West End Women's Wellbeing Group

Name of organisation

Tell us about your organisation (history, aims, vision):

My name is Saira Usman. Whilst organising a fundraiser to raise money for Mind a few years ago, I came across many barriers within the South Asian community whenever the topic of mental health was approached.

The whole topic was taboo, and I found that some people who had mental health issues were suffering in silence because they were afraid of the stigma associated with it.

It became very important to me that I keep this conversation going and try to reach out to as many people as possible to explain what mental health is all about, so that we can all be more understanding and mindful of those around us, and also reach out to those who are not getting the help they need - whether because they don't know how to access it or they are afraid to ask.

When I started these conversations via social media platforms and community events, I learned that it's not just mental health that is misunderstood - because of language barriers and a certain mindset that South Asians tend to have, important health information isn't always being received or taken seriously. More worryingly, post-Covid, people have started going out less than before and are becoming socially isolated.

All of this led to the West End Women's Wellbeing Group being formed. We meet once a month, and I have made sure all women from all backgrounds feel welcome. It was important to me to make this group as inclusive as possible, because I feel diverse gatherings open our minds and teach us a lot.

In each meeting we cover a particular health topic, which is explained to the ladies by an expert. There is a chance to ask questions afterwards and discuss this amongst the group so that we can translate and elaborate on anything required. We also set aside time to socialise, network and chat so that we can build friendships and connections within the group, too.

Who do you serve? How do they access services?

This group is for all women. I try to share the poster as often as I can and tell everyone about it. For those who would like the health information but cannot attend, I take a video recording and make the link available to them. I even organise a mid-month session on a Saturday so that the ladies who can't attend on a weekday still get a chance to come and socialise.

What are your current projects or services?

We have had two sessions so far, covering Alzheimer's and mental health. Next up is diabetes and physical health in relation to dementia. In the new year we will be covering screening, menopause and weight loss, as these are all topics that have been requested by members.

What are your three main concerns at the moment?

Getting people to understand that all aspects of health are important; mental and physical.

Ending social isolation - everyone should have somewhere to go and something to be a part of. Nobody can reach everyone alone, so there needs to be more people getting involved in this sort of work and taking the initiative to lead.

Inclusion - I believe understanding will lead to acceptance. As a community, if we build social and professional connections across all diversities, then we can ultimately become 'one'. Hopefully then there would be no repetition of the violence and hatred we all witnessed a couple of months ago breeding from misconceptions and misinformation.

Contact details:

Phone: 07908 082 723

Email: sairausman0205@gmail.com