National Rural Mental Health Forum

A regular forum hosted by National Rural Mental Health Forum. This month features 'Supporting Financial Wellbeing – an Overview and Update from the Money and Pensions Service' and 'Living with Seasonal Affective Disorder'.

11am – Welcome and Introductions

11:05am – Supporting Financial Wellbeing – an Overview and Update from the Money and Pensions Service/MoneyHelper. Kevin Duffy, Money and Pension Service

Kevin Duffy, Scotland Partnership Manager, will provide an update from the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) and highlight some of their free information and resources available on MoneyHelper to support financial wellbeing. MoneyHelper, the consumer brand from MaPS, is here to make your money and pension choices clearer. Here to cut through the jargon and complexity, explain what you need to do and how you can do it.

Here to put you in control with impartial guidance that’s backed by government and to recommend further, trusted direction if required. MaPS is an arm’s-length body sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions, and engages with HM Treasury on policy matters relating to financial capability and debt advice. Their mission is to ensure everyone in the UK can easily access the information they need to make the right financial decisions for them throughout their lives, making the most of their money and pensions

11:45 am – Living with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): making light matter for mental health. Professor Hester Parr, University of Glasgow and Professor Hayden Lorimer, University of Edinburgh

Feelings associated with the changing seasons, and moods that seem to be governed by the nature of the weather and related qualities of natural light, are a phenomenon known to us all. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is an intensified form of this lived experience that, for considerable numbers of people in the UK, can be debilitating and limiting, resulting in emotional challenges, lowered mood, and feelings of anxiety.

Professor Hester Parr (Glasgow University) and Professor Hayden Lorimer (Edinburgh University) report on a recent research project which has worked with people with lived experience of SAD in the West of Scotland https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/livingwithsad/sad_project/. The presentation will give the background to the research and profile the creative ways in the programme addressed how to manage low light in winter in ways that responded to participant's self-assessed low mood and depression. The outcome of the research include free public-friendly resources which are being used across Scotland and the talk will discuss these.

12:30pm – to be confirmed

12:55pm – Any Other Business

1pm – Close

Date of next meeting – October 30th 2024, 11am Online