Online Support Groups and Activities

In line with the Government’s advice, we’ve made the difficult decision to suspend our usual face-to-face activities, courses and groups until it is considered safe to provide them again.

In the meantime, we’ve put together a programme of online groups and activities to continue to support your mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Visit our Calendar page to see our Online Activities Calendar

Courses description

ONLINE PEER SUPPORT GROUPS

Coffee Morning – running every weekday at 10.30am to give you a chance to still connect with others, in a safe and fun environment. View our poster.

Peer Support Group – it gives you the chance to catch up with people you have not been able to see, and to share any concerns and support others who may feel the same way. Weekly on Fridays, 11.30am-12.30pm.

Women’s Group – A great opportunity to meet with other women and unwind with others who are experiencing similar things to you. You can pick up hints and tips about how they are coping with isolation and how to support others. Weekly, on Tuesday 11.00-11.45am – please note that the Women’s Group is now a part of the
coffee morning, you will be taken into separate “room” on Zoom by Anna).

Young People Support Group – aka Connect, for people aged 17-25. It’s a chance to meet up online and find out how other young people are dealing with life in lockdown. Fortnightly on Thursdays, 6pm-7pm. Next session: 5 November. Download the poster.

LGBTQ Peer Support Group – this group is for LGBTQ adults aged 18+, living with a mental health condition,
either diagnosed or undiagnosed. Come and share your experiences and identities, support each other in a safe, friendly and confidential space, and reduce loneliness and isolation. This group is facilitated by MFT as well as volunteers from Pride in Surrey. Every third Thursday of the month, 7.30pm-8.30pm.

Bipolar Peer Support Group – this group is for people who have been diagnosed as bipolar to come and share experiences and difficulties, share ideas and coping strategies and support each other in a friendly environment. It runs on the first Thursday of every month, 7pm-8pm.

ONLINE PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES

ONGOING

Fitness Session – Michael will run a half-hour fitness session each week, based on light exercise to improve your mood and general fitness level. He will show you exercises that you can practice on your own so that your fitness improves over the coming weeks. Weekly, on Thursdays 1.30pm-2pm.

Zumba – a fun ‘party’ workout that combines Latin and international music with easy to follow dance moves. Designed to improve your cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength. Suitable for all ages and levels of fitness. Please wear loose comfortable clothing and suitable footwear (ie trainers or similar). Have a bottle of water to hand. Weekly on Tuesdays, 6.30pm-7pm and on Thursdays, 6pm-6.40pm.

Walk for Health – join our gentle 45-min walk in the Epsom Downs. Meeting outside Beefeater in Tattenham Corner at 11am. Due to social distancing rules, only 8 walkers are allowed (+ 2 walk leaders). You’ll need to pre-book to attend on the Walk For Health website. Starting on Thursday 1 October. Download poster.

Yoga for All Abilities – Yoga helps to elevate mood and and bring harmony to life, it calms the mind and reduces stress, encourages mental clarity, improves mind-body connection and helps with management of anxiety/depression. This class runs every Thursday, 1pm-2pm by Saara who shares and balances elements of fun, light-heartedness, strength and serenity, whilst encouraging a deeper connection with the self.

Rock Pilates – This weekly session offers the perfect fusion of classical Pilates with a modern edge. Classes provide just the right level of work out using small equipment to either support or challenge the body where necessary, targeting specific muscles to keep you on your toes. All reassuringly wrapped up in the underlying principles of Pilates! Run on Tuesdays, 11am-12pm. Download poster.

Salsacise – a 30-minute easy-to-follow basic steps and simple dance combinations with Salsa, Shimmy’s and Cha Cha Cha’s while enjoying the motivating music. It is suitable for all, just wear loose comfortable clothing and have a bottle of water to hand. The sessions will be run by Jayne who also runs our Zumba. Weekly on Wednesdays, 3pm-3.30pm.

NOVEMBER

Qigong for Beginners – Qigong movements are slow and mindful, and aim to restore the flow of ‘qi/ energy’ that has been negatively affected by stress, ill health or trauma, resulting in greater feelings of wellbeing. The movements can be easily adapted for all ages and levels of fitness, with options to complete them seated if needed. This 6-week Beginners course will be delivered on Wednesdays via Zoom by Kate Harding, a qualified Qigong, Yoga and Mindfulness teacher. New series starting Wednesday 4 November, 10.30am-11.45am.

Yoga (Sleep-Eat-Exercise) Course – Over three weeks, you will invest in your own self-care, learning about and adopting a simple routine of daily practices designed to help you: Sleep, Eat and Exercise Well. Each week you will set new goals and intentions for the week ahead. You will check in with the Tutor and group to discuss what’s working well and share ways of overcoming challenges. Then you will enjoy a gentle Yoga flow and meditation suitable for all levels. With Anna Rowe from Happy Head Yoga and Coaching. From Wednesday 4 until 25 November, 3pm-4.30pm.

Yoga for Anxiety – A new three-week course with Anna Rowe from Happy Head Yoga and Coaching. Many people turn to yoga when feelings of anxiety start to creep in or during times of stress. You may find that focusing on both your breath and your ability to be present in each pose can help quiet negative mental chatter and boost your overall mood. Sessions are for all abilities and will help improve your confidence, physical wellbeing and mental health whilst learning yoga in a safe and friendly environment. From Friday 6 November until 20 November, 3pm-4pm.

ONLINE WELLBEING GROUPS AND COURSES

ONGOING

Mindful Meditation – Take half an hour away from the stresses of everyday living and develop your mindfulness and meditation skills to help you to manage some of the chaos that seems to be all around us. Weekly, on Wednesdays and Fridays, 2.15pm-3pm.

Stress Matters – The last six months have seen our world’s been turned upside down by the impact of Covid-19, resulting in a heightened sense of stress and anxiety for many of us. Join us weekly, as we tackle the effects of stress together to help us in our day- to-day life during these unprecedented times. This is a weekly drop-in session but if you attend, you are required to stay the full hour. Every Thursday, 4pm-5pm from 5 November.

OCTOBER

Nutrition for Mental Health – Is what I’m eating supporting my mental health? A 9-week course run in
partnership with Work Stress Solutions, delivered by Marcia, a qualified Nutritionist. The first session is an Introduction. Topics include: The relationship between the gut and brain, foods that compromise the gut and foods that build the gut. The last session is a wrap up. You will need to register with Work Stress Solutions to attend. To do so, contact Parvin on 07380857701 or at parvin@maryfrancestrust.org.uk. Starting Wednesday 28 October, 3pm-4pm.

NOVEMBER

COVID Anxiety Tool – Seemingly overnight our world has been turned upside down by the impact of Covid 19, resulting in a stream of bad news, uncertainty, stress, fear and a whole range of uncomfortable emotions. This 7-week course will aim to build a toolkit together to help you develop strong mechanisms to support you mentally to survive the pandemic together. From Monday 2 November 2020 1.30pm-3pm.

Building Emotional Resilience – the ability to cope and bounce back when facing challenging times. This 4 -week evening course will help you to take steps to look after your wellbeing which then can help you deal with pressure, and reduce the impact that stress has on your life. Starting Wednesday 4 November, 7pm-9pm.

Introduction to Holistic Stress Management and Complementary Therapies – A 3-week course that looks at a range of different complementary therapies, exploring how they can help reduce stress and anxiety. Starting Wednesday 4 November, 12pm-2pm. Download the poster for full info.

Address Your Stress and Anxiety – Stress is everywhere, and it is directly linked to our mental health. 1 in 6 adults in Britain will experience depression, anxiety or problems relating to stress at any one time. By tackling stress, we can go a long way to tackle mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. Facilitated workshop designed to help you: Understand your triggers, Get to know your unique stress signature, Manage your stress levels with self-care, Reduce the impact of stress on your health and life. Runs for 4 weeks on Thursdays, 1pm-3pm from 5 November.

Coping with IBS – This 6-week course is aimed at helping people diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. You will identify helpful and unhelpful patterns in your thoughts and behaviours which can impact your ability to manage IBS. You will then be supported to learn and implement appropriate strategies to help you to live life well with the condition. This course is delivered by Centre for Psychology on StarLeaf (not Zoom) starting Tuesday 10 November. 10am-12pm Please register by 30 October. Download poster for full info.

Improve your Language In Current Times (for non-Native English speakers) – A 6-week support session covering different topics tailored to the needs of the group. You will have the opportunity to develop your English language through speaking, listening, reading and writing. There will be some dedicated time in each session to discuss how to manage your emotions in current times. Starting Monday 23 November, 6pm-8pm.

Being Well – Doing Well Workshops for Young People (16-25 YO) – Four Wellbeing workshops with different topic each session with a discussion and fun activities. Sessions to be held from 6.30pm to 8.30pm on Thursday 12 November, 10 December 2020, 14 January and 28 January 2021.

ONLINE ART & CRAFTS ACTIVITIES

Creative Writing – Michele will run creative writing for us, designed to support your mental health and emotional wellbeing and let your voice be heard. On Tuesdays, 2pm-3pm for Advanced Learners. On Thursdays, 2pm-3pm for Beginners.

Crafts At Home – Taryn will show you how some effective but easy crafts to do at home and to share with others who may be socially isolating with you. They will be using everyday items to create beautiful things. Weekly on Mondays, 2pm-3pm.

The Craft Project – we’re launching a new Craft Project on Thursday 27 August under the direction of Diana Ching who will set a series of creative projects every Thursday on our website (check our blog section) and social media to give you ideas of things you can work on at home to build your own piece of art over a period of weeks.

Craft Vlog – a video blog released every Tuesday by Taryn to teach you step-by-step a new craft skill. Next vlog to be released on Tuesday 3 November.

NOVEMBER

Introduction to Watercolour Painting – a 6-week art course which will teach you the basics and foundation
techniques of watercolour painting. This course is suitable for both beginners and those who are skilled at painting. Two classes to choose from, either on Wednesday evening from 11 November, or on Friday morning from 13 November. Register by 6 November so we can send you the kit at home. Download poster for more info.

DECEMBER

Mindful Christmas Craft – Join Angie and Diana for an evening of Christmas crafts with relaxation techniques and mindful exercises along the way. Over the three sessions, you will create a card and two different decorations.
Resources will be sent out to participants, so it is imperative to register early for this course in order to allow times for dispatch of materials. Running on Thursday 3, 10 & 17 December, 6.30pm-8.30pm.

ONLINE INTEREST GROUPS

Quiz Group – Come and connect and socialise with other quizzers in this light-hearted online General Knowledge Quiz Group – whether it’s showing off your knowledge or learning about new things, it’s a great way to come and make friends and have a laugh whilst doing it! Weekly on Mondays, 1pm-1.45pm.

Book Club – Do you enjoy reading? Then why not attend our new weekly Book Club! A selection of short stories will be nominated and selected each week and discussed at our weekly meetings. We’re running two weekly sessions – you have to pick one of them. On Wednesdays, 4pm – 4.45pm from 5 August and on Tuesdays, 12.30pm-1.pm15 from 11 August.

Football Talking Group – Our light-hearted group is designed for anyone who has an interest in football, whatever level of the game! As a player, fan, referee or coach. The group will discuss various topics and reflect on clubs previous or current glories, as well as counting down to the new season ahead. Runs on Wednesdays, 1pm – 1.45pm

Singing in Mind (Choir) – This is a time when we particularly need to look after our wellbeing and it is proven that singing makes you feel great! We are bringing the Choir experience to anyone who wants to sing, laugh and meet new people. The choir session lasts 45 minutes and requires no experience. Don’t worry, your voice won’t be heard on its own! But you will be able to hear your Choir Leader. This is an 8-week course starting on Wednesday 14 October, 2pm-2.45pm (There will be no session on Wed 28 October).

Afternoon Tea with MFT – join us for light-hearted chat on Tuesday afternoons to share tips about gardening, home, cleaning hacks and swap recipes. Every Tuesday, 2pm-3pm from 3 November until 15 December.

How can I take part?

• To take part you’ll need to be registered with us. If you’re new to us, you can complete our online registration form and we’ll set up an initial appointment over the phone ASAP so we can get to know you and offer the appropriate support.
• Once you’re fully registered, you’ll need an internet connection, a smart phone or tablet (iPad or Android) or a laptop or desktop.
• Then download a free App called Zoom from your smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop. Visit our Instructions page.
• Please note a new Zoom software update is now available. We recommend everyone using our online activities to download it to minimise technical issues. Download Zoom update now
• Then phone the office or contact one of the team to book your place (see list of contacts below).
• Once you are booked on, you will receive a link and password by email to click on at the time the group is due to start – it’s that easy!
• Remember that this is a closed group. For confidentiality and security reasons, please do not share the link and password with anyone. If you know someone who would like to join, ask them to book their place with us or they will be denied access on the day.
• Before you take part, please read our Participations Guidelines to ensure you keep yourself and others safe online and everyone gets the best experience.
• You can choose if you want to be seen or if you just want to speak. Don’t worry if you are not sure how to use Zoom – read our instructions or you can ring us for help.

Contact us

Mary Frances Trust’s main office: 01372 375400. Please note that it will go straight to answerphone and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can but this might be a bit delayed.

The phone numbers listed below will be answered during working hours, Monday to Friday from 9am until 4pm.  If you phone outside of these hours, please leave a voicemail and someone will respond as soon as they are able to.

John O’Malley: 07868 203512 or johnomalley@maryfrancestrust.org.uk

Michael Powell: 07961 487625 or Michael@maryfrancestrust.org.uk 

Parvin Ahmed: 07380 857701 or Parvin@maryfrancestrust.org.uk 

Lenny Roberts Flanders: 07929 024724 or Lenny@maryfrancestrust.org.uk

Anna Silver: 07432 510493 or Anna@maryfrancestrust.org.uk