Participation in the 2023 Kerry Mental Health and Wellbeing Fest has grown by more than 100 per cent since 2020 with 98 per cent of those who gave feedback saying they would attend similar events again in 2024.
Responses from more than 100 people who attended this year’s events in October was positive with 91per cent stating they were satisfied.
The Kerry Mental Health and Wellbeing Fest is held annually over the course of a week to highlight World Mental Health Day on October 10.
It aims to raise awareness of the available supports and services in Kerry as well as empower people to engage with the Five Ways to Wellbeing through offering a dynamic and interactive programme of events.
99 per cent of respondents, most of whom identified as female, said they would recommend the event to friends next year. Some key notes for improvement included a request for more events with wider variety throughout the county.
The Chair of the Interagency Steering Group, John Drummey from Kerry Mental Health Association, said: “We wish to extend a heartfelt thanks to event organisers, community groups, businesses, funders and partners.
“We are encouraged to see such growth in numbers attending the events with a 50 per cent increase from 2022. There is always room for improvement and we would welcome suggestions for new events and activities.”
Many of the event organisers attended an appreciation event at the Brehon Hotel, Killarney, courtesy of the Kerry Volunteer Centre to coincide with the annual International Volunteer Day on December 5.
The Kerry Mental Health and Wellbeing Fest was organised by an interagency steering group made up of local agencies that support wellbeing in our community.
The organising committee is a collaboration between Connecting for Life Kerry, Healthy Kerry, Kerry County Council, Kerry Recreation and Sports Partnership, the HSE, NEWKD, SKDP, Kerry Mental Health Association, Jigsaw Kerry, Munster Technological University/Kerry, KDYS, Kerry Volunteer Centre and Family Resource Centres throughout the county.
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