Main fundraiser photo

Ajani Health and Well-being Program

During Covid 19 Lockdown, HMHB is providing weekly Mental Health Packs in Islington, Haringey, Camden and Hackney. We are happy to send the PDFs to other areas too. We are posting the packs to older people who may not use the internet, or people who struggle using the web.  We desperately need funds for Ink, Envelopes, a new printer to be honest, and we also want to provide our unique style fitness help both online and practically.
We would be so grateful for any assistance.  Thanks so much.

Please read our story below - with video and photos.
The £7000 would cover all overheads for a year. No salary payments.
It covers - insurance; one project mobile;  all website costs (including hosting and email hosting, domain names; PT costs to run two free fitness sessions a week for a year; volunteer costs to organise and manage over 100 health walks; marketing costs for both - such as flyers/posters etc. accounts software for finances; a special gym card from Better gyms allowing us to bring a service user to the gym; general running costs including printing, travel etc. Our books are open to anyone interested. Thank you for your kind support. Enjoy our story

Jordan Syatt from US does a personal message to Ajani users





We are Healthy Minds, Healthy Bods (HMHB)

HMHB is a Social Enterprise set up to proactively improve the health and fitness of people, both for employed as well as those out of work, building awareness of better nutrition and routine, and showing people that a growth mindset can bring improved opportunities as you grow. We have a new pioneering unique approach with a fresh proactive outlook on mental health

Research shows that being out of work, as well as people who have alcohol, drug or mental health problems, often leads to a downward spiral, which prevents people from turning their lives around, and prevents them from getting back into work.  This puts huge pressures on social support networks costing ever increasing amounts of money.
We think it’s possible to stop that cycle. In fact we believe with our intervention we can pre-empt the issues that arise from unemployment with our exciting outlook to this problem.

Healthy Minds, Healthy Bods is different from other programs. We work closely with individuals, giving access to a fully qualified Personal Trainer, and providing many varied events for participation. 

We’ve designed an adaptable 4 to 6 week program, called Ajani, which provides practical intervention, advice and support for physical and mental health in an innovative and fun way, nutrition awareness, developing a positive growth mindset and promoting a regular routine, developing terrific links throughout the local area. Most importantly it gets people out in groups, socialising and focusing on the positives in life. It is pioneering in it's look at dealing with anxiety, stress and depression - and is looking to be both preventive and corrective in its outcomes.

Luke, Lawrence and Wayne - at bbq event 17/6/17

HMHB has already run six successful programs, one a pilot,  and the initial feedback has been astonishingly good.  The clients felt more positive, engaged and enthusiastic as a result of working with us. They used the words "empowered" and "inspired".  We now want to turn this intervention into the larger, sustainable program we know it can become. We have worked with Residential Housing for over 55s, Community Centres, and SHP, and will soon be working with Haringey Wellbeing Network and Better Lives.


Rosie, from our pilot Ajani program, talks about how she has benefited.

Ajani is mostly aimed at people who are out of work, including those who have been long term unemployed. We are especially excited to support those on Employment Support Allowance - or any health related benefit,  who may have had physical and mental health problems - even issues around substances, alcohol and those who have been homeless. However, we have adapted the course into a one day event for Corporate clients to work with Employees, building awareness around mental health, and providing fun tools to overcome issues that can affect their work output.

Lawrence developed the concept empathetically, alongside Luke and Dean, who help deliver this unique course, and all three have had to go through difficult periods in the past. A few years ago, Lawrence found he needed help, not just with recovery, but also building fitness and energy levels back up, which naturally improved confidence and esteem - getting himself back into a position where he was physically job ready. There was no such course available - hence the development of HMHB. - more details on www.hmhb2016.org.uk 

We have researched and developed a proactive, interactive and fun program, promoting a growth mindset, better health, fitness, routine and nutrition. It is noticeably different from what is currently available. Very inclusive, and we have had terrific feedback. Through Business In The Community (BITC) we have had free access to a business mentor, a Senior Manager,  from KPMG, who continues to help us four years later.

Amy and Amanda from SHP, and Lawrence and Luke, with our business mentor, Scott

December (2016) we presented HMHB to the NHS, DWP, and agencies such as Single Homeless Project (SHP), Change Grow Live (CGL), various Housing Associations, and the local Councils (Islington and Camden).  It was received with great enthusiasm and support, but because we are new with no record we are unable to get funding until we "prove our outcomes". We have already discussed contracts with the SHP, the DWP and the local Islington Council and Hackney Council, but nothing can happen unless we can show progress and continue to build on the pilots.

This is where we hope you can come in and help us. We realise that there are many fantastic funding requests on this site, but hope you can assist us.

The fund will cover all costs for twelve months. We especially need to cover all our administration costs; these include insurance, marketing, printing, hardware, software, professional fees, development costs and travel.  As well as that, this will allow us to run several programs over the next few months and cover costs involved with that, while we search for proper seed funding to cover salaries. We also plan to expand our walking project to include five "healthy walks" a week.


We have a website - again created for nothing (but we have to pay for email and hosting):  www.hmhb2016.org.uk
We have a blog:   www.hmhb2016.blogspot.com - which has been going for over a year and has followed our progress since then.
We are on twitter - @hmhb2016
We are on Facebook - healthymindshealthybods

We have access to media links from local papers (We were Business Of The Week in the Islington Gazette in February 2019), and we have videos and testimony we can send to prospective sponsors

please like and follow us

One of our local Councillors - Osh Gantly - who was also their mental health champion, has said she is "excited" to see our outcomes.
Our MP (Jeremy Corbyn) - has said our program can bring "significant benefits".  Regardless of which political party you follow, this is clearly a program that is recognised.
Our local Councillor - Caroline Russell - has said she is excited about our Izzwalkz initiative - getting people walking a lot more, and fitter, in the borough.


Joan talks about Izzwalkz CP

In 2017, we were priviliged to be invited to the House of Lords to meet with Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson, who also asked if she could help - she was one of the people encouraging us to get a pilot going. She has put this page on Twitter - but with no success as yet.

We have the support of the Centre For Social Justice, Employment and Training Network, and others.  We  just need to get our foot in the door. We are not a for profit organisation (Social Enterprise) - we just want to help people back into life and back into work quicker - improve confidence and health and fitness - but in a very proactive way.

Dean and Luke stand behind Lawrence, sitting with Rosie from our pilot Ajani program

Anything can help us.  We are happy to meet - and are looking for a major sponsor who can fund us for a year - with three salaries with administration costs, and we have excellent finance spreadsheets to cover these costs. We have a board, and all the right paperwork in place.

We even have some bespoke videos on Youtube showing people they can exercise and that it is okay to struggle - in fact our Personal Trainer Dean (PT Zombie) is training Lawrence (who has said it is okay to put one on here, even though he is embarrassed about his weight - and says it is a great incentive to push on with his weight loss targets - (and he is improving)





Thank you for reading - thank you if you can give.

Donations 

  • Dorothy Hastings
    • £50 
    • 2 yrs

Organizer and beneficiary

Lazza Curtis
Organizer
Lawrence Curtis
Beneficiary

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