Finding MindSpace

In a world where our mental health is challenged from all quarters, we're fortunate to live and work in a town where a model for proactive mental health support in the community is gathering momentum.

MindSpace was founded by GP Dr Ian Petrie in 2017 with 1-2-1 sessions in a local café. Today, it has a packed weekly programme of events, from pilates to poetry, boxing to knitting. There are drop-in sessions for everyone and more specific groups for autism or hoarding support. In recent years, the MindSpace wellbeing garden has provided a peaceful and welcome retreat to many.

The brilliant MindSpace team is endlessly innovating. Their latest offering is wellbeing days for businesses, which centre on their garden and offer a range of activities. Businesses can choose from a full day of wellbeing activities followed by a workshop with a business coach or a shorter session in the wellbeing garden with an activity like sketching, a sound spa or foraging. We were invited to try the sound spa, and I found it to be profoundly relaxing and had the most fantastic feeling of release afterwards. Others found the same.

There's every chance it was beneficial to the rest of my working day too. A study by Gallup found a strong correlation between well-being and productivity, with employees who feel supported with their well-being having a 67% higher performance rating.

Pip Tiffin, people and operations lead at MindSpace, explained, “MindSpace is offering an experience where workers gain the full benefit of leaving the office and switching off from any work stress. We want to encourage local businesses to take time to focus on their wellbeing, which will aid productivity, happiness, and performance in the long run.” 

MindSpace are collaborating with different local businesses to provide the activities as well as The Blonde Beet for picnic lunches and The William Cecil hotel for a dry weather venue.

To find out more, please contact the team here.