A commissioning framework for public health
Last week I was at the Guardian Public Health Dialogue in London, discussing how the new systems for public health will affect the UK. And eating crisps, of course. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Government’s plans, in a nutshell the responsibilities for the health of the public are moving into Local […]
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Happy 4th birthday Mindapples!
Mindapples is 4 today. On 29th February 2008, I submitted the original proposal to Social Innovation Camp that led to the creation of the Mindapples campaign, and ultimately the organisation it is today. Yes, that’s right, we are a leap-year baby. The idea for Mindapples came originally from my conversations with my dear friend, Jo […]
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Why having fun is good for you
We all know that leisure time makes us feel good, but now scientific evidence shows that taking time out and engaging in activities you enjoy really does lead to both psychological and physical wellbeing. It’s a well-established fact that physically healthy actions such as eating well and getting enough sleep make us feel better, it […]
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Mindapples receives £120,000 funding
I’m hopeless at keeping secrets, particularly when I have good news to share. So it’s with great pleasure that I can finally announce an investment of £120,000 in Mindapples from Maudsley Charity. Maudsley Charity’s funds are made up of donations that have been made to South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and its predecessor organisations, […]
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Reflections on 2011
What a year. 2011 has been one of the fiercest and most eventful I’ve ever known, and a big one for Mindapples. There have been some challenges, to say the least. It’s been difficult for everyone in the voluntary sector this year, and we’ve lost some good people and projects in the cuts and economic […]
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The 2011 Mindapples advent calendar
Have you checked out our lovely Advent Calendar yet? Throughout December we’re sending you a Christmassy mindapple a day. Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook to get the updates, and you can subscribe on our new Mindapple-a-day feed too. Here’s a selection of the best so far…
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Nudge vs. #bigsociety?
Happy New Year folks, I hope you had a lovely mindapple-filled winter break. Last week I attended the launch of the Health Equalities Alliance and their inaugural debate Nudge or fudge – can a gentle push really tackle health inequalities? It was the first time I’ve had the chance to quiz members of the Cabinet […]
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Mindapples Press: December 2010 Edition
As someone who has taken an interest in the growth and development of Mindapples over 2010, I thought you might appreciate a little update on where we’ve got to and where we’re headed! NHS pilot As I announced earlier this week, we now have a confirmed grant from Guys and St Thomas’s Charity to pilot […]
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Mindapples announces GPs pilot study
I am delighted to announce that we now have a confirmed grant from Guys and St Thomas’s Charitable Trust to pilot Mindapples with GP surgeries across Lambeth. Huge thanks to Esther, Tessy and our lovely partners Tony Coggins at SLaM NHS Trust and Lucy Smith at NHS Lambeth for getting this exciting project underway. In […]
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Happy World Mental “Health” Day
Hello folks, and a very happy World Mental Health Day to you all! To celebrate, Mindapples have been on tour around London, beginning in Brixton on Thursday and Saturday, and culminating in installing the Mindapples Tree at CityCamp London in the Hub King Cross today. It’s been an amazing few days, stepping far out of […]
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