A virtual health and wellbeing event has made more than 20 films available offering advice and tips to help people improve how they feel and tackle specific problems.

Dr Paul Davies, a Consultant Stroke Physician at North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust,  took part in the event and shared advice on how you can prevent having a stroke, as well as how to spot the signs of a stroke.

You can watch the video of Dr Davies here: https://youtu.be/dNZ8KtgWuXc

The online ‘health mela’ went live on Friday and is now available on Youtube for people to access freely in their own time and space.

The North Cumbria Health and Wellbeing Mela was organised by Brampton and Longtown Rotary and is supported by the NHS and third sector groups across north Cumbria. It features local people sharing information to help people across Cumbria.

It can be viewed here in full https://youtu.be/e9Ya9FytLb8

Or you can pick a short film on an area that interest you. The films include:

  • Tips from Citizens Advice Carlisle and Eden
  • How to avoid and spot the signs of a stroke
  • Wellness Walks
  • Increasing activity and exercise you can do in a chair
  • Laughter yoga
  • Support for young people from Barnados
  • How community pharmacies can help you
  • How to avoid Type 2 diabetes
  • Dignity in dementia

….and much more

Mela is a Sanskrit word which means information exchange and celebration. The Cumbria event has been inspired by the Health and Wellbeing Forum started by the Gujarat community in Lancashire.

Previous events have been held face to face and this was devised to help people as we start to come out of lockdown and adjust to our new normal.

Kevin Walsh, a member of the Rotary Club of Brampton & Longtown,said: “It has been interesting trying to help people with advice and information and showing how much support is available here in our own community.

“Some of the films are really short and informative, others more chatty. All of them will have something you can take away.

“We have some fantastic organisations here that can really help as well as some useful medical tips too.

“Thank you to everyone who has helped make it happen.”

The mela includes an introduction from Cumbria’s Director of Public Health Colin Cox.

You can pick and choose the films relevant to you from the YouTube Playlist here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDE9WEzA1RC6CVKMhKLIsERV5MKnBCx6d