General 1 — Roots To Wellbeing

Who Are We?

Started in 2018 with Mental Health Week, we are a community interest company (or CIC) is non-profit limited company, which exists primarily to benefit a community and purse a social purpose and change.

We're a heart based organisation. We are very much about finding potential and nurturing that potential.

Roots to Wellbeing offer opportunities and activities that are inclusive and support you in your physical wellbeing and mental health. We use the 5 Ways To Wellbeing to achieve this, which is a model researched by the New Economics Foundation as being important factors for mental wellbeing.

5 Ways To Wellbeing

By participating in our activities and following the 5 Ways to Wellbeing, you may feel happier, more positive and able to get the most from life.

CONNECT

Connecting with others in your Community, building connections with neighbours, meeting friends and family. Connections are cornerstones and building meaningful relationships helps support and enrich your life each day. Also connecting with yourself by participating in activities that enable you to centre and relax.

TAKE NOTICE

Being more aware of the present moment, including the environment around you, nature, sounds, sights and smells of fresh cooked bread and flowers. Taking your time when eating, talking to others, noticing feelings in your body and reflecting on your experiences.

KEEP LEARNING

Trying something new, or rediscovering an old hobby. Learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and ownership. Set yourself a challenge you will enjoy such as a recipe which will improve your confidence and be fun.

BE ACTIVE

Being active is not just cycling or a run. You can play a game, walk, garden, pilates, yoga, tai chi or dance. Discovering a physical activity you can enjoy and suits your current level of fitness (could start on a chair first or with your breathing).

GIVE

Giving is not just about material things, acts of kindness and doing something nice for a stranger or friend. Saying ‘Thankyou’ and smiling are free. Volunteering your time, joining a community group or activity expands your connections.

Tara Whittle - Founder of Roots to Wellbeing

I've always seen the potential in people. Everybody has potential as dark as things might feel.

I'm a neurospecialist and I've worked in mental health and physical care and holistic therapies. I trained in neuro-rehab, because when I was working as an Occupational Therapist I saw first hand that there was a gap. That there's so much misunderstanding with brain injury.

I've been a carer since I was a child. My mum has bipolar. She was a nurse. As a child, I always had this vision of Noah's Ark and it would worry me because you could only put two of each on board and I didn't understand why. So when I played with my toys I decided “no, we need to help more people”.

As a young adult I travelled to Israel. I saw how a Kibbutz works - people working, living together interchangeably. And there was a lot of love in that space.

It changed my outlook. When I came back and I really resonated with supporting people to support themselves.

I studied for my degree at Brunel University and then became an Occupational Therapist. When I started working for health service I realised how broken it was and I wanted to do something about it.

You can fight it, pulling back and then starting a tertiary services provider.

That's now become Roots To Wellbeing.