'Twelfth Night' by William Shakespeare, starring Tamsin Greig. Read our review.

April 30 & May 1 ' Frankenstein' adapted by Danny Boyle, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller. Read our review.

May 7 ' Antony & Cleopatra' by William Shakespeare, starring Ralph Fiennes. Read our review.

May 14 ' Barber Shop Chronicles' by Inua Ellams. Read our review.

May 21 ' A Streetcar Named Desire' by Tennessee Williams, starring Gillian Anderson. Read our review.

May 28 ' This House' by James Graham. Read our reveiw.

June 4 ' Coriolanus' by William Shakespeare, starring Tom Hiddleston. Read our review.

June 11 ' The Madness of George III ' by Alan Bennett, starring Mark Gatiss.

June 18 ' Small Island', an adaptation of the novel by Andrea Levy. Read our review.

June 25 ' A Midsummer Night's Dream' by William Shakespeare, starring Gwendoline Christie. Read our review.

July 2 ' Les Blancs' by Lorraine Hansberry. Read our review.

July 9 ' The Deep Blue Sea' by Terence Rattigan, starring Helen McCrory and Tom Burke. Read our review.

July 16 ' Amadeus' by Peter Shaffer, starring Lucian Msamati. Read our review.
For more information on National Theatre at Home, click here. For other ways you can watch plays while London's in lockdown, clickhere. Find out when London's theatres might open again. To find out more about this week's play which starts streaming on YouTube on Thu Jul 16, click here.

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National Theatre Live: updated YouTube streaming schedule for free plays every Thursday

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The Thursday night extravaganzas come to a close with 'Amadeus' One of the highlights of lockdown (not a phrase we thought we'd ever be saying, tbh) has to have been the weekly theatre dose administered by London's National Theatre.

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Watch Wind in the Willows stage show for free

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Watch Wind in the Willows stage show for free

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The Wind in the Willows

The Wind in the Willows can be rented and streamed online! ​

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Important Information

Our service and any content viewed through our service are for your personal and non-commercial use and may not be shared with individuals beyond your household. You agree not to use the service for public performance.

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Stream the Film | Wind in the Willows the Musical

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The Wind in the Willows The Wind in the Willows can be rented and streamed online! ​ ​ Important Information Our service and any content viewed through our service are for your personal and non-commercial use and may not be shared with individuals beyond your household.

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Stage shows, musicals and opera you can watch online now for free | WhatsOnStage

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Stage shows, musicals and opera you can watch online now for free | WhatsOnStage

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Theatres may be closed, but you can always get a stagey fix online. We round-up a series of shows you can watch right now - operas, musicals and more!
If you can - please do try and help out theatres across the UK - we've got some tips here.
HPC Meeeting 10 December 2020

[Not really theatre but utterly gripping]

London International Mime Festival

A variety of stage shows will be streamed on YouTube for free - highlighting the best in physical and contemporary storytelling. Highlights include Gecko's The Wedding.

Rifco Theatre's Leave the Plastic On

The company's comedy series is available to watch now - top notch production values and some whip-sharp dialogue.

A Tale to Tell

Shakespeare's Globe's Romeo and Juliet

Jackson's Lane international short film

Kneehigh's The Neon Shadow

Frozen

The cruise hour-long version can be seen now.

Sadler's Wells

Sadler's Wells will be streaming an archived production each month, featuring Candoco, Kate Prince and more. More details here.

These Folk at The Boulevard Theatre

Good Dog

Based on Arinzé Kene's hit play, the new, shortened, screen version has been put online for all to see.

Edinburgh International Festival

The organisation has created a whole digital platform to replace its events this year. The series includes National Theatre of Scotland's Ghost Light, which is below:

Zoo Venues

The Edinburgh Fringe company is streaming a host of online and recorded productions on its website, with all funds raised going directly to artists unable to perform this year. Watch here.

Tangled

Shakespeare's Globe's Richard II

Manchester International Festival

The festival is putting full shows, musical performances, talks, Q&As and more online for free. Check out the YouTube channel here.

Leonard Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti

Opera North is streaming its production of the hit Bernstein opera for a full month on its YouTube channel.

Alan Seymour's The One Day of the Year

Australian and New Zealand actors including Mark Little, Kerry Fox, Daniel Monks, Paul Haley and Celeste Dodwell bring the hit play to life, all via remote performance. It's available until 31 May.

BBC's Performance Live

Featuring Hofesth Shechter, Tourreshero, Akala, Kate Tempest and more, the BBC is offering a raft of free theatre for UK users.

Royal Opera House

The iconic company is putting archived shows online for free, and you can see more here.

ZARA

Now this is a bit of a biggy - Mind the Gap, Walk the Plank and Emergency Exit Arts' epic 2019 show is heading online from Sunday 19 April at 8pm. Featuring 100 performers and a giant baby bigger than a double-decker bus, the piece is available here.

Only the Brave

Only The Brave - A New Musical from AdVision TV on Vimeo.

Only the Brave, the hit musical starring Caroline Sheen and David Thaxton, is available for free online. The show, filmed by AdVision TV in 2016, tells the story of a group of soldiers in the run-up to the D-Day landings. It had its first run at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2008, before a full production premiered in 2016 at the Millenium Centre in Cardiff.

Cheek By Jowl

The iconic theatre company has brought back the archive recording of its hit version of Shakespeare's problem play, which was captured live at the Barbican in 2017. It's around for a month!

Henry V

The Barn's hit production with Aaron Sidwell and Lauren Samuels went live at 6pm on Friday 27 March, and will be available from the Barn's website after that.

21 Chump Street

Long before Hamilton there was the speedy 21 Chump Street, starring Anthony Ramos and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Ramos himself is about to take on the leading role in the In the Heights movie, scheduled to be released this summer. The BAM performance is available to watch in its entirety above. A small nugget of gold.

Ghost Quartet

Missed the award-winning revival of Ghost Quartet when it ran in London last year? Well Dave Malloy has posted the full musical on YouTube - featuring himself, performed in 2015.

The Show Must Go Online

This is a cool scheme - live readings of Shakespeare's works provided by top-notch actors who would otherwise be twiddling their thumbs.

Bubble

Rehearsed on Skype and filmed via Facebook, Theatre Uncut's newest show is a perfect fit for the coronavirus outbreak. Kieran Hurley's brand new play will be premiering on 23 March at 8pm and will also be released as a playtext to download, with performing rights free until 23 April. Find out more about it in the trailer above.

Opera Vision

Free opera! Now that's a nice sentiment - the European Commission-supported OperaVision will be supplying free opportunities to watch top-tier performances filmed at the highest quality level, with new shows released weekly on top of a massive back catalogue. Find out more.

First encounter King Lear

Another lovely RSC show geared towards introducing theatre to young'uns, this time taking the tragic story of King Lear and making it more accessible and fleet. The perfect way to kick off a love of theatre.

Gecko Theatre

Physical theatre pros Gecko have put a wad of their shows on YouTube for free, including The Time of Your Life, a collaboration with the BBC.

Tim Crouch is a legend at the best of times, so seeing his solo show hosted by the RSC is a great chance to watch theatre at its best. You can also watch his production of I, Malvolio here.

Girls Like That

Evan Placey's hit 2014 play heads to the virtual world. It follows a group of schoolgirls reacting as one of their peers has naked photos of themselves leaked online - a pertinent issue for the present day, and a good way to get into a knotty play during the quiet hours.

Kanopy

Have you got a library card or a university login? Did you know about this amazing streaming service that can be accessed through your local institution to watch films, TV shows and live theatre performances? Did you know that it's totally free? Well you do now! Open to members participating libraries, colleges and universities, this is a great to way to catch up on some amazing shows from years gone by. Check out Kanopy and discover the participating venues here.

5 Soldiers

The critically acclaimed five-star production is a collaboration between British choreographer Rosie Kay and the British army, and gave an insight into the psychology and welfare of soldiers fighting on the front lines. It's now available to watch online above.

Clown Funeral

Associate artists of the New Diorama and Pegasus Theatre, Clown Funeral has made three shows available online for free (head to YouTube for the others) so that's a whole wad of whimsy while you wait for the virus to subside!

Timpson the Musical

The hit Fringe production has put its best foot forward and released a full recording online! Watch it above.

YesYesNoNo

The theatre company has put one of its earlier works, Five Encounters on a Site Called Craigslist, online for free! The show was one of the smash hits at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2017. And more than that, the company are sending the cast of its latest show The Accident Did Not Take Place to record at the Bunker Theatre. Stream it live online here on 21 March at 7.25pm.

Playwright Emily Jenkins was commissioned to write this show about cyber bullying by the Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass charity. It was first performed live in 2017 and then live recorded for Anti-Bullying Week. A great show about the negative experiences young people can face online - and it's available for free!

Daniel Bye

This theatremaker has been creating exciting and thought-provoking work and putting it on his YouTube channel for years. Bye has also launched a Patreon page if anyone wants to contribute.

This apocalyptic comedy came to the Old Vic Tunnels in 2013 and the theatre company has made it available to watch for free on YouTube in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

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Stage shows, musicals and opera you can watch online now for free | WhatsOnStage

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Theatres may be closed, but you can always get a stagey fix online. We round-up a series of shows you can watch right now - operas, musicals and more! If you can - please do try and help out theatres across the UK - we've got some tips here.

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Neil Gaiman offers tons of cool stuff for free for you to kill your time with

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Neil Gaiman offers tons of cool stuff for free for you to kill your time with

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Feeling bored while staying at home during the lockdow... I mean, Restricted Movement period? Well, head on over to Neil Gaiman's website for some intellectual stimulation, where the British author has offered a bevy of 'Cool Stuff' for both adults and children for free on his website.

For the adults, his main website NeilGaiman.com has a ton of cool stuff to download, read and listen to, including short stories such as the Hugo Award-nominated How To Talk To Girls At Parties, his 'David Bowie fan fiction' The Return Of The Thin White Duke, essays by and about Gaiman, audio interviews, readings and book excerpts.

For kids, head over to MouseCircus.com, The "Official Neil Gaiman Website For Young Readers", where you can listen to the author read the entirety of his best-selling The Graveyard Book on video, as well as another video where Gaiman and "lots of other people" read the whole of Coraline.

Gaiman is best known for his work on the critically acclaimed The Sandman comic series, as well as novels such as American Gods, Neverwhere, Norse Mythology. He has also written books for younger readers such as The Graveyard Book, The Ocean At The End Of The Lane, and Coraline.

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Neil Gaiman offers tons of cool stuff for free for you to kill your time with

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Feeling bored while staying at home during the lockdow... I mean, Restricted Movement period? Well, head on over to Neil Gaiman's website for some intellectual stimulation, where the British author has offered a bevy of 'Cool Stuff' for both adults and children for free on his website.

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Patrick Stewart is reading a Shakespeare sonnet a day to get us through the coronavirus lockdown | WhatsOnStage

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Patrick Stewart is reading a Shakespeare sonnet a day to get us through the coronavirus lockdown | WhatsOnStage

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He's one of the most renowned Shakespeare performers of a generation, so it's only right that Patrick Stewart turns to the Bard while the public are barred from going outside.

The actor has begun reading a Shakespeare sonnet for Twitter audiences on a daily basis, offering a brief moment of calm amidst everything occurring outside.

You can watch the first two below - stay tuned for more as the days progress.

2. When I was a child in the 1940s, my mother would cut up slices of fruit for me (there wasn't much) and as she put it in front of me she would say, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." How about, "A sonnet a day keeps the doctor away"? So...here we go: Sonnet 1. pic.twitter.com/kDoMNhdqcI
- Patrick Stewart (@SirPatStew) March 22, 2020

Sonnet 2. This is one of my favorites. #ASonnetADay pic.twitter.com/aQBzrsETKv
- Patrick Stewart (@SirPatStew) March 23, 2020

And day three:

Sonnet 3#ASonnetADay pic.twitter.com/hI4GzH49P8
- Patrick Stewart (@SirPatStew) March 24, 2020

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Patrick Stewart is reading a Shakespeare sonnet a day to get us through the coronavirus lockdown | WhatsOnStage

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He's one of the most renowned Shakespeare performers of a generation, so it's only right that Patrick Stewart turns to the Bard while the public are barred from going outside. The actor has begun reading a Shakespeare sonnet for Twitter audiences on a daily basis, offering a brief moment of calm amidst everything occurring outside.

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Yoga classes - £3 for half an hour, proceeds to Survivors' Network: Good Morning Yoga Flow

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Yoga classes - £3 for half an hour, proceeds to Survivors' Network: Good Morning Yoga Flow

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Knitting school with Button & Blue on her IG stories

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Knitting school with Button & Blue on her IG stories

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Announcing the PDR Colouring Book! Free to Download and Print Off at Home – The Public Domain Review

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Announcing the PDR Colouring Book! Free to Download and Print Off at Home – The Public Domain Review

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Announcing the PDR Colouring Book! Free to Download and Print Off at Home

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We made you a colouring book to help you through these strange times, featuring works by Hokusai, Albrecht Dürer, Virginia Frances Sterrett, and Aubrey Beardsley.

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AllFreeKnitting - 1000s of Free Knitting Patterns

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AllFreeKnitting - 1000s of Free Knitting Patterns

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AllFreeKnitting is dedicated to the best free knitting patterns, tutorials, tips and articles on knitting. From easy knitted afghan patterns to complex lace knitting patterns, we find and deliver the best free knitting patterns from all over the web. Plus, we feature free product reviews and giveaways of all the latest and greatest products including yarn, knitting books, totes, and more. AllFreeKnitting is a wonderful online resource for knitters of all skill levels.

Free email newsletter, Knit Picky Patterns: Enjoy a wide variety of free patterns delivered right to your inbox! You'll have a wide variety of knitting patterns to choose from including afghans, baby patterns, scarves, shawls, holiday patterns, and more. Every issue of Knit Picky Patterns features gorgeous knitting photos, inspiring free knitting patterns, and video tutorials that knitters are sure to love. Sign up here!

AllFreeKnitting User Account: Create a FREE account on AllFreeKnitting for access to user features such as commenting on patterns, adding private notes to patterns, rating patterns, and a personal Knitting Patterns Box. With your own personal Patterns Box, you can save your favorite free knitting patterns from all over AllFreeKnitting.com in one place. Create a FREE account today!

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AllFreeKnitting - 1000s of Free Knitting Patterns

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AllFreeKnitting is dedicated to the best free knitting patterns, tutorials, tips and articles on knitting. From easy knitted afghan patterns to complex lace knitting patterns, we find and deliver the best free knitting patterns from all over the web. Plus, we feature free product reviews and giveaways of all the latest and greatest products including yarn, knitting books, totes, and more.

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Download Hundreds of Free Sewing Patterns 

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Download Hundreds of Free Sewing Patterns 

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300+ Free Sewing Patterns | Mood Sewciety

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Looking for free sewing patterns? Download patterns for dresses, tops, bags, and accessories. Start creating today!

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7 Tips for Creating Stop Motion Animation with Kids

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7 Tips for Creating Stop Motion Animation with Kids

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Do you have a little engineer or tinkerer in your home? Does your child love to create and invent? If this sounds like you kiddo, you are not alone. We are always cooking up something creative in our home. Our latest adventures include creating Stop Motion Animation with Kids. Along the way, we have learned a few tips that we want to pass on to you and your family so you too, can create a Stop Motion Animation Film with your kids.
This post was sponsored by SanDisk, but all opinions and ideas are my own.
7 Tips to Creating Successful Stop Motion Animation with Kids

Tip 1: Start with the Right Equipment

Having the right equipment doesn't have to be hard or even elaborate. For us, we used our Ipad, our favorite Stop Motion Animation App, and a station for filming. It wasn't until AFTER we worked on our first round of animation, that we realized that we quickly ran out of space on the Ipad and needed more space. That's why I love the SanDisk iXpand™ Flash Drive for the Ipad. I will go into how we used it a little more, but it was a life changer when it came to storage on our Ipad. Before setting up your station, be sure to download the Stop Motion app and the SanDisk iXpand™ app so your kids are ready to go!

Tip 2: Set Up a Stop-Animation Station

Find a spot in your home that can be undisturbed. You want to plan for leaving it up for a few days, so it needs to be out of the way where other children won't disturb the setting. This will also allow your child to focus on the animation process without distractions. For our stop animation station, we used a White Foam Tri-Fold Presentation Board as walls for our station and a White Foam Board as a base. Next, I set the Ipad up in a stand, so that it could be hands-free for the kids. Finally, I left a small basket of blocks for the kids to get started with. I started with just blocks, but of course the children quickly added their own additions.

Tip 3: Provide Time for Exploration

You might be tempted to just jump right in and have your kids get started making amazing stop animation. The problem with this can be that if you are using this to create "stories" or "projects" you might not get a film that has a purpose. Children need time to explore and investigate the Ipad, the manipulatives and the app before expecting them to create a full length film with a purpose.

Tip 4: Model and provide Examples

After letting the kids explore for quite some time and allowing them to create their own stop animation films you can expand their skills with a this simple step. At this point, you will probably start to notice your Ipad getting full of video, which makes now a great time to transfer your videos to your SanDisk iXpand™ Flash Drive. Often times, I found that my children moved pieces in large movements and didn't take enough pictures. After making my own stop animation film (by the way, I highly suggest you doing this because you might fall in love with it) I am no expert, so that's why I turned to some of our favorites. Here are a few in a playlist you can show your kids too:

Tip 5: Create a Story Board

Now that you have the perfect station, you have explored how to use all of the equipment, and you have plenty of space on your Ipad, you are ready to create an amazing Stop Animation Film that will make your friends swoon. I found that one way to create a great Stop Animation film is to preplan our stories out with a story board. We made this simple story board that you can download to make your film making even easier for you. Print your own Stop Motion Animation StoryBoard Printable here.

Tip 6: More is Better

We learned the hard way that more is better! More Pictures! More! More! More! Seriously, the more pictures you take showing slight movements of your toys and materials, the smoother your film will be. The Stop Motion app allows you to speed up and slow down the images, and the more pictures taken, the easier it is to create the look you are going for. Since you are taking more pictures, I highly suggest having more space on your Ipad. That's where the SanDisk iXpand™ flash drive comes in super handy! Seriously, where has this thing been all my life?

Tip 7: Backup Often

Nothing could be worse than creating an amazing Stop Animation film only to have the app stop working on you or your hard drive fill up. We learned this the hard way and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Oh no! This happened when we tried to download it!!! Once we got the SanDisk iXpand™ flash drive, me made it a habit to backup our work often while we were working on our project. The possibilities are endless for where you kids can take stop animation and we hope these tips help you and your kids have fun creating awesome videos. Here is our latest film! We hope you enjoy!

To learn more about Sandisk, you can click here to get an awesome coupon or sign up for their newsletter to receive the latest information.

Want to get your hands on a IXpand for yourself?! Use this e-coupon for $50 off (over 45% off) your purchase!

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of SanDisk. The opinions and text are all mine.

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7 Tips for Creating Stop Motion Animation with Kids

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Do you have a little engineer or tinkerer in your home? Does your child love to create and invent? If this sounds like you kiddo, you are not alone. We are always cooking up something creative in our home. Our latest adventures include creating Stop Motion Animation with Kids.

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How to Make an Adventure Movie With Your Kids

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How to Make an Adventure Movie With Your Kids

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Got a future actor in your household?

Do your kids have a favorite movie they'd love to act out?

Making a movie with your kids can turn an ordinary day into a memorable adventure.

It's not only fun for everyone involved, but you'll create a lasting memory with your kids.

In this article I'll show you, step-by-step how to create an adventure movie with your family.

Why a Movie?

You can make a movie just about anywhere, and you probably have everything you need right at home.

On our most recent vacation, my wife and I went to visit family in Oregon and then took a drive to Redwood National Park in California. My family and I are Star Wars fans and we shared with the kids that Redwood National Park was the shooting location of the Endor scenes in Return of the Jedi.

And then something magical happened: My 9-year-old son asked on the flight over, "Dad, can we make a movie in the park?" We agreed, and the idea quickly spread to our kids' cousins.

A day trip to a national park that, let's be honest, wouldn't have been extremely exciting to our 5-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son, turned into an exciting trip filled with action, adventure and lots of props.

The great thing about making a movie with your kids is that you can make it as complex as you have time for.

Planning, filming, editing and then posting to YouTube can all be completed in an hour for a simple movie. More complicated movies will take longer, but that's all dependent on how much time your kids want to spend on planning and getting costumes.
What You'll Need

Smartphone or tablet to take the video

A plan

Location to film

Actors (your kids)

Crazy-fun costumes (optional)

Props (probably not optional)

Access to the Internet to post the video on YouTube for family and friends (optional)

Preparation Time
This could vary, but allocate at least 15 minutes to plan your movie and gather costumes and props from around the house.
Activity Time
Again, this could vary. A simple movie can be completed in an hour.
Location
Anywhere you choose for the setting of your movie.

#1: Draw It All Out

When you decide to make a movie, sit down with your kids and storyboard the movie. Some simple questions to get the creative juices flowing are:

What is the movie about? Keep this simple. Try to boil the plot down into one or two sentences such as "The good guys need to steal the plans and then rescue the princess to save the day."

Who are the characters in the movie? Each person in the movie can act out a role. List the characters and ask your children to draw a picture of their character.

What era does the movie take place? Pin down this detail and ask your kids to start thinking about what can make your movie feel like that time and place.

Think about what type of props and costumes you will need for the movie?

For our movie, the planning stage took place fairly quickly with the kids talking the plot out during the ride to the national park.

#2: Scout Your Locations

No matter if you're going on a luxurious vacation or a staycation, a little bit of imagination can go a long way. A local park, lake, creek or similar outdoor area can make for a great movie location.

Depending on the complexity of your movie, you might need several locations. In my kids' Star Wars movie, we filmed in the national park and also at the local beach for the final battle.

The good thing is that you can film inside if it's raining or you can film in the backyard or anywhere. It's all up to you and your kids. Be creative.

What I would encourage is to think differently and choose a location that your kids have never visited before. Not only will your children learn about a new place, but they will also need to figure out how to stage their scenes in the location.

Another reason why parks work so well is that you have more room to work and less chance of disturbing other people.

#3: It's All About the Props

When our children shared the movie idea with their cousins (3 boys), the Star Wars theme went over like blue milk at a Tatooine breakfast-they loved it and immediately started to dig through their toy boxes for props we could use.

For your kids' movie, here are some ideas to help you get started:

Pull out old Halloween costumes.

Take a trip to a Goodwill store and buy some old clothes.

Dig out the face paint. 'Nuff said.

Visit local yard sales or flea markets for old toys.

For the movie our kids made, a few light sabers, blasters, an old Halloween Darth Vader costume and a special Princess Leia hairdo for my daughter were all that was needed.

#4: Action! Film a Lot

Listen to your children. In our family, we soon discovered that all of the kids wanted to act in the movie. No one wanted to do the filming, so that was delegated to me.

Depending on the ages of your children, their attention spans will waver after a certain period of time. The important thing is to focus on working with your children to complete the project.

Having lofty plans with multiple locations and everyone feeling stressed about finishing the movie isn't recommended (unless you like meltdowns and lots of tears).

For the movie our kids made, we wanted to make certain to keep the plot simple so that we could complete the project quickly and have something to show their cousins when we returned home.

We walked around the amazingly tall redwoods and they acted out their scenes. I made sure to film everything. Yes, there was a lot of running around and them tearing through the forest at breakneck speed but with the park being so large, we did not bother any other visitors and I was able to get plenty of footage to work with.

All in all, it was a great balance between having a too-structured plan and being too lax. Between the filming in the national park and then on the beach, we had more video than we could ever need.

#5: Putting It All Together

Once we came back from vacation, my son and daughter worked together to pick the scenes they wanted and, to my surprise, they even filmed some new scenes and worked on creating a hand-drawn map that they wanted to include in the movie.

After the scenes were chosen, roles changed in the movie-creation process. My daughter dropped out of the project, but my son, being older, liked the challenge of wanting to learn how to use iMovie on the iPad.

My son and I sat together and figured it out.

Once he understood the basics, I stepped away from the project and let him take over. And that's a good point to think about: Play to the strengths of you and your kids. Maybe your child wants to film you and is a better director. Go with it!

Depending on your family's technological experience, creating the actual movie does not have to be complicated. If you have an iPhone or iPad, I highly recommend iMovie. It's an inexpensive app ($4.99) that is simple to use. And if you have an Android phone, Magisto-Magical Video Editor has received 4.5 stars out of 5 in the Google Play store. If you're new to video editing, using one of these two tools is a snap.
Tools of the Trade
The tools listed below are suggestions for what you can use to make a movie.

iMovie is for Apple products. The app is $4.99, easy to use and a solid movie-making tool. You film, edit and post to YouTube all in the app. Nice and simple.

Magisto-Magical Video Editor is a highly rated movie app for Android smartphones. Easy to use and allows you to post to YouTube.

GoAnimate allows you to create movies using animated characters. You'll want to sit with them at a computer and go through creating your animated movie together. The free version has kept us busy with our kids for hours, thinking up goofy scenarios to put the animated characters through. When you're finished, you can share the video on YouTube and all laugh at the silliness you made.

How to Use GoAnimate is a great tutorial to help you learn how to use GoAnimate.com.

Vine is currently only an iOS app for your Apple device. The videos you create can only be 6 seconds long. It became extremely popular after Twitter purchased the service. Simply hold your iPhone, film by touching the screen with your finger, take your finger off to stop filming. Both of my kids have made amazing animations. It's a great tool to use without any need for planning.

YouTube allows you to share all of your videos with friends and family. Remember, there are privacy settings, so you can designate a video as unlisted and email a direct link to family.

Film, edit on the device, add music, opening and closing titles and then upload to YouTube. It's easy to do.

#6: Releasing the Movie to the World

After the movie is completed, simply upload it to YouTube. If you're concerned about your kids' privacy, set the permissions of the video to unlisted and then email the link to family and friends.

You could select the movie to be private, but then your family members would need a YouTube account so that you can grant them access to see the movie. Again, the permissions options are all there, you simply need to decide if you're comfortable with sharing the video online.

My kids made one movie and then a trailer to share with all our family and friends. Here's the trailer:

#7: Celebrate the Love

Everyone took part in the movie-making process and then something wonderful happened.

By working together to make one movie, our family not only had a great time and bonded together working on the project, we also inspired our children to make other movies on their own.

Once they realized that they could think up an idea and then make it become reality, the floodgates opened and they had a blast thinking of other ideas to film and create.

Some Final Thoughts ...

No matter if you're on vacation, it's a rainy weekend or you're stuck at home in a blizzard, coming together as a family to create a movie is a lot of fun for everyone involved.

What do you think? Leave your comments, questions and pictures in the box below.

Tags: family film, family project, goanimate, home movie, imovie, kids activity, magisto magical video editor, movie character, movie plot, movie prop, movie scene, outdoor activity, outdoor adventure, redwood national park, ron vitale, star wars, storyboard, video, vine, youtube

About the Author, Ron Vitale

Ron Vitale is the author of the Cinderella's Secret Diaries young adult fantasy series for teens, and Director, Electronic Communications at Temple University. Other posts by Ron Vitale "

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How to Make an Adventure Movie With Your Kids

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Got a future actor in your household? Do your kids have a favorite movie they'd love to act out? Making a movie with your kids can turn an ordinary day into a memorable adventure. It's not only fun for everyone involved, but you'll create a lasting memory with your kids.

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115 Fun activities to do at home with kids while self-isolating

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115 Fun activities to do at home with kids while self-isolating

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115 fun activities to do at home with kids

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Keeping the kids entertained at home can be a huge challenge. Whether you’re trying to avoid rainy weather, staying home with sick kids or simply planning…

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87 Energy-Busting Indoor Games & Activities For Kids (Because Cabin Fever Is No Joke)

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87 Energy-Busting Indoor Games & Activities For Kids (Because Cabin Fever Is No Joke)

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87 Energy-Busting Indoor Games & Activities For Kids (Because Cabin Fever Is No Joke)

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Parents! This list of active indoor activities is the best we’ve ever seen, with fun Gross Motor games & creative ideas for high-energy kids. Perfect for Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes. Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and be…

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1000 Free Disney Coloring Pages For Kids

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1000 Free Disney Coloring Pages For Kids

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Grab some crayons and have fun coloring any one of these 1000 Free Disney Coloring Pages. This massive collection of Disney Coloring pages has all your favorite Disney Characters!

This post may contain affiliate links. We may receive a commission if you click and purchase something. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.

Raise your hand if your kids LOVE to color? My kids are older now, but they used to sit for hours coloring. My daughter loved it so much, she majored in art in college. Even though my kids are older, I still have a young nephew who is very artistic. He loves to color and draw, especially Disney characters! Your kids will love these 1000 Free Disney Coloring Pages For Kids.

My post on Disney Pumpkin Carving Ideas was such a huge hit, I thought I would put together a list of Disney coloring pages so your kids can rock their creative Disney Side. Your kids are going to LOVE them and the coloring will keep them occupied for hours!

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And if you are looking for free printable adult coloring pages, I have a whole post you can check out too. You are never too old to color. Click here for a whole listing coloring pages for adults.

Favorite Craft Resources For Kids
Crayola Twistable Crayons Art Set Art Easel Kid Scissors Crayons Markers Craft Keeper
Washable Paint

1000 Free Disney Coloring Pages For Kids

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Planning a Disney World vacation? Be sure to check out our Disney site - The Disney Game Plan. There, you will find helpful Disney World planning tips and advice.

Save these Free Disney Color PDF Pages for later. Pin the image below to your favorite Pinterest Board.

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1000 Free Disney Coloring Pages For Kids

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This post may contain affiliate links. We may receive a commission if you click and purchase something. Please see our disclosure policy for more details. Raise your hand if your kids LOVE to color? My kids are older now, but they used to sit for hours coloring.