Volunteer Spotlight on ... Meg!

Meg has been volunteering for Healthy Minds for about 6 – 7 years now and along with others facilitates a volunteer led drop-in in Todmorden each Wednesday. She leads a meditation each week at the drop-in, in which there is a core group of about 8 people who attend regularly, but it is open to anyone who wishes to participate.

She first became involved with Healthy Minds by joining a course for people with chronic pain and health conditions as a participant, as she suffers from Spinal Stenosis which causes chronic back and leg pain, and neuropathy. She has also participated in several workshops and mental health peer support groups. As her interest grew, she wanted to share with others in the community the benefits and support she had gained from Health Minds.

Click to read more about Meg, and how she became involved with leading meditation at the drop-in!

"I became interested in Mindfulness, which shows how kindness, compassion and meditation could help people living with mental health issues. So, I became involved with Breathworks, an organisation based in Manchester, who are passionate about helping people living with pain, illness, and stress to re-claim their lives. They do this through mindfulness and compassion training including courses, products, and teacher training. I did several courses and retreats, and as my passion for Mindfulness and meditation grew, I decided to do the training with Breathworks to become an Accredited Mindfulness Teacher.

My aim is to share my life experience, knowledge, and training with people in my community. I became an Accredited Mindfulness Teacher in October 2023, and can now teach courses in Mindfulness for Health and Mindfulness for Stress as well as leading meditations and groups."


Describe yourself in three words: 
I would describe myself as kind, compassionate and caring.

What would your superpower be? 
My superpower would be to teach others the benefits of Mindfulness, by doing courses, peer support groups and to be part of a community that shows kindness, compassion, inclusivity, and support to each other.

Likes:
Singing, meditation, music, being part of a community, Healthy Minds, my faith.

Dislikes:
Being with people who are judgmental, exclude others, and so forth.

Who is your hero/heroine?
My heroine is the founder of Breathworks – Vidyamala Burch OBE. I have great admiration for her, she lives with severe chronic back pain, partial paraplegia, and other issues as a result of a spinal injury as a teenager and following a horrific car accident a few years later. She founded Breathworks to be able to show others with chronic pain, illness, and stress that they can have a life that is fulfilling by being mindful and learning ways of showing kindness and compassion to themselves and then to others. Vidyamala, through her own life experience, and training formed an organisation and an evidence-based programme - Mindfulness Based Pain Management (MBPM} that has changed the lives of thousands of people for the better including mine. She definitely practices what she preaches and is the embodiment of Mindfulness and compassion. See her story in her website: www.vidyamala-burch.com.

Favourite place:
A village called Luss, which is on the banks of Loch Lomond Scotland.

What’s the best thing about volunteering at Healthy Minds?  
The best thing about volunteering at Healthy Minds is being part of an organisation who cares about people with mental health problems and their wellbeing. Being part of a group of volunteers and staff who are passionate about what they do. The sense of belonging and being able to pass on the benefits I have gained from Healthy Minds. My mental health has improved and by volunteering gives me a sense of purpose, and a sense of achievement.

---

What Healthy Minds says:

Meg is fab! She brings a significant chunk of the welcome and compassion offered by the Todmorden drop-in team. Her additional role as Meditation Meg is wonderful and a lovely part of what HM can offer at the drop-in. 

Meg is a wonderful part of the team supporting the Todmorden drop-in. She is friendly, warm and welcoming. She is also very organised which gives the whole team confidence. Meg is a qualified mindfulness teacher and she offers the drop-in a quiet space, where she leads people in a mindfulness practice. For those who want stillness rather than a conversation, this is a real gift. As a member of staff who occasionally supports the drop-in, Meg has made it very easy for me to feel part of the team.

I have had the pleasure of having Meg on a training course that I delivered. Meg is a committed and enthusiastic volunteer who takes great pride in her roles. She is deeply empathic and passionate about making a difference in communities! 

Meg is a brilliant volunteer - she's a steady presence at Tod drop-in and her meditation sessions are a treat!