UPDATE: Please take the time to read our announcement. Ristorante Café Arena is open as normal.
Tuesday 10th October is World Mental Health Day. With one in eight people living with mental health conditions, it’s important to shine a light on not only the conditions, but the ways to get help and live well with them.
It’s no surprise to hear that getting outdoors and active can help with mental health. We know it gets mentioned a lot. Sometimes that may be a struggle, for many reasons, but if you can get outside and active the benefits are worth it.
Getting active can help with things like (taken from mind):
From going on a walk with a friend, perhaps around the canals or in one of Birmingham’s parks, to finding forms of exercise that excite you – there are lots of options out there to help you get active.
Our friends at The Canal and River Trust note that spending time in the green and blue spaces that surround us can boost our mood and reduce anxiety. So we’re keen to see more people outside enjoying Birmingham’s canals – and the mental health benefits that come with it. Whether that’s on a free self-guided audio tour, where you can learn a little more about the city on a leisurely stroll, or by doing something a little different and seeing Birmingham on a kayak.
But we appreciate, depending on where you are on your journey, sometimes you may just want to find a place to stop, sit and relax, especially in a busy city. Our lovely volunteers help us tend our planter bench, where the idea is to do just that ‘Take a moment. Stop. Breathe. Relax.’ Everyone is welcome to stop by when we’re open, Wednesday – Sunday, and take a break on our bench.
If you’re looking for a new route to walk, somewhere to sit and take a minute or if you fancy trying something you may not usually do – like kayaking along the canal – get in touch with the team online or by stopping by our visitor centre. We’ll help you find new ways to get outdoors, active and feeling great!
And if you need to talk to someone about how your feeling, or are looking for more information about mental health conditions and the type of support available, contact an organisation like mind. They have lots of online resources and a confidential helpline.
The Roundhouse, 1 Sheepcote St, Birmingham, B16 8AE
0121 716 4077
/// perky.palm.exact
Registered Charity No. 1169232
Since 2021, the Roundhouse has also been a base for guided walks, kayak tours, boat trips and other activities. Whilst these have been well received, rising external costs mean this element of Roundhouse Birmingham is no longer providing the sustainable income we need to fund the ongoing care of this historic building. For this reason, we’ve made the difficult decision to close the leisure activity offer and visitor centre.
The office spaces will remain open as usual. Visitors can still access the site (see www.arenaltd.co.uk for opening hours) and Ristorante Caffe Arena will continue to welcome visitors.
We’re hugely proud of what the Roundhouse Birmingham team has achieved, and we’d also like to thank all of our visitors for their support. The trustees of Roundhouse Birmingham remain fully committed to caring for this important part of Birmingham’s heritage.
