West End

Unfortunately, due to our regular coffee shop changing their hours, we have had to find a new location for our carer Coffee Connect. 

We have chosen The Coffee Club in West End. They are at 209 Boundary Street, West End and there is parking at the back of the coffee shop. You'll have to turn in off Boundary Street and head down the driveway at the side of the shop. Otherwise, there are side streets where you should be able to find a spot no problem. 

No need to RSVP, please just pop from 8am. One of our carer team will be there until 10am. 

Day: Every Thursday
Time: 8:00am – 10:00am 
Venue: The Coffee Club in West End, 209 Boundary Street, West End

Meadowbrook

Mental Health carers are invited to join us for a coffee on the last Wednesday of each month at Coffee Club, Meadowbrook.

One of our awesome carer support team will be available from 12:30pm - 2:00pm at a dedicated Arafmi table in the cafe where they can drop in, have a chat and catch up with us and other carers. 
 
There’s no need to RSVP for our Coffee Connect but you’re welcome to contact us at carersupport@arafmi.com.au if you have any questions. 

Please also note that if the Wednesday falls on a public holiday, the catch-up will not go ahead. 

Day: last Wednesday of the month
Time: 12:30pm - 2:00pm
Venue: Coffee Club Meadowbrook, 6 Logandowns Drive, Meadowbrook.

Arafmi’s online book club has been a great success and it is such a wonderful opportunity to catch up with like-minded people who enjoy reading.

The October book is The Rosie Project by Graeme Simison and the next book club date is on Monday, 17 October at 10am. 

To make sure you can put books on hold and read them in time, we have released the next three book titles. 
 
November: When All Is Said by Anne Griffin 
December: My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises, Fredrick Backman 
January: The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot, Marianne Cronin

We have two more dates for the carer morning tea at New Farm Park on the dates listed below. Meet us at the New Farm playground area, near the coffee cart at 9:30am where we will grab a drink and then find somewhere to sit. These catchups are a great opportunity to attend a casual, social gathering with other mental health carers. 

There is no obligation to stay for a certain amount of time – you’re welcome to pop in or stay for the entire catch-up. 

No RSVPs are required, but please contact us at carersupport@arafmi.com.au if you have any questions. 

Morning Tea Dates: 

• Monday 24 October – 9:30am - 11:00am
• Monday 31 October – 9:30am - 11:00am

The Arafmi Carer Forum is next week and we look forward to welcoming you for another day of connecting, listening to some great speakers and relaxing with other mental health carers. 

Unfortunately we are at capacity for the forum, but you can still register to watch live via YouTube. 
To register, please click the link below to register your interest. 
Date: Tuesday, 18 October 
Time: 8:30am – 4:00pm 

Join the Circus with Arafmi & Flipside Circus! 

During Queensland Mental Health Week, we invite young carers (9+) to join the circus with Arafmi and Flipside Circus! The workshop is focused on circus activities including trapeze, trampolining and juggling. Join us for a morning of circus fun by registering your details below. 

Date: Sun, 16 Oct 
Time: 9:00am for 9:15am start (90 min session) 
Venue: Flipside Circus, Riverfront Event Space at Northshore, 33 MacArthur Avenue, Hamilton Q 4007 

Qld Mental Health Expos

Thrive By The Bay 

Thrive By The Bay is Redland Bay’s FREE community event for Queensland Mental Health Week will be held Thursday, 13 October from 10am–2pm. Promoting health & wellbeing for all age groups and genders. The Carer Support Team will have a stall there so please drop by and say hello! 

Brisbane Mental Health Expo

Arafmi has booked a stall at the Mental Health Expo and if you’re at the expo, we’d love to see you! 
 
The Expo is an engaging and innovative way to promote mental health programs, services and organisations and share information and resources with the community. The Expo promotes social and emotional wellbeing, encouraging people to maximise their health potential, enhancing the coping capacity of communities, families, individuals and increasing mental health recovery. 

This fun and informative FREE EVENT will feature stalls, food, performances, activities, and lots more! 

 Theme: Awareness, Belonging and Connection in overcoming loneliness 
Date: Friday 14th October, 10:30am – 2:30pm 
Venue: The Plaza, Brisbane Powerhouse New Farm 

Brisbane Mental Health Expo – Seeking Volunteers! 

The Brisbane Mental Health Expo are seeking volunteers for the expo on Friday, 14 October. Your duties will include welcoming people to the event, providing water bottles to stallholders and other general tasks. Please contact Leanne Hardcastle at leannehardcastle@arafmi.com.au or 3254 1881 if you would like to volunteer. Leanne will put you in touch with our Qld Health contact.  

Somerset Health & Wellbeing Expo

SOMERSET residents will soon be able to enjoy a free health and wellbeing expo in their own backyard. 

The inaugural Somerset Health and Wellbeing Expo will be held adjacent to the Kilcoy Explore Centre at 41 Hope Street, Kilcoy on Wednesday, 12 October between 10am and 2pm. 

Somerset Regional Council Mayor Graeme Lehmann said the event would put a spotlight on health and wellness. 

“There will be more than a dozen market stalls providing a range of information about services and activities available to residents in Somerset, as well as free entertainment and facepainting for the little ones,” Cr Lehmann said. 

“This event is about supporting and encouraging social inclusion and overall health and wellness.” 

Cr Lehmann said the event was being held during Mental Health Week. 

“Mental illness is very common and most of us will know someone experiencing mental illness, or even experience it ourselves, at some point in our life,” 

“It is therefore so important that we put a spotlight on health and wellbeing and look after ourselves and those around us. 

“I encourage everyone to attend this free expo and learn about services and programs available in Somerset and surrounding areas that support health and wellbeing.”    

The expo is funded by the Queensland Government, Mental Health and Wellbeing Community Package under Queensland’s Economic Recovery Strategy and supported by Somerset Regional Council. 

Create a Sense of Belonging 

Finding ways to belong can help ease the pain of loneliness. Having a sense of belonging is a common experience. Belonging means acceptance as a member or part. Such a simple word for a huge concept. A sense of belonging is a human need, just like the need for food and shelter. Feeling that you belong is most important in seeing value in life and in coping with intensely painful emotions. 
 
Learn how to create a sense of belonging by reading the full Psychology Today article here

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