Category: Wellbeing

Time to warm up your vocal cords. The singer of This is the way to Amarillo, Tony Christie, is asking everyone in the UK to learn the lyrics of a 1978 classic.

But I can’t sing.

Oh yes you can. And it will be great.

Okay. Why?

The song, Thank you for being a friend, will be released on Thank You Day (2 July) in gratitude to all those looking after people with dementia. This group was chosen because carers represent the UK’s least thanked group.

The recording features five carers singing alongside Tony as well as famous singers whose names will be announced in late June. 

Tony himself was diagnosed with dementia earlier this year and recorded the song for Music For Dementia, a charity which uses song and sound to support people with this memory impairment. 

Ahead of the occasion, Tony is preparing everyone to let loose.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re in a church, at a festival, at a picnic in the park, in your bedroom on TikTok or you host an event yourself at the park or in the pub,” he said. “All that matters is that you’re part of something big and special that celebrates all the diverse people and communities that make the UK great, and gives special recognition to the brilliant carers in it.”

If you want to record your own cover of the song, download the sheet music and backing track for free from the Thank You Day website.

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

Dementia UK. This is a charity that provides Admiral Nurses for families affected by dementia, to help support those in need. Find out more here.

Alzheimer’s Research UK. Alzheimer’s Research UK are the UK’s leading Alzheimer’s research charity aiming to find a cure for dementia. Learn how to support them here.

Alzheimer’s Society. They are working towards a world without dementia, and are giving help to those living with dementia today, and providing hope for the future. Learn more here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Good Health and Wellbeing.

Leeds is going on a bear hunt.

Wait, what?

Well, not a real bear hunt. But a free art trail of decorated bear sculptures will pop up across the city, raising money for Leeds Hospitals Charity from 1 July to 9 September.

The trail is inspired by Michael Rosen’s best-selling children’s book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.

Local and national artists, including painter and maker Caroline Dowsett, have decorated their bears in diverse ways. Each one is unique and helps create a brightly coloured sight, bringing joy to the city’s streets. 

The bears are currently stowed away, to be released into the streets later this month – watch out!

Commenting on her design, called ‘Bloom’, Caroline said: “The use of colours and composition are inspired by feelings of joy, and that is the main source of inspiration in my work. I want to evoke a sense of optimism and bring a splash of colour into our everyday lives.”

What does this achieve?

Once the trail is over, the bears will be collected and auctioned off. All funds raised will go to Leeds Hospitals Charity to support their vital mission of caring for very poorly children and their families in a welcoming and friendly environment.

“It’s a real honour to be part of such an important cause,” said Caroline.

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

Leeds Hospital Charity. This is a charity improving care facilities at NHS hospitals across Leeds, funding the best support and research. Find out more.

WellChild. The UK’s national charity to provide quality care for sick children at home. Support them here.

Great Ormond Street Hospital. This is a charity dedicated to providing Ormond Street Hospital with research, family support, medical equipment and more. Find out more and support them here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Good Health and Wellbeing.

An incredible, eight-day, one-man hike has just been completed in the name of raising funds for Marie Curie.

Tell me more!

Marie Curie is an end-of-life charity, that helps people with terminal illnesses and their loved ones navigate an incredibly difficult time.

Joe Penney, age 22, from Chelmsford, decided to raise money for Marie Curie in memory of his mum, Rachel, who was diagnosed with a glioblastoma (aggressive cancerous tumour in the brain) in 2015 and sadly died in December 2017 when he was 17.

To honour the work that the charity does, he embarked on a 154km hike along the West Highland Way then climbed to the summit of Ben Nevis to raise funds for Marie Curie.

How did it go?

After an incredibly difficult hike, he managed to raise over £2,500 for charity, all of which will go towards helping families and patients with end-of-life care.

If you would like to donate to his GoFundMe, you can do so by following this link.

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

Marie Curie. They provide care and support for people living with any terminal illness, and their families. Support them here.

Hospice UK. This is the national charity for hospice care. It champions and supports the work of organisations providing hospice care across the UK. Learn more here.

Sue Ryder. They provide palliative and neurological support from our specialist centres and in people’s homes. Find out more here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Good Health and Wellbeing.

‘Lonely bouquets’ are popping up around a town in Wales.

Aww! Tell me more!

One good samaritan, florist Fay Trowbridge, of Daisy Chain, has been leaving these adorable bouquets around the town of Merthyr Tydfil in Wales. This is all in the name of Mental Health Awareness Month, which took place in May.

In an interview with the BBC, Fay said that she wanted to spread a little positivity and happiness around her town. 

That’s adorable.

Isn’t it? Fay estimated that she has delivered around 150 bouquets. This month, her target was small, local businesses, where she left the bouquets to help drive online traffic for them.

Fay told the BBC, “Even if I only made one person smile, to me that’s better than none.”

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

Re-Engage. This is a charity that is making life less lonely for thousands of older people every year, through volunteer-led activities. Find out more.

Campaign to End Loneliness. This charity campaigns to make sure that people most at risk of loneliness are reached and supported. Support them here.

Marmalade Trust. This is a charity dedicated to raising awareness of loneliness and helping people make new friendships. Find out more and support them here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Good Health and Wellbeing.

As we’ve written about many times at Smiley News, there is an ongoing mental health crisis among teens in the United States, and places around the country address it in different ways, such as education programs, counseling, and non-profit aid. 

In a positive move to address that, kids and teens who visit emergency rooms in mental health crises can now get free therapy in Colorado.

This therapy is an extension of an existing Colorado initiative called The Follow-Up Project where suicide hotline staff call people who’ve been discharged from a hospital to check up on them after their stay. Now, through a non-profit called Second Wind Fund, that program will offer free therapy as well. 

About 70% of people don’t see a therapist after an emergency visit, and this program is meant to address that. 

“Someone to check in with that person who’s been suicidal, or experiencing a mental health crisis, to just offer support and care without anything demanding or providing therapy, but just caring contact,” explained Lena Heilmann, director of the state Office of Suicide Prevention, which is part of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Second Wind Fund is working to help the youth in Colorado, and getting more reach thanks to Project-Follow Up.

“Our organization focuses on improving access and delivery of suicide care,” they write. “Our unique program provides an avenue for families to obtain actual treatment services for children and youth at risk for suicide by breaking down financial and transportation barriers.”

Charity check-in

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

American Civil Liberties Union. This is one of the largest civil liberty defense organizations in the US. Find out more and support them here. 

Human Rights Campaign. This is one of the largest equality-focused organizations in the US. Find out more. 
The Trevor Project. They focus on suicide prevention and mental health support for queer youth. Support them here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Good Health and Wellbeing.

Artist Saroj Patel has painted a beautiful mural to thank nurses for the care and support they give daily.

That’s great! Tell me more.

The heart-shaped painting has been unveiled at The Oracle shopping centre in Reading to pay tribute to Sue Ryder palliative care nurses working in the Thames valley. 

Throughout the artwork, messages express gratitude for the hard work of nurses who care for hundreds of people across hospitals and hospices.

The healthcare charity, Sue Ryder, commissioned the painting as part of the We Are Sue Ryder campaign to celebrates the lasting impact of their nurses.

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

Sue Ryder. This charity offers palliative care and bereavement support for people with serious illnesses and their families. Find out more.

Cancer Research UK. The UK’s largest charity looking into cures for cancer. Learn how to support them here.

Marie Curie. They are help provide end of life care to people with terminal illnesses. Learn more here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Good Health and Wellbeing.

The pandemic completely overran our lives for at least two years, and until a vaccine gained US Food and Drug Administration approval on August 23, 2021, labs around the world were busy with Covid research. 

But the WHO recently announced that Covid-19 is no longer an international emergency and with that many of the former Covid labs were left without much to do. One of these labs, in North Carolina decided to get creative. 

There are well over 100,000 untested rape kits across the United States, many regard this as a mistreatment of justice but police departments argue that they just don’t have the resources to comb through the test kits. 

That’s where this North Carolina lab, StarMed Healthcare, stepped in. In a helpful pivot, it is repurposing its resources to help clear the “rape kit backlog.”

“In the whole country, there are 6 or 7 of these labs, and that’s it,” said Dr. Arin Piramzadian, StarMed’s Chief Medical Officer. “The victim themselves needs closure.”

“There are state agencies out there that are happy about a 120-day turnaround time. We want to make sure we are faster,” said Dr. Piramzadian.

The repurposed lab can process two to four thousand kits per year.  

Charity check-in

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

American Civil Liberties Union. This is one of the largest civil liberty defense organizations in the US. Find out more and support them here. 

Human Rights Campaign. This is one of the largest equality-focused organizations in the US. Find out more. 

The Trevor Project. They focus on suicide prevention and mental health support for queer youth. Support them here. 

This article aligns with the UN SDG Good Health and Wellbeing.

Bipolar UK is asking people to run, walk, cycle or swim from the North to South Pole.

Wait, really?!

Well – sort of.

To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, Bipolar UK is launching a 10-month challenge asking people to run, walk, cycle or swim 49,008km/24,860 miles – the equivalent distance from the North to the South Pole.

This is all to raise awareness about being bipolar and highlight the extreme highs and lows of the condition.

Bipolar UK will share virtual postcards to highlight key milestones along the way, including Greenwich in London, Valencia in Spain, Accra in Ghana, Null Island in the Atlantic Ocean and the finish line at their London office.

To find out more about Bipolar UK, visit their website. To register for the event, visit this link. 

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

The Brain Charity. The Brain Charity provides free support for carers, friends and family of people with any form of neurological condition. Support them here.

Campaign to End Loneliness. This charity campaigns to make sure that people most at risk of loneliness are reached and supported. Support them here.

Samaritans. Samaritans works to make sure there’s always someone there for anyone who needs someone. Find out more here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Good Health and Wellbeing.