UK Asian Film Festival (UKAFF) has teamed up with Imperial College London’s Indian Society and Bollywood Dance School to ‘Get The Nation Dancing’ as part of the festival’s on-going Talking Therapy initiative, to raise awareness for World Mental Health Day.
Since dance and exercise is a great way to alleviate stress and anxiety, the organisations have joined forces to organise a free and fun dance workshop on Saturday 10th October at 16:00-17:00 GMT via Zoom – conducted by Ms Shruti Shah of Bollywood Dance School. To mark the day and unanimously raise mental health awareness, participants can wear a yellow item of clothing.
To participate one simply has to sign up on the link: bit.ly/talkingtherapy-ukaff and get ready to groove away from the lockdown blues!
Given that approximately 45 universities across the UK have confirmed cases of coronavirus, leading to large numbers of students self-isolating, with many being miles away from home, the initiative is also a fantastic way to encourage young minds to combat the fear of COVID-19 through the joy of dance.
Recognising the adverse effect the pandemic can have on society, especially artists and filmmakers, UKAFF have launched an initiative called Talking Therapy, where therapists will provide an over the phone support service.
The service aims to provide emotional support, signposting problems, advice and information with details of organisations and support available to individuals.
The therapy enables people with a safe place to talk in confidence where a therapist will listen attentively providing realistic options and offer help that is available to them.
Led by the UK Asian Film Festival’s founding director Dr Pushpinder Chowdhry MBE who herself is a qualified psychotherapist, the support line will help individuals dealing with issues such as bereavement, depression, anxiety, stress, worry, feeling lonely and isolated, having relationship problems or suffering domestic abuse.
To access the therapy, artists and students can call 07930 491915 and leave a confidential message providing contact details and their preferred time of contact. A therapist will then call back within 24 hours.
