Previous News

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A massive thank you to the Arnold Clark Community Fund.  This funding will support our recruitment of new Volunteers and support our work

#ArnoldClarkCommunityFund
#peersupport #mentalhealthmatters #VolunteerArmy #thankyou #walkandtalk #wellbeing #physical #mental #beinspired #beyourbestself #yesyoucan

Red Balloons are delighted to announce that we have been granted Charitable Status by the Charity Commission. 

2021 is proving to be an exciting time for us and we’re very proud to have gone from an online blog in 2017 to a fully fledged Charity by the middle of 2021. This is testament to the hard work of our founder, Claire, who has worked tirelessly to support people struggling with their mental health. Claire was joined by Volunteers and Trustees in 2019 and, with their support, the organisation has gone from strength to strength. We’ve embraced the challenges of the Pandemic and ensured that we continued to offer services throughout the last year. We’re looking forward to continuing our journey, building our team, working alongside other organisations and above all, continuing to support people facing difficult times and ill mental health in the community.

#physical #mental #wellbeing #MentalHealthMatters #YesYouCan #BeInspired #BeYourGreatest

We're over the moon to announce that Red Balloons has been successful in securing funding via the National Lottery Community Fund to set up and run our Community Wellbeing Ambassadors Project across Tees Valley. This funding will allow us to recruit, train and support Volunteers to become Ambassadors in their communities – organising and running Walk and Talk Sessions and Run and Rant Sessions and supporting people with their mental and physical health. We will ensure that Volunteers receive relevant training and have 100% support and that the project offers them valuable personal development opportunities. The project will also build capacity in the organisation allowing us to support many more people to improve their mental and physical health while giving them someone who will listen and do their best to support.

We'd like to send a massive thank you to the National Lottery Community Fund for believing in us, supporting us and giving us the opportunity to work towards realising our vision and mission. We'd also like to thank National Lottery players without whom this funding wouldn't be available.

For further information on Volunteering Opportunities, referrals, partnership working, support available – please contact Leigh via email – redballoons.volunteers@gmail.com

#physical #mental #wellbeing #MentalHealthMatters #YesYouCan #BeInspired #BeYourGreatest

We're just into April but do you have plans for May? Not sure? Fancy a Marathon? Yes

Come and join us for the Red Balloons Marathon in May 

Walk or Run a minimum of 26.2 miles
Do it throughout the Month or all in one go
Entry + Medal £15
Entry + Tshirt & Medal £25
Raise some money for us in the process*

If you'd like more information or to enter please message us directly for details for entry payment *Let us know if you'd like the sponsorship link when you enter

Go Go Go

#yesyoucan #physical #mental #wellbeing #mentalhealthmatters #beyourbestself #beinspired #alwaysheretohelp #marathoninmay

Well, here it is!  We couldn't wait any longer! Our amazing news!! 

A HUGE Thank You to Mark Plumb , and House Masters for supporting us, and the fantastic Middlesbrough and Stockton Mind, and helping raise funds, but most importantly, mental health awareness!!

Get your dancing shoes on, and help us celebrate Red Balloons 3rd Birthday in style!!!

Click on the link below to put it in your diary!

#HouseMasters #12hourStream #Fundraising #HappyBirthdayRedBalloons #physical #mental #wellbeing #MentalHealthMatters #YesYouCan #BeInspired

  WE HAVE A NEW CHALLENGE

Wondering what to do now #RedJanuary is coming to an end? Wanting to find something to motivate you through February? 

Not wanting something too strenuous or time consuming?  Well, we have the answer!

Join Red Balloons "Fitness February" Walk Challenge!

The concept is simple. Set yourself a goal for the month of February. Whether it be 5 miles or 500 miles. Get your walking shoes on, and GO!

ALL participants who sign up will get a certificate of participation to display proudly! If you hit your distance goal, you get an extra special distance personalised certificate!

Walking is an overlooked and under utilised form of exercise, that can be done as part of your every day life!

Watch out of the sign up link being added below very soon...

#FitnessFebruary #WalkChallenge #HowFarCanYouGo #InThisTogether #WalkThisWay #physical #mental #wellbeing #MentalHealthMatters #YesYouCan #BeInspired #BeYourBestSelf 

 🎄#ShoutOutSaturday 🎄
As a small, unfunded organisation, we rely heavily on the amazing generousity of our community to grow and develop.
With this in mind, we want to ask our members, and the wider public, a small favour. Ditch the Christmas cards, and donate the small cost to Red Balloons!
Cheeky arent we?
All donations will go towards to the recruitment and training for our volunteers, to be able to expand our services and reach more people who could benefit from what we offer!
If you would like to donate, please pop us a message for the link 🎈
#ChristmasCardAppeal #Donate #physical #mental #wellbeing #MentalHealthMatters #YesYouCan #BeInspired 

20 hours!!!! 20 miles!!!!  On the hour, every hour!!!  On Saturday 10th October, beginning at 4am, the amazing Lisa will be running 1 mile every hour for 20 hours.
"This is my opportunity to appreciate the positives from this year like my increased fitness and an appreciation for our local mental health services who are always there when we have struggled at some point over the last few months!  I'm doing this in aid of such a charity that has massively helped me with getting my head into running and using fitness as a tool to aid mental health.  They offer multiple services all tailored to your needs and can be reached in person and online at various locations around Teesside and way beyond.
Please, PLEASE show us your love and support and donate what you can."

Following on from Michael's truly amazing achievement in August, this month sees our own team member, Phil, tackle the the Great North Run Reimagined on Sunday 13th September.

“‪On Sunday 13th September‬, I should have been running my third Great North Run but, like every other major race this year, the current pandemic has put pay to that plan.  This was particularly a blow as I’d intended to run this year’s race in aid of Red Balloons.  

Many of you who know me, know by now, about my involvement with Red Balloons and what that involvement means to me personally.  When, in December 2019,  I joined Claire and her amazing team of volunteers, it very quickly became a big part of my life, it’s an organisation I’m immensely proud to play a part in and a cause I’m incredibly passionate about.  

So, when Great Run introduced the concept of a Virtual Great North Run - the idea of running a half marathon anywhere in the world, but all setting off at the same time on the morning of ‪Sunday 13th September‬, it felt only right that I took the opportunity to do just that and raise money for Red Balloons as originally planned.  

Now here comes the hard part (well for me anyway), had I been running the actual Great North Run, and had it been on the back of a summer of other races, I’d be in a very different place, running wise, than I am currently…or to put that another way, I would have done a damn sight more training.  

So, ‪on Sunday 13th September‬, it won’t be pretty, it won’t be fast and it will probably be painful but I will drag myself round the 13.1 miles regardless because it will be in aid of a cause that is close to my heart and hope that you can support me and Red Balloons in some small way. Thank you Phil” 

We want to introduce you all to this fabulous gentleman - Michael. He has chose to set his own fundraising challenge, 4 4 48, to raise £500 for us! Check out his story below:

"December 2017 I found a group called Red January, after suffering a horrible breakdown, alongside many years of suffering with both depression and anxiety. Through this group on Facebook I met some fabulous people who over the following months gave support and were also available any time for a chat, message or just to listen.One of those was Claire; mad, nutty but incredible, with some fabulous ideas. One was to start this amazing charity, Red Balloons.For me it might be something which is a million miles away but seems like it is just around the corner, they are always open for a chat, message and anything else. They have helped more so when I was at my lowest then anywhere around me. The regular virtual "Run & Rants" and "Walk & Talks" are fabulous and at some stage I will definitely be joining in, in person, not just virtually.With all the hard work Claire and the amazing Red Balloons team put in, I just have to somehow give something back, so the plan is to run 4 miles every 4 hours in 48 hours, an approximate total of 48 miles, starting at 18:00 on Friday 28/08/2020 until 14:00 on the 30/08/2020.  I would like to raise £500 for this fabulous cause. A million thanks to Claire and all you wonderful people that do so much.

Much love and hugs Michael"

Good Luck Michael, and Thank You

For anyone who would like to donate, please see the link below.

#FundraiseroftheMonth #fundraising #4448 #challenge #physical #mental #wellbeing #MentalHealthMatters #YesYouCan #BeInspired

Claire chats with Aron from Healthy Fit Academy

A few weeks back, Claire was interviewed by the lovely Alex, for her YouTube channel - Positivi-Tea!

The link is now live if you would like to pop over with a brew, and see what they had to say about staying positive during lockdown!

#Positivitea #youtube #interview #lockdown #positivity #physical #mental #wellbeing #MentalHealthMatters #YesYouCan #BeInspired

Click the image to enjoy Claire's playlist from one of her Red Balloons Shows

Click the image to enjoy Claire's playlist from one of her Red Balloons Shows

Click the image to enjoy Claire's playlist from one of her Red Balloons Shows

Click the image to enjoy Claire's playlist from one of her Red Balloons Shows

Click the image to enjoy Claire's playlist from one of her Red Balloons Shows

Click the image to enjoy Claire's playlist from one of her Red Balloons Shows