Member Article

Dr. Alex George Heads to Bullring for Mental Health & Wellbeing Festival

Ahead of its Bullring Presents Find Your Happier event, Birmingham’s leading retail and leisure destination has announced that Dr. Alex George will be taking centre stage at the event next weekend. The doctor and UK Youth Mental Health Ambassador will be leading the conversation about the importance of keeping wellbeing front-of-mind and answering questions about how to feel better this year.

Dr. Alex will kickstart three days of free talks, workshops, and activities with a Q&A with Heart FM’s Gemma Hill on Friday morning, inviting people to ‘Join the mental health movement’. A fervent campaigner and advocate for mental health support, Dr. Alex will talk about his personal wellbeing journey, as well as how people can boost their own feel-good-factor.

Speaking about bringing his expertise to the festival, Dr. Alex comments:

“I’m so excited to be part of this event at Bullring, speaking about a topic that I feel so passionate about in a city that I love so much! I’m honoured to be taking to the stage first on Friday to answer Birmingham’s wellbeing questions, and I’m equally looking forward to running a session all about men’s mental health later that afternoon.

“With everything from talks on nutrition, money management, and wellbeing; through to yoga, fitness sessions, and body-positive dance classes: this festival is exactly what we need to see more of. It’s completely free, there’s something for everyone, and is set to be unmissable – I can’t wait!”

The first-of-its-kind festival has seen Bullring partner with Holland & Barrett, and a host of famous faces, all encouraging people to come together and move more, talk more, and learn more about how to look after their own mental health.

As well as Dr. Alex, the jam-packed line-up will feature other well-known names, including TV’s The Speakmans, the life-change therapists; financial advisor and author of ‘Get Your Money Right’, Emmanuel Asuquo (aka @theemaneffectuk); and even Maya Jama’s personal trainer, aka Woz LDN.

Kicking the event off on Friday 26 January, the day’s theme will be ‘Happier Life’ and cover mental health, financial wellbeing, and sustainability. Aside from Dr. Alex’s sessions, Emmanuel Asuquo will talk money mindset and future-proofing your finances, while Karen Maurice (@n4mummy) will provide insights into raising a sustainable family and ditching fast fashion.

There will also be several hands-on workshops for those looking to get stuck in: as Stacie Swift leads a workshop on journaling, a vision-boarding class will also be taking place; before you can exercise your funny-bones as a Laughter Workshop and an interactive improv session later that afternoon. Throughout the afternoon, Birmingham Mind will also host a ‘drop-in and de-stress’ pop-up, with mindfulness activities and expert mental health support on-hand.

On Saturday 27th, the theme moves on to ‘Happier Body’ and will see things get physical. Kicking off with a stretch session with local trainer KB Fitness, and a yoga class with Hattie, there will also be two body positive dance classes by the famed Curve Catwalk, followed by a high-energy HIIT class with Woz LDN, Just Geen, and Shaq 5 DJ to get you sweating. If you’d rather cool things down, you’re in luck: the Cryotherapy Centre will also be introducing ‘The Power of Cold’, teaching people about the power of taking the plunge into ice baths.

Finally, easing us into Sunday 28th, the day is dedicated to a ‘Happier Mind’, featuring sound baths, Tai Chi, breathwork and meditation by Birmingham Sound School. Life-change therapists Nik and Eva Speakman will help you face your fears head-on, whilst Emma Armstrong – also known as The Naked Doula – will lead two sessions for expectant mums. There will also be inclusive yoga classes by Donna Noble, founder of Curvesomeyoga.

Speaking about the festival, Bullring & Grand Central’s Marketing Manager, Danielle Bozward, comments:

“Our festival line-up brings the best experts from across the country all under one roof for one weekend only. We’ve truly got something for everyone: relaxation or high-energy, informative or creative, specialist or general – Bullring is the place to be!

“We’ve created this event to help people find what feels good for them, by offering tastes of experiences they might never have tried, as well as inclusive classes that they might have felt previously excluded from. Here at Bullring, we firmly believe that everyone deserves to feel their best, and through our event, we hope we can support people to navigate the options out there – leaving happier than they came!”

Bullring presents Find Your Happier with Holland & Barrett will take place from Friday 26th to Sunday 28th January. For the schedule and to book onto sessions, visit the official Eventbrite page.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Claire Bryson .