Spreading the Health Virus
Last month, we signed a contract with the wonderful NHS Bristol Public Health team, who aim to inspire us all into better health by promoting the ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’.  There’s plenty of proof to show the 5 ways are effective because they’ve been tested all over the place since 2008. The problem is, they take a bit of explaining and nobody’s yet found a simple way of marketing them. So, we’ve stepped up to the plate, dragging some of Bristol’s brightest creative talents with us to meet the challenge.  We know it’s a tall order, but if we can come up with some eye-catching, habit forming, infectious communication ideas that help to keep people well, the NHS stands to save a lot of money.  Viva the Public Health Team! 

Over to our correspondent in...
At the beginning of October, we invited a dozen or so people to form a Happy City News Team to bring better coverage of the Happiness perspective. We got off to a flying start with a book review and two other other articles published in our first week by Chris Brown on Bristol 24-7, where there’s now a Happy City section under ‘The Guide’.  We’ve got correspondents for Health & Wellbeing, Society, National News and Economy, and we’ll write a piece introducing the whole team soon.  If you’d like to become one of our special correspondents, please get in touch.

Grow Your Own Happiness Habits
This week, we’ve been applying for funds to help us deliver the Happiness Habits programme which we trialled so successfully earlier in the year.  This simple version of the Happiness Challenge is designed for community use with a stronger focus on the individual benefits of positive psychology.  Miriam Akhtar (one of the UK’s first qualified positive psychologists) is now involved, and we’ve changed the format from five two hour sessions to ten one hour gatherings to make it easier for people to attend.  Book us for your group or sign up for the next available session via info@happycity.org.uk

Finally, a quick vote of thanks to the good folks at Volunteer Bristol, who have brought about six new volunteers into our lives as wonderful, willing and helpful pairs of hands to help us with book-keeping, volunteer coordination, events and fundraising. There a lot to do here though, so there’s still room for more!

Until next week, here’s a Spot or two of interest....

Spot of Reflection from the Churches Council for Industry & Social Responsibility,who arerunning an eventabout faith in today’s world on 12th November in the city centre

Talking Spot about meditation, happiness and inner peace at Emmaus House (Clifton BS8 1BN) on 9th November with Mandy Wright - ffi:  chonden@meditationinbristol.org

Novel Spot – it’s not too late to take part in National Novel Writing month, the aim being to complete your masterpiece by the end of November...

Laughter Spot for the last time at the Pierian Centre, where Joe Hoare will be hosting his world famous Quantum Laughter session on 15th November

10 year old Spot at the Tobacco Factory on 11.11.11 when there’s a party to celebrate with music and panache

Spot of Interestingness from Brainpickingsa weekly newsletter about philosophy, history, politics,technology, psychology, sociology, ecology, you-name-itology