Welcome to the Health BOCS update, the monthly update on Health and Wellbeing activities at The Brothers of Charity Services in England.
Click here to view the BOCS Health and Wellbeing Calendar for 2020/2021.
October Promotion
As part of the Health BOCS, the Brothers of Charity Services’ health and wellbeing programme, throughout October we promoted Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Mental Health Awareness Day.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Support is a breast cancer charity providing care and helping breast cancer patients worldwide who cannot afford medication or treatment.
Breast Cancer Support believe that where people live with breast cancer, be it a women or a man, shouldn’t determine if they live. So they are aiming to fight breast cancer in countries across the globe to reduce breast cancer mortality worldwide. Supported by doctors, dentists and other medical professionals, BCS aims to alleviate pain and discomfort around the world through making medicine, medical expertise and medical equipment readily available to those living in poverty stricken countries and communities.
It is not only women who can be diagnosed with breast cancer and it is often forgotten that men can also suffer from the disease. At Breast Cancer Support, our mission is straight forward: to save lives and end breast cancer forever in women and men. We do this through education, treatment, emotional assistance and financial support.
Click here to read more.
Mental Health Awareness Week
Mental Health problems can affect anyone, any day of the year, but October is a great month to show your support for better mental health and start looking after your own wellbeing.
World Mental Health Day 2020 is the most important one yet. The months of lockdown and loss have had a huge impact on us all, and prioritising mental health has never been more important than it is now.
That’s why this year Mind, an amazing Mental Health charity, want to bring everyone together to mark the day by each doing one thing for better mental health.
Making positive change can seem so hard, especially during uncertain times. And sometimes, it can be hard to know where to start. Take the opportunity this World Mental Health Day to find out more about how you can start with one thing.
Our mental health is just like our physical health: everybody has it and we need to take care of it.
Mental health problems affect around one in four people in any given year. They range from common problems, such as depression and anxiety, to rarer problems such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Click here to find out more.
November Promotion
As part of Health BOCS, the Brothers of Charity Services’ health and wellbeing programme, throughout November, will be promoting: Movember; Children in Need; Alcohol Awareness Week and Winter/ Flu Jab Promotion.
Movember
Movember is an annual event involving the growing of moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s suicide. The Movember Foundation runs the Movember charity event.
The Movember Foundation is the leading charity changing the face of men’s health. We’re addressing some of the biggest health issues faced by men. They know what works for men and how to find and fund the most innovative research to have both a global and local impact. They are independent of government funding, so they can challenge the status quo and invest quicker in what works. In 15 years they have funded more than 1,200 men’s health projects around the world. By 2030 they will reduce the number of men dying prematurely by 25%.
Click here for more information.
Children in Need
BBC Children in Need is the BBC’S UK corporate charity. Thank to the support of the public, they are able to make a real different to the lives of children all across the UK.
Their vision is that every child in the UK has a childhood which is: safe, happy and secure; and allows them the chance to reach their full potential. They provide grants to projects in the UK which focus on children and young people who are disadvantaged. They are local to people in all corners of the UK and support small and large organisations which empower children and extend their life choices.
They are currently supporting 2,400 projects all across the UK. The projects Children in Need fund, help children facing a range of disadvantages for example poverty and deprivation; children who have been the victims of abuse or neglect or disabled young people.
Click here to find out more information.
Alcohol Awareness Week
Alcohol Concern was founded in 1984 at the national charity working to help reduce the problems that can be caused by alcohol. In April 2017 Alcohol Concern teamed up with Alcohol Research UK to form the UK’s leading independent alcohol charity. Together, they are working to end the harm caused by alcohol.
Every hour someone in the UK loses a loved one to alcohol. It’s the biggest cause of death, ill-health and disability for people aged 15-49. We are doing everyone in our power to make this stop.
Over the next year we will be releasing the new, merged organisation’s strategy. Join us by making a donation or beginning your fundraising today. This week will feature a range of messages on the dangers of mixing alcohol with drugs, the benefits of taking a quick alcohol MOT and highlighting information and support services available for those who need help for their drinking or someone they know.
Click here for more information.
Winter Flu Jab Promotion
There are two ways of making sure we prevent the spreading of Flu.
-Hygiene- Hand Washing, Cleaning, etc.
- -Flu Vaccination
Good Hygiene
Preventing the spread of germs is the most effective way to slow the spread of the flu. Always:
- Wash your hands regularly with soap and water
- Clean surfaces and door handles regularly to get rid of germs
- Use tissues to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
- Put used tissues in a bin as soon as possible and wash your hands.
The Flu Vaccine
If you wish to be vaccinated you should make an appointment with your GP Surgery or go to your local Drop- in Centre or Pharmacy. General information about seasonal flu and flu vaccination is available from NHS Choices at https://www.nhs.uk/livewell/winterhealth/pages/fluandthefluvaccine.aspx.
Much more detailed information about flu vaccination is provided in Chapter 19 of ‘The Green Book’ from Public Health England. Click here to find out more
The flu vaccine is usually free to high-risk people, to protect them from flu. If the vaccine is not free to you then you will have to pay the prescription cost of £8.60.
Click here for more information.
