Advice and discussion at free online mental health event

Religion, comedy, parenting, gardening and food will all be part of the discussion at Ham&High: Our Community's Mental Health, hosted by the Gazette's sister title.

The event is free to attend. Just register through Eventbrite and join us on Friday.

Held via Zoom webinars, the events will include expert advice and panel discussions.

The event is supported by Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, Thrive LDN and SANE.

It is sponsored by Barnet Fostering and UCL Academy.

8.25am – Early Morning Exercise with Ginny

West Hampstead's Ginny Greenwood MBE, from Exercise With Me, will be getting the day started with a gentle workout.

9am – Where we are and what help is out there?

Experts will discuss and take questions on the mental health challenges we face and, vitally, the support that is out there. On the panel will be clinical psychologist Dr Chinea Eziefula, who is Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust's lead for long-term health conditions in Camden; Dr Phil Moore, chair of the NHS Mental Health Commissioners Network and co-chair of London’s Suicide Prevention Group; and Highgate's Marjorie Wallace, founder of the mental health charity SANE.

10am – Mental Health and Me - Alastair Campbell and Fiona Millar

Former government communications chief and writer Alastair Campbell's book Living Better: How I Learned to Survive Depression has just been released on paperback. He and his partner, the journalist and education campaigner Fiona Millar, will be in conversation with Ham&High editor André Langlois.

11am – Gardening and Wellbeing with the Recovery College

Rina Deans from the Camden and Islington's Recovery College will run a session on the link between gardening and wellbeing.

Midday – Music with Young Music Makers and dance with Swing Sister Swing

Young Music Makers and Swing Sister Swing will introduce the benefits of music and dance, before providing a little lunchtime entertainment.

1pm – Mental Health and My Child, with Bounce Forward

The Finchley Road-based charity Bounce Forward will run a class where parents can learn about resilient parenting, helping their children overcome setbacks and navigating uncertainty.

2pm – Mental Health and Faith

A panel will discuss how faith communities have found and approached the mental health challenges of the pandemic and beyond. In conversation will be Mother Carol Barrett Ford, of St Martin's Church, Gospel Oak; Bibi Khan, president of London Islamic Cultural Society and Mosque; and Rabbi David Mason of Muswell Hill Synagogue and chair of Haringey Faith Network.

3pm – Comedy, Laughter and Wellbeing

The discussion will look at the role of laughter, as well as how comedians approach mental health. On the panel will be Tash Alexander, of Head Held High, a social enterprise which runs a motivational course called Stand Up For Yourself; stand-up comedian Charlie George, who launched Crack-Up Comedy Cabaret in aid of Hackney mental health charity Core Arts and co-hosts the podcast Happiness...and How to Get It; and stand-up comedian Rich Wilson, who hosts the Insane In the Men Brain podcast.

4pm – Nutrition and your Mind

To round off the day will be chat about food and the role it plays in our wellbeing. Among the panellists will be nutritional expert James Clark; Kris Hall founder of The Burnt Chef Project, a non-profit business tackling mental heath issues in the hospitality industry; and Lorenzo Stella, manager of Hampstead's famous La Gaffe restaurant.

Register for free here for Ham&High: Our Community's Mental Health.