Author: Helen O'Connell

Are smartphones making us sad?

Are smart phones making us sad?  What happens when dumb is smart? I hear that some young people (not mine) are abandoning their smartphones in favour of “dumb phones”, which can only handle texts and calls. So, no internet, social…

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Anti-Bullying Week

Thinking about bullying Did you know that this year’s Anti-Bullying Week (“Choose Respect”) begins Monday 11th November. (On a lighter note, it’s Odd Socks Day on Tuesday 12th November, with adults and children being encouraged to wear odd socks to…

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Popcorn Brain: The Gen Z disease?

Let me start my new blog about popcorn brain with a frank admission. It will take me ages to write it, even though it’s just a few dozen sentences. Not because I have more urgent things to do. Not even…

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Treacle’s Social Impact Report

The most recent Social Impact Report for Treacle was published in the summer of 2023. You can read it here Bfd Impact Report22:23 The headline news, is that for what can be described as a minimal investment, Treacle returned almost…

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Rising depression rates in young adults in the UK.

Rising depression rates in young adults in the UK What is going on with the mental health of young people? At first glance, depression in young adults statistics in the UK are indeed a sobering read.   But why are…

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Approaching Mental Health Awareness month

Approaching Mental Health Awareness Month   Approaching Mental Health Awareness Month Mental Health Awareness Week takes place this week (Monday 13th May 2024). For me, the most striking thing about all this year’s campaigns is the brilliant theme set by…

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Social Groups for Adults

Social groups for adults Making friends or joining social groups for adults as an adult can be challenging, especially if you’re new to a city or town. But it’s important to have a strong social support network, and there are…

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Finding help with Bereavement and Grief

Bereavement Support The death of a loved one is a difficult experience that can be overwhelming. It is important to find support during this time, and there are many organisations that can help.  Have a look here for help and…

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Community Directories – It’s Time for a Change

 Community Directories and Treacle – What’s the big deal? We all know the theory of the “butterfly effect” in chaos theory, ie that a small change in one part of a system, can have an exponentially bigger effect in a…

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