18 Sep 2025, 06:59Sharon Platt-McDonald, BUC Health, Adventist Community Services and Women’s Ministries Director
BUC Health Ministries Expands Mental Wellbeing Strategy
“Sickness of the mind prevails everywhere. Nine-tenths of the diseases from which men suffer have their foundation here.”
– E G White, Mind, Character, and Personality, Vol. 1
Strengthening Mental Health Support
The British Union Conference (BUC) Health Ministries department has broadened its programme delivery and resource portfolio to meet the growing demand for mental health support. A wider range of courses and materials is now available to help members and leaders:
understand how to maintain mental wellbeing,
increase awareness of mental ill-health, and
support those facing mental health challenges.
The Journey So Far
Previous BUC Health Ministries initiatives have trained members as:
Mental Health First Aiders,
Bereavement Care Befrienders,
Suicide Prevention Responders,
Emotional Resilience Advocates.
Other initiatives include courses on Forgiveness as Healing and the interactive Forgiveness Journey Experience.
The department also launched the THRIVE and RESTORE programmes, both of which integrate emotional wellbeing components and practical resources.
Members and community participants have testified to the positive impact of these initiatives. The latest expansion will build on this foundation with tailored training that reflects age, gender, and ethnic-specific needs – mirroring national statistics that highlight rising mental health concerns across these demographics.
Mental Ill Health in the UK
According to Mind, the UK’s leading mental health organisation:
1 in 4 people experience a mental health problem each year in England.
1 in 6 report experiencing a common mental health problem (such as anxiety or depression) in any given week.
To address these challenges, the BUC Health Ministries department produced the Mental Wellness Handbook for Churches, a resource that guides congregations in:
recognising mental ill-health,
signposting individuals to relevant agencies,
supporting recovery, and
promoting prevention and wellbeing.
This handbook has gained international traction, with requests coming from as far as Australia.
New Partnership with Equip Health
In a further step forward, the BUC Health Ministries department has partnered with Equip Health to deliver a range of wellness courses, including training on Mental Health, Nutrition, Food Safety, and Health and Safety.
Mental Health courses now available include:
Dementia Awareness
Depression Awareness
Depression Recovery (2-day course)
Mental Health First Aid Awareness (4 hours)
Mental Health First Aid (2-day course)
Mental Health Champions (1-day course)
Suicide First Aid Awareness (4 hours)
Suicide First Aid (1-day course)
Bookings: info@equiphealthltd.com | www.equiphealthltd.com
September Focus: World Alzheimer’s Month
September marks World Alzheimer’s Month, a global campaign led by Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) to raise awareness and challenge stigma around Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
Notable resources include:
Playlist for Life – harnessing the power of music to aid memory, recall, and calm. playlistforlife.org.uk
NHS England research – highlighting music as a powerful connector in dementia care.
Older Adults and Spiritual Nurture
As part of the BUC Older Adults Health Strategy, workshops focus on holistic care for those affected by dementia. A newly developed segment emphasises spiritual nurture, particularly the role of hymns in dementia care – an area of growing global research.
For further reading: Short Guide No. 27: Hymns and Ministry to Those with Dementia (The Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland).
Prayer Request
We invite your prayers as the BUC Health Ministries department continues to respond to increasing mental health needs – within our churches, families, and wider communities. May God grant us wisdom, compassion, and sensitivity as we minister to these precious individuals.
“Sickness of the mind prevails everywhere. Nine-tenths of the diseases from which men suffer have their foundation here.”
– E G White, Mind, Character, and Personality, Vol. 1
Strengthening Mental Health Support
The British Union Conference (BUC) Health Ministries department has broadened its programme delivery and resource portfolio to meet the growing demand for mental health support. A wider range of courses and materials is now available to help members and leaders:
understand how to maintain mental wellbeing,
increase awareness of mental ill-health, and
support those facing mental health challenges.
The Journey So Far
Previous BUC Health Ministries initiatives have trained members as:
Mental Health First Aiders,
Bereavement Care Befrienders,
Suicide Prevention Responders,
Emotional Resilience Advocates.
Other initiatives include courses on Forgiveness as Healing and the interactive Forgiveness Journey Experience.
The department also launched the THRIVE and RESTORE programmes, both of which integrate emotional wellbeing components and practical resources.
Members and community participants have testified to the positive impact of these initiatives. The latest expansion will build on this foundation with tailored training that reflects age, gender, and ethnic-specific needs – mirroring national statistics that highlight rising mental health concerns across these demographics.
Mental Ill Health in the UK
According to Mind, the UK’s leading mental health organisation:
1 in 4 people experience a mental health problem each year in England.
1 in 6 report experiencing a common mental health problem (such as anxiety or depression) in any given week.
To address these challenges, the BUC Health Ministries department produced the Mental Wellness Handbook for Churches, a resource that guides congregations in:
recognising mental ill-health,
signposting individuals to relevant agencies,
supporting recovery, and
promoting prevention and wellbeing.
This handbook has gained international traction, with requests coming from as far as Australia.
New Partnership with Equip Health
In a further step forward, the BUC Health Ministries department has partnered with Equip Health to deliver a range of wellness courses, including training on Mental Health, Nutrition, Food Safety, and Health and Safety.
Mental Health courses now available include:
Dementia Awareness
Depression Awareness
Depression Recovery (2-day course)
Mental Health First Aid Awareness (4 hours)
Mental Health First Aid (2-day course)
Mental Health Champions (1-day course)
Suicide First Aid Awareness (4 hours)
Suicide First Aid (1-day course)
Bookings: info@equiphealthltd.com | www.equiphealthltd.com
September Focus: World Alzheimer’s Month
September marks World Alzheimer’s Month, a global campaign led by Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) to raise awareness and challenge stigma around Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
Notable resources include:
Playlist for Life – harnessing the power of music to aid memory, recall, and calm. playlistforlife.org.uk
NHS England research – highlighting music as a powerful connector in dementia care.
Older Adults and Spiritual Nurture
As part of the BUC Older Adults Health Strategy, workshops focus on holistic care for those affected by dementia. A newly developed segment emphasises spiritual nurture, particularly the role of hymns in dementia care – an area of growing global research.
For further reading: Short Guide No. 27: Hymns and Ministry to Those with Dementia (The Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland).
Prayer Request
We invite your prayers as the BUC Health Ministries department continues to respond to increasing mental health needs – within our churches, families, and wider communities. May God grant us wisdom, compassion, and sensitivity as we minister to these precious individuals.
