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Tuesday 10 October is World Mental Health Day.
Urgent mental health support
If you need urgent help with your mental health or you are struggling to cope, contact the Black Country 24/7 helpline.
You don’t need to be referred by your GP or other health professionals, you can just reach out for help when you need it. Mental health professionals will be on-hand to help you avoid a crisis and help you find the path to recovery.
Call freephone 0800 008 6516 or text 07860 025 6516.
Further mental health support
For more details on wider mental health support, go to the Dudley Council cost of living mental health and wellbeing web page .
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Autumn is the perfect time of year to go for a stroll. Anyone who would like to discover the sights and sensations of an October garden is welcome to join a free social walk.
The next Ramblers Wellbeing Walk will be taking place on Tuesday 17 October to the Leasowes Walled Garden in Halesowen.
The walk will leave Halesowen town centre at 10am.
Find more details on this and other Ramblers Wellbeing Walks that take place in the borough.
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If you have an interest in improving opportunities for older people, you are invited to attend The Connecting Older People networking and funding event, run by Dudley Public Health.
It takes place 10am – 1pm on Thursday 19 October at Wellington Road Community Centre, Dudley. Residents and community groups are welcome to listen, vote and share to improve the lives of older people in the borough.
Listen to ideas made by community groups on projects they would like to run to give older people opportunities to get out, join in and make new friends.
Vote on which projects should receive money from the Connecting Older People Fund. All project submissions should be received by Friday 8 October.
Share your ideas on what would help older people, how people and groups can work closer together and what facilities or skills can be shared.
The event is free and tea, coffee and light refreshments will be provided.
Book your place on Eventbrite.
For more information contact the healthy ageing team on 01384 816437 or email healthyageing@dudley.gov.uk
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Help support people to age well in Dudley with a new initiative.
- Raise awareness of healthy ageing initiatives in your community or workplace
- Be a positive role model and promote a better later life
- Feedback information and questions to Dudley Council’s Healthy Ageing Team
- Get involved in activities and encourage others to give things a go
- Get regular information that you can share to support people you know (friends, family, neighbours, colleagues)
Contact the Healthy Ageing Team 01384 816437 healthyageing@dudley.gov.uk
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If you have a long-term health condition, you could save on your prescriptions. A Prescription Prepayment Certificate will save you money if you pay for more than three items in three months, or 11 items in 12 months. Check your eligibility |
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A fourth Dudley borough cost of living support hub has opened in Lye.
The hubs, which are run by Dudley & Wolverhampton Citizens Advice and Dudley Empowerment Partnership, support residents who are struggling financially.
You can access a cost of living hub in Brierley Hill, Halesowen, Dudley or Lye, where staff will provide
- Information on how to save money and make money stretch further.
- Practical help accessing: food, fuel, energy and period products, as well as available benefits, grants and funds (based on qualifying criteria).
- Advice on saving money on utilities, such as energy.
- Household vouchers to purchase essentials (subject to need and availability).
- Fuel bank vouchers (pre-payment meters only - subject to conditions).
- Laptop loan referral.
- Identification of other helpful organisations.
To access a hub you must prebook your appointment on Eventbrite.
For more details on the hubs, eligibility and booking, go to the cost of living web page.
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Pop-up COVID-19 and flu vaccination clinics have been set up in Dudley and the Black Country to encourage people to come forward for a vaccine ahead of winter.
Staff will be available to answer any queries or concerns people may have regarding vaccinations. They can also provide blood pressure checks and health advice, signposting where appropriate to local services.
The community pop-up clinics are being hosted at a range of locations, with no appointment necessary.
Anyone aged 18 and over who is eligible for an autumn COVID-19 or flu vaccine is encouraged to come forward as soon as possible.
Those eligible include:
- all adults aged 65 and over
- care home residents
- frontline health and social care staff
- those at increased risk because they are pregnant or have a certain underlying health condition
- unpaid carers
- household contacts of those at risk.
Walk-in vaccines are available at the following locations:
Crown Square, Stourbridge, Dudley Market Place and Moor Centre, Brierley Hill. Find out the times of the clinics.
For locations in other sites across the Black Country, go to the Black Country Integrated Care Board website.
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This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, remember to give yourself TLC and touch, look and check your breasts.
Around a third of women don’t check their breasts. Even someone who has gone for breast screening should check them regularly.
If you are worried about breast cancer symptoms, such as a lump, or area of thickened skin, don’t wait to be offered screening – see your GP.
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TOUCH your breasts. Can you feel anything new or unusual?
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LOOK for changes. Does anything look different?
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CHECK any new or unusual changes with your GP.
To protect your health, the NHS recommends taking regular exercise and eating a healthy, balanced diet. In fact, it’s been suggested that regular exercise can reduce your risk of developing breast cancer by almost as much as a third.
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Stoptober is back and is calling on the over 5 million smokers in England to join the thousands of smokers who are committing to quitting this October.
This year's Stoptober mass quit attempt is as important as ever, with quitting remaining one of the best things a smoker can do for their health.
When you stop smoking good things start to happen - quitting will allow you to start moving better, breathe more easily and give you more money to spend. Stoptober offers a range of free quitting tools.
Just search ‘Stoptober’ for more information or visit the Better Health Quit Smoking Website.
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