Its World Mental Health Day and caring for the mind is just as important as feeding the body! This world mental health day, we've decided to do a more personal post from one of our staff members.

A quick introduction- I'm Bridie and I co-run the Big Help social medias. Mental health is something really important to me because its something that I've struggled with and at times continue to struggle with.

When our foodbank manager, Sue Torpey, retired last week; she made a beautiful speech about her time at the Knowlsey Foodbank and spoke about how the Big Help Project has been a place of healing for her and many others. I was struck by how accurate of a description it was.

At 21, I'd finished uni and had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I was lost and hopeless for the future. I've dealt with anxiety for most of my life, but paired with depression, it became unmanageable. I gave up.

By chance, a family member bumped into the CEO and he asked if I'd like to volunteer at the Big Help. I was terrified, but I did it anyway. Fast forward to 18 months later and I'm a full time employee at the Big Help Project.

It's been a journey and I still have ways to go, but I have grown and healed so much since my beginning at the Big Help. I've gone from having a fear of phonecalls to successfully representing clients at tribunals over the phone (and hopefully in person post-covid!) I found a new perspective, ways to help others, ways to care for myself, a purpose and my hope. I also found yoga!

Yoga Nation is part of the Big Help Health and Wellbeing programme. After trying a mindfulness session, myself and some colleagues decided to go there for yoga. Now we go three times a week! Not only has it helped me get in tune with my body, but it's given me the tools I need to manage my mental health, especially through meditation. The philsophy behind yoga has given me grounding and helped me to still my mind. It's helped me to stop and breathe- something anyone with anxiety knows can be difficult at times.

18 months ago I struggled to get out of bed- now I have a full time job, hobbies, passions! Having a support network around helps to take back the power- to try again. The Big Help Project truly is a place of healing for myself and so many others- clients, staff, volunteers and others involved. It hasn't always been an easy journey, but no one said healing was pretty. Everyday I see people who dedicate their time to helping others. When the world seems full of gloom and hopeless, they're there- feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, helping people to take back power of their lives.

The Big Help Project is a place to start over- if you take it. If you are hungry, homeless, affected by poverty, or maybe you're lost like I was; reaching out can be hard, but if you take it, it can change everything.