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Local Update, 19 January 2026
Barnet Voice for Mental Health
020 3475 1314
[email protected]
Welcome to our weekly newsletter about mental health services and support available in Barnet and beyond. Also bringing you updates on Inclusion Barnet mental health news. Produced by Ed Peston, Communications Assistant.
Events and news from the web
Barnet Service User and Carer Forum
Date: Wednesday 21st January 2025
Runs on the third Wednesday of every month
Time: 14:00 –15:30
Barnet Mental Health services want to hear what you have to say about Adult Mental Health services. Their forum encourages and promotes service users and carers working alongside staff to improve services.
They have speakers arranged each month and a chat about other topics attendees may want to discuss. They also share useful information about things happening in Barnet.
This month the speaker will be Ann Weekes who is the EDI (Equality Diversity and Inclusion) Service Development Lead. Ann will speak about her role and hidden disabilities and the Sunflower Lanyard.
Venue: In person at Finchley Memorial Hospital. Granville Road London N12 OJE.
Ground Floor past the reception desk ; glass fronted doors on your right.
Please be aware that this is a food and drink free zone.
OR
Microsoft Teams, join by clicking the link or entering the details below. MS Teams link is also available on the NLFT trust website.
Microsoft Teams
Meeting ID: 353 807 566 665 3
Passcode: Rw9ER7zr
Dial in by phone
+44 20 3321 5208,,371942378# United Kingdom, City of London
Phone conference ID: 371 942 378#
Barnet Forum Contacts
Sally Hurcomb Ioanna Xenophontes
Reminder: Small Steps, Big Changes – Wellness Event
A friendly, welcoming drop-in wellness event focused on supporting your health and wellbeing through simple, achievable steps.
20th January 2026
10:00am – 4:00pm
The Concourse, The Old Library, NW9 5XA
The event brings together a range of local organisations offering information, support, and activities to help you feel better, move more, and connect with others.
On the day you can:-
- Visit service tables and meet local wellbeing providers
- Speak directly to services offering ongoing support
- Receive lifestyle advice and referral information
Get involved with light physical activity, suitable for all abilities, including:-
- Gentle exercise
- Chair yoga
- Seated exercise
- Breathing exercises
No booking required – just drop in!
My mental health - exploring my identity (online workshop from Mid West Aries), Thursday 22 January, 10.00am - 12.00pm
A workshop exploring the impact of mental health challenges on identity and sense of self.
"WTF, this is so dangerous!" Social media influencers & youth mental health (online discussion from the Mental Elf), Monday 19 January, 1.00 - 2.00pm
Hear youth-led insights on what good and bad mental health communication looks like online.
Book "WTF, this is so dangerous!" Social media influencers & youth mental health
My mental health - having hope (online workshop from Mid West Aries), Tuesday 20 January, 2.00 - 4.00pm
A workshop exploring the importance of having hope to support mental health and wellbeing
Powerful words: language to build children’s self-esteem (webinar from Mindspring Mental Health Alliance), Monday 19 January, 6.00 - 7.00pm
Social media can create unrealistic expectations that leave young people feeling discouraged, empty, and depressed -- and parents, caregivers, and educators need to know how to respond. Learn what to say to help young people feel positive about themselves, regardless of challenges they may face or how others may view them.
Book Powerful words: language to build children’s self-esteem
Mindfulness based cancer support group (online group from Holo Health), Saturdays, 7.00 - 8.30pm
Free group sessions aiming to reduce stress, improve quality of life, and support recovery in cancer, led by an Oncology Nurse Specialist.
Got a relevant event to share in this newsletter?
Let us know by emailing the details to [email protected]
Podcasts
Podcast: Complex with Kimberley Wilson (from BBC Sounds)
Kimberley Wilson, chartered psychologist, makes sense of all the information - and misinformation - that's out there about our mental health
Inside bipolar podcast: from panic to peace: self-calming tactics for bipolar disorder (from Psych Central)
Gabe Howard (who lives with bipolar disorder) and Dr. Nicole Washington break down why the world’s most common advice backfires… and what truly helps instead.
Listen to Inside bipolar podcast: from panic to peace: self-calming tactics for bipolar disorder
Articles
Small habits that can boost your mental health in 2026 (from Tovima)
From managing anger to mindful smartphone use, simple daily practices can enhance mood, reduce stress, and improve overall mental well-being
3 bad habits that can be good for you (from Psychology Today)
Strategies that appear imperfect on the surface can carry adaptive benefits.
Eden Project unveils plan to boost mental health through nature (from Cornish Times)
Three-year programme designed to help communities most affected by environmental change, inequality and poor health
Read Eden Project unveils plan to boost mental health through nature
The positive impact of decluttering on everyday living (from Consett Magazine)
The accumulation of possessions creates more than physical mess, and it fundamentally affects how we think, work and feel within our living spaces.
Regular Events on the Web
Online wellbeing workshops from Mid West Aries
Offering a range of free courses online via Zoom. Anyone over the age of 18 with an interest in mental health and well-being can sign up for the courses.
International wellbeing support group (From Rain on Me), Monday 19 January, 6.00pm
A free, international safe space to vent and grow with people who understand and accept you.
Regular Events in Barnet
Barnet Friends
Barnet Friends is a free telephone befriending service under the charity, CB Plus. Whether you want someone to talk to, or need some extra motivation to access local wellbeing activities, Barnet Friends can provide a listening ear.
They can support adults aged 18-55 who either live, work or study in Barnet. Their friendly and non-judgemental volunteers can call you once per week for 6-12 months. Their service aims to:
- Reduce feelings of loneliness
- Connect you to local services
- Reduce social isolation
- Provide emotional support
- Empower you to connect with the community
Over the last year they supported 108 people, and matched 26 new clients to their wonderful volunteers. Their personable and empathetic volunteers also carried out just under 600 hours of befriending calls on the phone!
If you are experiencing loneliness now, don't delay; sign up today! You can self refer here. They accept self referrals, as well as referrals through local charities and Social Prescribing Link Workers.
You can also reach them by telephone on 0208 016 0016
Email: [email protected]
Client testimonials:
‘Barnet Befriending is a blessing to me. I am very grateful to have been matched with a befriender who is genuinely kind, easy to talk to, supportive and trustworthy. Thank you for giving me so much comfort that I do not need to suffer in silence or do it alone. I will always be grateful.’
‘I will give you 5 stars. Your organisation is very helpful. Also, the volunteer is a very professional man. He helped a lot.’
Barnet Depression Alliance Peer Support Group
A local self-help group for people suffering from depression or depression with anxiety.
Meets twice a month – on a Tuesday evening in North Finchley and on a Monday evening online via Zoom. The group also runs social events throughout the year.
Address: North Finchley
Phone: 0754 118 7907
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.barnetdepressionalliance.org/
For more details of times and venue please telephone or email
Building Friendship
Building Friendship is a free weekly drop in every Friday for those with mental health difficulties.
Meet at East Barnet Baptist Church hall, EN4 8PS. Come along for a cup of coffee and a friendly chat between 10am and 12noon.
For more information email: [email protected]. Or leave a message with your name and contact number on 020 8449 5320.
Sanctuary in Barnet (from Mind in Enfield and Barnet)
Sanctuary in Barnet is a short-term crisis intervention and prevention service. They are open every day of the year, 4:30pm-10pm weekdays and 12-6pm weekends. They act as an A&E and Emergency services alternative, providing support to individuals in the Barnet Borough aged 18+.
Andy's Man Club in Barnet, Every Monday at the Meritage Centre, 7.00 - 9.00pm
Andy's Man Club run talking groups for men who have either been through a storm, are currently going through a storm, have a storm brewing in life or just want to meet a good group of people with the aim of improving one another. No referral, no registration and no charge. Even the brew and biscuits are free!
The Meritage Centre,
Church End,
London
NW4 4JT
Meridian Wellbeing in Barnet
A range of events and activities in Barnet and online including Barnet Wellbeing Hub, Barnet IAPT, Wellbeing Cafe, Wellbeing Workshops, Chinese Wellbeing Services, Supportive Online Communities
More information about Meridian Wellbeing events and activities
Barnet Carers
Barnet Carers provides support and information for unpaid, informal, carers across the London Borough of Barnet. Includes yoga, meditation and mindfulness.
Building Friendship
Building Friendship is a free weekly drop in every Friday for those with mental health difficulties.
Meet at East Barnet Baptist Church hall, EN4 8PS. Come along for a cup of coffee and a friendly chat between 10am and 12noon.
For more information email: [email protected]. Or leave a message with your name and contact number on 020 8449 5320.
Mind and Mood Support Group
We celebrated our eighth successful year on 4th January 2023 and have a group of regular attendees (usually around 6, but this may vary). The first half of the meeting our Guest Speaker speaks (on the day we have one) for approx. 20 mins, following this members are free to ask questions. Then half-way through, about 6.45 we have a comfort break with tea, coffee and biscuits. The second half, we all share our experiences of where we are since the last meeting.
The group is facilitated by Sandra Turner and Peter Sartori, both with considerable experience of the mental health system.
Fortnightly meetings will now be held at Friern Barnet Community Library,
Friern Barnet Road, N11 3DS.
Bus routes 221, 382 & 43 stop nearby.
If there is anything else you wish to know, please do not hesitate to contact:
Peter Sartori e: mailto:[email protected] m: 07947 713306 Sandra Turner e: [email protected]
If you wish to subscribe to our monthly “Creativity & Wellbeing Newsletter” please email Sandra with “Subscribe to Newsletter” in the subject of your email.
About Inclusion Barnet
We are a Peer-Led Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisation (DDPO).
Nearly all of our directors and staff have lived experience of disability, including mental health issues and/or long-term health conditions.
We believe that learning to use our lived experience for social change is a skill. We have become experts in harnessing the lived experience of our staff, members, volunteers and the people who use our services to design and deliver higher quality, more person-centred services.
Other services run by Inclusion Barnet that you might be interested in are:
Benefits Advice Service (supporting Disabled people in Barnet to access the benefits they are entitled to).
Touchpoint (supports people experiencing any form of disability in Barnet to access the services and resources they need).
Healthwatch Enfield (an independent, statutory organisation dedicated to improving health and social care services in Enfield).
For more information about the wider range of other work we do please visit our website www.inclusionbarnet.org.uk
Useful links for mental health and wellbeing
Click on the title to go to the individual websites.
LOCAL
- Mind in Barnet - counselling
- Mind in Barnet Sanctuary - find calm, make space, move forward
- Barnet Wellbeing Service
- North London NHS Foundation Trust crisis helpline for Barnet, Enfield and Haringey 0800 151 0023 24/7, 365 days a year.
LONDON & NATIONAL
- Good Thinking - free online Mental Wellbeing for London
- Kooth - free, safe and anonymous online support for young people
- Qwell - free
online safe and confidential space to share & support
Shout - free, 24/7 text messaging support - text SHOUT to 85258 - Samaritans - free phone & email support in a crisis
Independent Living Centre, c/o Barnet & Southgate College,
7 Bristol Avenue, Colindale, London NW9 4BR
Inclusion Barnet is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
Registered Charity Number: 1158632
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