About The Active Minds Project

Active Minds helps people with mental health problems living in Croydon become more confident about accessing services in their community. It offers one-to-one sessions to people who wish to take part in more leisure activities, helps them to choose which activities to participate in and how to access them, and offers motivational support to achieve these goals.

The service also runs some groups including:

• boxercise
• a gym/swim group
• allotment gardening
• sailing

Boxercise

The boxercise group is run over a course of 10 weeks, in a local boxing academy. Duke Mackenzie, three-time boxing world champion, leads the sessions and offers a fun and invigorating workout using boxing techniques.

Gym/swim

This is a facilitated session run at a local leisure centre, where people can come along to use either the gym or swimming pool, and is followed by a get together in the café.

Sailing

Three weekend sailing trips are run each year, where people get hands on experience working as part of the crew on a yacht.

Allotment Members

gain experience working on our allotment two days a week. It is a good way of getting some exercise and fresh air, as well as being able to grow fruit and vegetables. Members have also found this experience very valuable in helping them to think about returning to work. You can find out more at www.plot26.org.uk.

How to get involved

Referrals from a health professional or other support worker are required for Active Minds. People interested in taking part can contact Chloe Gay or Dora Cook for advice on who to go to for a referral.