An award-winning mental health charity is offering a mental health lifeline to anyone affected by growing anxiety or worry due to the coronavirus outbreak.

PoetsIN, which supports children, young people and adults with mental wellbeing, has launched free mental health and wellbeing video workshops for NHS frontline staff and key workers.

Delivered via Zoom, so social distancing measures can be adhered to, the hour-long sessions will arm participants with the tools to manage stress, anxiety and depression.

The workshops are being funded by the Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation (BLCF), as part of the Bedfordshire Coronavirus Emergency Response Fund.

Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Paul Chambers said:

“In these unpredictable times, people‘s mental health has significantly declined. The uncertainty of COVID-19 and our future has understandably increased the effects of anxiety and for some people, this will be the first time they have felt this way.

“Frontline NHS staff and key workers will be under an unbelievable amount of stress, fatigue and worry and we wanted to do something to help. We believe these free mental health and wellbeing video workshops will provide those feeling the strain with valuable support and advice.

“The workshops have been carefully developed to provide people with an interactive and helpful safe space where those feeling the effects of our current circumstances can communicate and share their thoughts for an hour.”

The sessions, delivered to groups of 10, can be accessed via smartphones, tablets, laptops or PCs and are based on the PoetsIN IN-Person Creative Mental Health Programme™. The workshop is based around using the power of words, both written and in discussion alongside a supportive online community, to help tackle mental health issues and ease the burden of anxiety.

Participants report a 99 per cent reduction in the symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress.

Health care, social care and care home staff, people working within the emergency services, education settings and workers in the supply chain are all eligible to sign up to take part.

For more information or to book a session with a group of 10 people email: bookings@poetsin.com

To join the Facebook community, visit www.facebook.com/groups/poetsin and answer the three questions, then request to join.