EDINBURGH Social Enterprise Network (ESEN) has partnered with Whale Arts and MHScot Workplace Wellbeing to add some social enterprise sparkle to January with its Live the Good Stuff campaign and mega doodling session at Whale Arts this week.
Begins a spokesperson: “Mondays in January are now recognised as a low spot in the calendar and a good time to consider health and well-being activities.
“A number of Edinburgh’s social enterprises have geared up to focus on ways to re-invigorate this seasonal lull in motivation.
“Doogie Goodstuff, ESEN’s mascot staged a mega doodle colouring in session at Whale Arts this week, as an example of how to help people deal with the January Monday Blues.”
Live the Good Stuff is a campaign to promote Edinburgh’s many health and wellbeing social enterprises, one of which is MHScot Workplace Wellbeing which focuses on stress prevention and early mental health intervention in the workplace.
The spokesperson adds: “And research from the charity Mind** – outlines that one in six workers, right now, are experiencing mental health difficulties such as stress, depression and/or anxiety and costs to businesses/organisations averaging £554 per person per year.”
Commenting on the return to work and routine after a long festive break, Catherine Eadie, Workplace Wellbeing consultant, said: “There are many combined factors that can make those January Mondays a difficult prospect – everything from health issues, work and financial stress, childcare and caring concerns whilst fitting in some time to keep fit.
“Finding some tranquil time in the mix is very often the last thing to think about and applies to everyone whether they are working or not.”
Catherine added: “It takes time to work out the best plan of action but an easy step is to find a pastime that is simple to set up and a welcome distraction which can make all the difference whether it is walking, bird-watching, reading or creative colouring.
Linsay Chalmers, network coordinator at Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network, added: “We have a growing number of social enterprises in Edinburgh supporting people in the city to improve their physical and mental wellbeing, from pregnancy care through to stress management and healthy eating.”
Commenting on the group doodle activity David Henderson, enterprise manager, Whale Arts, said: “The staff and participants have all contributed to the group doodle activity today, really bringing the team together. There was a definite feeling of being more relaxed and mindful. Every organisation could benefit from a half hour doodle session a day to lift the mood in January.”
There are over 200 social enterprises trading in Edinburgh, from cafes and retail, to creative industries and leisure – generating income and reinvesting their profits into the community for social or environmental benefits.
ENDS
For further press information contact:
Fiona Stewart
Interwoven PR
Email: fiona@interwovenpr.com
Mobile: 07940560453
For Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network information contact:
Linsay Chalmers
Network coordinator
E-mail: linsay@edinburghsocialenterprise.co.uk
Mobile: 07940 512110
Notes to editors:
Images available from Colin Hattersley Photography
Email: colinhattersley@btinternet.com / Mobile: 07974 957 388
Girl in image Michelle Roxburgh, Whale Arts with Doogie Goodstuff
Further background
Research from Mind can be found here http://www.mind.org.uk/media/550657/resource4.pdf
‘Buy the Good Stuff’ is a call to action to the general public to consider how they shop around the city and can really make a difference by purchasing from social enterprises. Over 200 social enterprises are trading in Edinburgh, from cafes and retail, to creative industries and leisure generating income and reinvesting their profits into the community for social or environmental benefits. ‘Live the Good Stuff’ is the theme focussing on healthy activities and wellbeing.
Edinburgh was the first place in Scotland to run a marketing campaign to raise awareness of social enterprise shopping with branding designed by BOLD design agency for ‘Buy the Good Stuff’ appearing on the side of eight Lothian Buses. The Buy the Good Stuff campaign is supported by the City of Edinburgh Council and delivered by Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network.
Whale Arts www.whalearts.co.uk is a community arts organisation based in Wester Hailes in Edinburgh. Established in 1992, as part of the community regeneration process, in 2000 moved in to the purpose built WHALE Arts Centre. WHALE Arts provides access to supported, professionally led arts activities for enjoyment, skills development and growth of individuals and the community.
What is social enterprise? Social enterprise is a way of doing business that benefits the community, society or the environment. Social enterprises must reinvest all of their profits into their social or environmental aims and many also achieve their aims through the way that they run their business, for example by employing people who might otherwise find it difficult to find a job.
Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network uses the criteria for social enterprise set out in the Social Enterprise Code (www.se-code.net). The most common legal models for social enterprises are: Companies Ltd by Guarantee, Companies Ltd by Guarantee with Charitable Status, Charities and Community Interest Companies (CICs).
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Interwoven PR contact details…
Contact: Fiona Stewart
Phone: 07940560453
Email: fiona@booktrawler.com
Website: http://www.edinburghsocialenterprise.co.uk
