Why looking after ourselves makes us better at looking after others
Ash Akhtar, Head of Culture and Engagement (Club Director)
Caring for people is hard work. Every day, you give people your time, patience and kindness, even on the tough days. It turns out, the better we are at looking after each other, the better we are at looking after the people who depend on us.
Here are a few key awareness dates worth knowing, and why they help us understand, connect with and support each other a bit better.
National Inclusion Week (14 to 20 September)
National Inclusion Week is an annual UK campaign run by Inclusive Employers, founded in 2013, that encourages employers to focus on inclusion in the workplace. The theme this year was ‘Build Trust. Navigate Change’. Organisations and their people are adapting to new technology, changing skills needs, economic pressures and different expectations of work. That can be exciting, but it can also leave people feeling uncertain about what change means for them.
Wellgate is full of people from different backgrounds, all doing the same important job. Feeling included isn't a nice-to-have. It's what makes someone want to stay and do their best work.
Practically, this is about:
Checking in with each other and asking what inclusion means to them. Remember you can always reach out to ash@clubwellgate.com
Ensuring that we recruit people through an inclusion lens
Helping managers lead inclusively through change
Making inclusion part of everyday working practices.
Find out more at Inclusive Employers.
World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September)
This day reminds everyone that it's okay to talk about how you're really feeling, and that asking for help is never a weakness. In care work, you spend your days holding space for other people's pain, and your own feelings can get pushed to the back. If you're struggling, please don't sit with it alone.
The Care Workers' Charity offers free, confidential support made specifically for people in our sector. Samaritans are also there anytime on 116 123.
Reminder: you can take a wellness day once a year; speak to your manager to arrange it. Also, we partner with Westfield Health, an employee wellbeing provider. It covers your physical and mental health, and your practical needs, and it's there whether you're dealing with something small or big.
A 24 Hour Advice and Information Line is a freephone line for anything medical, legal or personal. Structured counselling comes through the same line. If a counsellor thinks it would help, you can get up to six sessions in a 12-month period.
World Mental Health Day (10 October)
Everyone’s mental health journey is different. Whether someone is facing challenges themselves, seeking support for the first time, or supporting a loved one, everyone deserves to feel heard, understood and supported. Yet everyday pressures, life circumstances, stigma and systemic barriers can make it harder for people to reach out, seek support, and get the help they need.
Mental health affects us all, and taking the time to listen is one of the most powerful ways we can all show support and understanding. That’s why we’re encouraging you to create space for honest conversations where people feel genuinely heard. Because being heard can change lives.
This World Mental Health Day, help others feel heard. By sharing your experience, starting a conversation, or taking the time to listen, you could help someone feel understood, less alone, and more confident reaching out for support.
Talking to someone about mental health - using the right words
Talking to someone about suicide - signs and conversation starter
Black History Month (all of October)
This month is set aside to learn about and celebrate Black history, culture and contribution. This year's theme is "Honouring Our Communities." Wellgate is made up of people from all kinds of backgrounds and journeys, and this is a chance to properly hear some of those stories.
Black History Month UK was established to create space for reflection, recognition and informed discussion. Why not take some time to:
Recognise the historic and contemporary contributions of Black people in Britain
Support accurate, inclusive and accessible education
Provide a trusted national platform for community voices
Preserve lived experience for future generations
Representation matters. Accuracy matters. Balance matters.
World Menopause Day (18 October)
This day raises awareness of menopause and encourages people to get the right information and support. It affects a huge number of people who work here, directly or through someone they love, and it's still something people don't talk about enough.
Why any of this matters
When people feel included, well, and properly seen, they give better care. It's that simple.
None of these dates need a big gesture. Reading one link above, asking a colleague what inclusion means to them, or telling someone in your team about a support line they didn't know existed, all of that counts. If something here made you think, or reminded you of someone, pass it on. That's how this actually lands, not through a newsletter, but through the conversations it starts afterwards.
And if you want to talk to us about any of it, our door's open. Reach out to ash@clubwellgate.com.