The Art Bank are holding community workshops on a Wednesday from 10am – 2pm, starting 9th September 2020.

Choose the music that you want to hear, enjoy games corner, art, quizzes, a talking café, special discounts on food & drink including soup for £2! It’s also an opportunity to tell us what you’d like to see or do at the Art Bank in future.

Action for Happiness is a movement of people committed to building a happier and more caring society. We want to see a fundamentally different way of life – where people care less about what they can get just for themselves and more about the happiness of others.

We bring together like-minded people from all walks of life and help them take practical action, drawing on the latest scientific research. We are  backed by leading experts from diverse fields including psychology, education, economics and social innovation.

Members of the movement make a simple pledge: to try to create more happiness in the world around them. We provide ideas and resources to enable people to take action at home, at work or in their community. Many of our members form local groups to take action together.

The Art Bank is open online. Please check out their web page below to see what’s on and sign up for their creative courses; all their online workshops are free for people living in Somerset.

Wild Memories are relaunching weekly outdoor group sessions from Tuesday 14th July 2020 with strict safety measures in place. Participant and staff numbers are limited to 6 to enable lots of space between us. Staff and volunteers will wear masks, and everything will be kept disinfected. These sessions will involve a range of nature and wildlife based activities, including arts and crafts, nature walks, and real conservation management to help keep Frome’s green spaces thriving. The sessions are free to attend, and free transport is also available.

For those not ready to join groups just yet, we are continuing to provide a varied programme of free activities to do at home or in the garden. Either way we invite you to join us. If you have any questions, or to sign up to our outdoor group sessions, just get in touch using the details below.

The Somerset Wellbeing and Learning Community offers opportunities to learn about mental health and recovery by providing a unique curriculum designed to increase your knowledge, understanding and skills to equip you with the tools to live a meaningful, productive and fulfilling life. Our courses are for the benefit of people who wish to learn to live well, for their family and friends and for the professionals who support them. We do not take referrals from clinicians and our students do not have to be using mental health services to access any of our courses.

All our courses are free and are listed on our website. They take places across Somerset.

The community Djembe group Mendip (All) Drummers, meet each Wednesday from 10.00 – 1.00 at Croscombe Village Hall, Fayreway, ‪Croscombe,Somerset BA5 3QJ‬ to learn & practice mainly West African rhythms on dundun & djembe hand drums. New members are always welcome, whether experienced or beginners. The class is run by teacher Charles Johnson. Cost is £4 per week.

Root Connections is a community ‘not for profit’ market garden to improve mental & physical health & wellbeing. based at Stratton on the Fosse, BA3 4QF. We’re open on a Tues & Fri morning from 10am until 1pm, on a Friday we share lunch together. We make gardening accessible to everyone – from all walks of life. We have different areas within the garden to work on and enjoy. A warm welcome awaits anyone who would like to get involved in the garden & join a group of like minded volunteers

Brand new to Openstorytellers, we are excited to offer a Wellbeing Group for people with learning disabilities and autism aged 16+

It’s taking place on Tuesday mornings from 11.30am-12.30pm.

The group will be exploring healthy eating, gentle exercise, yoga, aromatherapy, creative writing and more!

Spaces are limited, so please get in touch if you’d like to book a place for someone – 01373 454099 / info@openstorytellers.org.uk

Wild Roots – Baltonsborough, BA6 8PQ

Open to anyone who would like to improve their wellbeing through growing and learning outdoor skills. The main emphasis is on growing but other interests are explored including woodland management during the winter and small-holding skills. Open on Mondays and Thursdays from 9:30am – 2:30pm. The project also welcomes volunteers, preferably those interested in gardening.  Facilities are very basic – compost loo (no disabled access), shelter and camp fire. This group is open access and currently free – donations are welcome. There is a bus stop nearby (667 Street to Wincanton).

Wild Roots Wellbeing Days – Langport, TA10 0JD

These wellbeing days run on a regular basis and aim to improve the wellbeing of people of all ages through gentle physical activity, social connections, outdoor craft activities and learning skills in the vegetable and flower garden, with fresh produce for participants and volunteers to enjoy.

*Updated due to Covid pandemic. Currently running on Zoom on the last Tuesday of the month at 2pm. Meeting ID  878 8591 6695 and Password 2020  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87885916695?pwd=U1VUQ2Eza3h4Z1F1eXQ4UFpCN2ZXUT09

The monthly peer support group will be an opportunity for you to make friends and meet others who know what you are going through. It will be a place where you can share top tips, set goals and support one another. Each session will have 15 minutes of group education on topics like sleep, relaxation, exercise, connecting and other topics that the group might want. Last Tuesday of the month. 2pm-3:00pm. Frome Medical Practice. You can drop in for just one session or come regularly. No need to book.

Range of free or low cost courses available for health and wellbeing, open to over 16’s who are BANES residents and those over 16 and registered at a BANES GP surgery.

Based at a beautiful market garden on the outskirts of Frome, we offer a supportive group space for adults to participate in a range of activities: Growing edible produce, natural crafts, practical skills, also mindfulness and creative exercises.

Our site is within walking distance of Frome’s town centre, and there is limited parking. Unfortunately the terrain is not wheel-chair friendly and reasonable mobility is required to attend. We provide all the tools and materials you need, plus tea and biscuits. Come and sit around our campfire drinking tea, listening to birdsong and relaxing. It’s free to join us! Just bring a packed lunch, outdoor clothes, boots and waterproofs!  MONDAYS 11am-3pm

Monthly low cost day retreats in Frome with Insight Meditation Teachers.

Welcoming people of all ages, ethnicity, cultural and religious heritage, socio-economic, ability, sexual orientation and gender identity.  The days are suitable for both beginners and experienced practitioners.

Practical conservation groups carrying out seasonal outdoor tasks in the countryside. Suitable for those who are reasonably physically fit, no training required. See link for Somerset area programmes and contact details.

For thousands of years, meditators have claimed many benefits for their practice. Our experience, and that of Headspace members, suggests that regular mindfulness practice, through meditation, is an effective treatment for stress, worry, lack of focus, relationship problems, addictions and more.  Please access the website for more information.

A grass-roots charity in Somerset which aims to re-connect people with the social, health and environmental effects of growing, buying, preparing and eating local food.