Exhibition on Nature

We are enjoying the awesome power of nature through a series of photography walks. Here we celebrate our photographers talents with a gallery exhibiting their incredible images. These will be added to as the series continues, to view the seasonal transformation within this gallery space.

If you’re a Changes Bristol member and would like to connect with nature and find out more about our free photography walks, please contact befriending@changesbristol.org

Spring Photography Walk

Alessandra

Hannah

Lindsey

Shona

Meg

Messages of Gratitude

This year we were proud to be nominated as chosen partner charity with St Mary Redcliffe for Treefest. This 4-day event celebrated both the festive season and the local community, with and exhibition of 50 Christmas trees donated by Bristol based organisations, charities and community groups. The church had over 2,000 people in attendance over the 4-day event with entertainment from a variety of choirs.

Ours was a Gratitude Tree, which offered an opportunity for people to share what they’re grateful for and get involved with dressing our tree by adding messages of thanks as decoration. We were delighted to see so many people of all ages get involved and wanted to use this space to celebrate the messages added. Huge thank you to everyone who came along to Treefest and shared what they’re grateful for.

Exhibition on Nature

We are enjoying the awesome power of nature through a series of photography walks. Here we celebrate our photographers talents with a gallery exhibiting their incredible images. These will be added to as the series continues, to view the seasonal transformation within this gallery space.

If you’re a Changes Bristol member and would like to connect with nature and find out more about our free photography walks, please contact befriending@changesbristol.org

Autumn Photography Walk

Sophie 

Alessandra

Lindsey

Hannah

Chloe

Can you sew and want to help us to make a quilt?

Our amazing volunteer Debbie has agreed to create a quilt which will help with Changes Bristol’s fundraising needs. She is asking for help in making the patchwork blocks which will be made into a quilt, created by the community of Changes supporters. We will offer the finished quilt in the Changes Quilt Raffle in October to raise vital funds to help support people in mental health distress.

How to make a quilt square

Fabric requirements:

• Background cotton fabric (any colour, won’t be seen) 9 inch square
• Strips of cotton fabric in your chosen colour. Width between 1.5 and 2.5 inches. (Longest length needed is 13 inches)
• 3 inch squares for corners (cut on diagonal)

Instructions:

1. On your 9 x 9 inch background block, lay the first colour strip right side up, diagonally corner to corner. (pin or use small amount of fabric glue to hold in place).
2. Take next strip and lay right side down on top of centre strip, matching raw edge and sew along that raw edge (using a ¼ inch seam allowance if possible) – ensure the strip covers the background fabric
3. Open out the strip of fabric and use an iron to press flat
4. Add next strip right side down, matching raw edge and sew along diagonal. Open out and iron flat.
5. Continue adding strips of fabric on both sides until you get near corners. At each stage ensure the new strip will cover the background fabric.
6. For the corners cut a 3 inch square on the diagonal. Sew this piece as above (place right side down and match raw edge).
7. Once the background fabric is covered, iron well and turn over. Cut the excess using the background fabric as a guide.
8. If you feel confident cut the square to 8.5 x 8.5 inches (cut from all 4 edges to ensure the first strip stays in centre of block). The blocks can be trimmed when quilt is assembled so don’t worry if you don’t feel confident to do final trim.
9. Take a photo of your finished block(s) so you can identify them in the final quilt!

When you’ve made your block(s) please send to: Changes Bristol, Barton Hill Settlement, 43 Ducie Road, Lawrence Hill, Bristol, BS5 0AX

We have added a video below to show the instructions. If you have any questions do contact Debbie:

Debbie@PatchworkLady.com
www.instagram.com/PatchworkLady_

If you have any questions, or have another crafty fundraising idea to help Changes Bristol that you’ll like to share with us, please get in touch with us via email – fundraise@changesbristol.org

Fancy winning the quilt?

If you fancy your chance at winning this beautiful quilt, then simply make a donation (£5 per name draw – you can donate more for multiple draws and a higher chance of winning) at our Justgiving page and you will be entered in to a draw to win the quilt!

Masks for Good is a new initiative set up by Changes Bristol’s skilled sewing volunteers who are usually providing a clothing alteration and repair service at Mend for Good events in corporate offices.

With all events currently on hold, our talented volunteers have been busy making the latest must-have accessory for this season and they are the definition of style.

So why not make a donation to support mental health services in Bristol, and order a beautifully crafted face mask!

Optimum design

• In-built wiring so you can shape it to fit nicely over your nose – which not only improves the efficiency of the mask but also stops your glasses from fogging up.
• Two layers with a sleeve to add in your own replaceable filter.
• These masks are washable (and the fabrics have already been washed at 60′ to avoid any shrinking).
• We’ve carefully selected a design which fits snug to your face and is comfortable to wear throughout the day.

Tailored to fit you

You can choose from the following 3 sizes:

• Large (would fit most men)
• Medium (would fit most women and teenagers)
• Small (would fit most children aged 6 -12 years)

Choose your style

You can choose from patterned or plain fabric. We have a huge variety of beautiful fabrics donated – we won’t be able to specify exactly which fabric you will receive but if you have a strong preference over colour please do let us know.

Elastic or Ties

Choose your preference:

• Elastic loops to go around your ear (which makes the masks easier to put on/take off)
• Cotton ties which you can tie around the back of your head (which help the mask fit more snug to your face).

Offering these options allows you to ensure you get the very best from your mask in fit, comfort and can go about your errands in style!

How to order your mask

To reduce postage and packaging waste we are taking a minimum of 2 masks per order.

1. Fill in our order form here
2. Make your donation on our Masks For Good JustGiving Page (please include your name and tick to share your contact details with Masks for Good so we can match your donation to your order)

Your donation for your masks will directly fund our mental health support groups and befriending service, helping people to make positive changes to their life and mental wellbeing. 

Our Volunteer Leanna has been busy at work, asking people from in and around Bristol, to donate crochet granny squares to be made into a blanket, that will be raffled off to raise funds for our Emergency Appeal.

Thanks to the generosity of crafters, we have now received over 100 squares, which Leanna is starting to stitch together.

If you would like to win the beautiful, collaborative blanket, simply make a donation (amount of your choice) to Leanna’s Just Giving page (link below) and you will be entered into a draw to win the blanket!

The winner will be drawn on 13th July, and contacted via email, so please ensure you have allowed Crochet for Changes to see your details (on the payment page you will be asked to tick a box to allow this).

September 2020 update: unfortunately we are unable to take any new referrals for our befriending service. 

Not all our members feel comfortable attending online meetings (or they do not have the technology) so we have set up a befriending service matching volunteers with members for an informal weekly phone chat and check-in.

What is a befriender?

A befriender is usually one of our trained volunteers who can give you a weekly call to see how you’re doing. They often have lived experience of mental health issues themselves and are used to running peer support groups for us at Changes Bristol. They will be happy to listen to you speak about how you’re feeling (good or bad), what challenges you’re facing and how you’re coping, and they will usually let you know how much time they have for the call at the beginning.

They are non-judgemental, and everything you say to them is confidential, unless they have significant concerns about your safety (or someone else’s) and then they will contact our team. For more information on confidentiality, please see below.

How do I get a befriender?

To be linked up with a befriender you need to be a member first. If you are not already a member, please sign up here. Once you’ve become a member you will receive a phone call from one of our team and you can let them know you’d like a befriender.

If you are already a member and haven’t yet let us know you’d like a befriender, please email us at info@changesbristol.org. It helps if you let us know which group you normally attend too.

How does it work?

Our team will firstly try to pair you with someone from your existing group (if you have one) and will let you know their name so you know who to expect. We will pass your number and first name onto your befriender (they will not know your second name) and they should then call you within a week of receiving it. In this first call from them they will set up a good time for both of you to speak each week.

It doesn’t matter if you need to change when your weekly call is down the line, but initially it helps to have some routine.

What can I talk about?

You can talk about whatever is on your mind. There are no rules and no problem is too big or small for them to listen to.

It is an informal service though. Our volunteers are volunteers, they are not trained counsellors, so while many of them will have lived experience of their own mental health struggles, they are not “mental health professionals”. They are peers, and although they may be able to tell you what things have helped them in the past, but they’re not an advice line. They are also not a crisis service. If you are in crisis, this page may help you find more immediate and specialised support.

What if we run out of things to say?

That’s absolutely fine!

If one week you only want to speak for 5 minutes, that is completely fine and your befriender will not mind. We all have days when we are more able to talk than others. If you would just like to sit quietly with them at the other end of the phone and say nothing, that is also fine! It is your time to be supported. Don’t feel bad to say to them what would be best for you.

What if I can’t stop talking?

Don’t worry! Your befriender should let you know how much time they have to talk and when it gets near to that time they’ll let you know.

How confidential is the call?

Your full name is only known to Changes Bristol staff, and your befriender will only have your first name and your phone number. 

We want you to feel safe to talk about any of your thoughts and feelings with your befriender, however difficult or scary they may be. Therefore, anything you say within the call will be kept in strict confidence. There are however, some cases when your befriender may need to speak to a member of staff. These exceptions to confidentiality include:

• If they are concerned that you may be a danger to yourself or someone else. In this circumstance your befriender would ask permission to try and find help for you (informed consent). If you did not agree, they would contact the staff team who would help to decide whether or not to get help without your consent. 
• If they have a concern over child protection or terrorism (statute law dictates that these must be reported to the authorities)
• If they are looking for guidance on other services that may be able to support you.
• If they have concerns you are experiencing some kind of abuse (domestic, financial, psychological/emotional, organisational, neglect, self-neglect, discriminatory, physical, modern slavery or sexual abuse). 
• If they feel they need some support themselves: each volunteer has a supervisor at Changes who supports them with their own wellbeing. 

How can I become a befriender?

If you’d like to be a befriender to someone else, please email service@changesbristol.org and Emmie/Tara will get back to you.