In the next of our Covid-19 vaccines series, we take a look at the issues around lower uptake among ethnic minorities, examine the causes of this problem and look for solutions. We would like to note that data on vaccine uptake is only starting to emerge, so it is too early to have a full picture.

As the Coronavirus vaccine roll-out continues fears that uptake would be lower among ethnic minorities are increasingly being confirmed.

Just 57% of BAME respondents in a December survey for the...

On 20^th January 2020 Meridian Wellbeing hosted the third of its Tackling Hate Crime webinars with the Chinese Association of Tower Hamlets, with Member of Parliament Sarah Owen speaking.

“It is clear that everyone at Meridian Wellbeing and CATH are hugely committed to tackling hate crime and the impacts on our community. We need to see greater support groups like them, so more people can access the fantastic mental health support and work they do” - Sarah Owen MP.

Since the...

In the second part of our mini-series on the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccines we look at the facts, controversies and misconceptions.

In recent months, the United Kingdom has approved and begun to roll-out the Coronavirus vaccine.

By September, it is hoped that the vaccine will have been offered to everybody. This would pave the way for the population as a whole to be immunised from Covid-19, offering a way out of lockdown.

Some of the details of what vaccination is, how it works, how...

In this blog we wanted to shine a light on the experiences of those who use our services from their perspective, and showing what matters to them.

Last year, the Chinese Mental Health Association (CMHA), a charity with a nearly three decade-long history faced the dilemma of how to respond to the UK’s national lockdown.

The broad range of services we ran were almost entirely provided in-person, with people typically meeting up in groups. With the lockdown introduced to prevent...

In December, we hosted the second and third of our Wellbeing Days and a Festive Fun Day on 29^th December 2020.

To round off a year like no other, we offered a number of additional activities beyond those normally on offer from Meridian Wellbeing.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have created a new website and moved our services online – so that people have access to activities and resources to support their wellbeing during lockdowns.

Later in the year, we put on the first...

In conjunction with our upcoming Digital Inclusion project, this blog looks at the ‘Digital Divide’ in the UK and its impact on wellbeing during the Covid-19 crisis and the third lockdown. 

When the country first entered into lockdown last Spring it quickly became clear that these changes would have a major impact.

While essential for protecting public health during the crisis, it was clear that this ‘new normal’ would have significant consequences for...

In this first of our mini-series on the Covid-19 vaccines, we give an overview of what a vaccine is, the existing vaccines and our work relating to the pandemic.

In the last couple of months there’s been a lot of talk about the Covid-19 vaccine which is currently being rolled out in the UK.

With the announcement of a new national lockdown on 4^th January 2021, we now have a new national target for the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines which is currently increasing its pace.

As a...

Lockdown’s have led to increased risks for victims of domestic abuse. In this blog, we take a look at this troubling issue and its intersection with the crisis in mental health.

For many of us a normal day may only mean leaving the house once, or even less. For those shielding the reality is often of being stuck inside 24 hours a day. And for others in at-risk groups, such as the over 70s and those with asthma or emphysema, leaving the house may be a relatively uncommon...

This Thursday we hosted the first of our monthly Wellbeing Days in partnership with a number of other organisations.

On November 26^th from 10:00am to 1:10pm we hosted our first monthly Wellbeing Day with our partners Citizens Advice Barnet, Age UK Barnet, MIND in Barnet and funded by London Community Response Fund.

The free half-day event included a range of activities and classes to support wellbeing.

By offering a real range of things to do,...

Anti-Chinese hate crime has been on the rise this year. Here, we explain what has happened and introduce our project Tackling Hate Crime.

One of the less well-noticed consequences of the pandemic has been the rise of anti-Chinese hate crimes.

In May it was reported that there had been 267 recorded hate crimes against people from Chinese backgrounds between January and March of this year.

Police estimates suggested a trebling of the number of such crimes when compared to the previous...