Aberdeen-based mental health charity Mind Store is set to launch its fundraising campaign 5 Ways to Wellbeing on Monday 7th April 2025.
Inviting participation through making a donation while embracing positive changes in your own life, the campaign aims to raise £2,000 in five weeks while setting weekly ‘challenges’ which provide tips and inspiration on how to boost your own mental health, improve mood, and nurture healthy routines.
Achieving charity status in 2023, Mind Store have grown quickly, offering free services in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. 5 Ways to Wellbeing will bring income into this small charity, whose services include:
- Talking Therapies including Person Centred Counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and EMDR Therapy
- Growing for Wellbeing - a course to improve mental health and wellbeing whilst immersed in nature and gaining gardening skills
- Food and Mood workshops to learn about how what you eat can impact your mental health
The campaign celebrates small behaviour changes we can all make to improve wellbeing, such as ways to stay connected with others, and tips for being more physically active.
Originally started by Jenny Thompson, a qualified social worker and therapist, Mind Store exists to inform and support people who are interested in improving their mental and physical health, offering a community-based service accessible to the general public. They work with a range of mental health difficulties including depression, anxiety, OCD, Phobias, Health Anxiety, Generalised Anxiety, Trauma, PTSD and CPTSD.
The services are open to self-referral and referrals via 3rd sector organisations and a range of partner pathways including e.g., food support services, addiction recovery agencies, domestic abuse organisations and social work.
A donation will go towards helping the charity to continue to deliver free services for financially insecure clients; you are invited to participate by:
- Donating to the campaign on Just Giving – however much, big or small will make a huge difference.
- Embrace positive changes in your own life. We can all use some support now and again to keep our mental health in good condition. Follow along on social media to access the weekly challenges to boost your own mental health, and join the conversation by using the hashtag #5WaysWithMindStore
- Host your own fundraising campaign on Just Giving – if you are inspired to go the extra mile to support Mind Store’s Work, you can host your own fundraiser by doing anything from a sponsored walk to a coffee morning.
Mind Store client feedback speaks to the value of the service. One client explained: “It was worth the effort to go to therapy to gain a whole new outlook on life. My life was a huge jumble of guilt and anxiety. It feels like a freedom to enjoy things now.”
The group workshops offered such as Growing for Wellbeing and Food and Mood help to support a sense of community and reduce social isolation, providing a supportive space to ease stress, anxiety or simply find some peace away from life’s daily pressures. Participants in these groups have enjoyed feeling an increased sense of usefulness and productivity, and improved self-esteem. One participant summed it up: "We came out from stress and had a funny, relaxed time with friends."
Jenny Thompson explained: “The idea and concept of Mind Store arose because of the range of challenges being faced by individuals. Mind Store aims to bring people together, build resilience, reduce isolation, and improve mental health through a range of support activities, including growing and cooking food. I hope this campaign will help us to continue to deliver our free services, and raise awareness about the work we do.”
5 Ways to Wellbeing is now live on Just Giving, and on Facebook and Instagram.