Alison Lowe, CEO of Touchstone, stepping down to become the Deputy Mayor of West Yorkshire

Alison Lowe, CEO of Touchstone, stepping down to become the Deputy Mayor of West Yorkshire

After 17 years as Chief Executive Office of Touchstone, Alison Lowe has made the very difficult decision to step down.  This is because the new West Yorkshire Metro Mayor, Tracy Brabin, will be recommending Alison to the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel as her candidate to become the Deputy Mayor for Policing. Alison Lowe reflected “I have made the difficult decision to leave and pursue my passion of inclusion,

2021-05-13T13:53:08+01:0013th May 2021|News|

Black Inclusion Week: Roberto Ira Rose – RAF Recruits

My father Roberto (Robbie) Ira Rose, born in Cuba to Jamaican parents, grew up in Summerfield in the parish of Clarendon in the county of Middlesex, Jamaica. Despite having a job in Kingston, he, together with his childhood friend Carl Chantrielle, decided to volunteer to support the war effort. They both joined the RAF in 1943 and would have been about 18 or 19 when they embarked on this life-changing

2021-05-11T17:04:57+01:0011th May 2021|Blog|

Black Inclusion Week: In conversation with Alison Lowe

As part of Black Inclusion Week ran by Leeds University, Touchstone Chief Executive Alison Lowe has taken part in a podcast to discuss a variety of topics that are so relevant to many of the communities we serve. This short podcast highlights some of her story, as well as demonstrating how we can all be part of the change we want to see. Black Inclusion Week: In conversation with Alison

2021-05-11T16:39:35+01:0011th May 2021|News|

Mover & Shakers project

Do you enjoy being active and making connections with people? If so, you may be interested in getting involved with a new project in Leeds. Whether it’s walking, gardening, dancing, playing sports, running, cycling, martial arts or swimming – if you know that being active is good for your health and wellbeing, and can be a great way to connect with others, you already have loads to offer. Coordinated by

2021-05-06T18:23:18+01:006th May 2021|News|

World Asthma Day Blog

I was first diagnosed with asthma at the age of 15 - some 40 odd years ago - after a childhood dogged by chest infections, breathing problems and the horrible syrup alupent (which still makes me feel sick today). Asthma is a condition in which the airways (the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs) narrow and swell causing reversible obstruction. Treatments can help manage the condition

2021-05-06T13:29:20+01:006th May 2021|Blog|

Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week 2021

When is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week? Monday 3rd – Sunday 9th May 2021. What are Perinatal Mental health problems? A 'perinatal' mental health problem is one that you experience any time from becoming pregnant up to a year after you give birth. Having a baby is a big life event. This is understandably a difficult and stressful time for many people. And it may be particularly so if you

2021-05-05T10:50:59+01:005th May 2021|Blog, Families|

How Touchstone are improving mental health through remote work

In the latest in our series of interviews with charity leaders blazing a trail with digital  during the pandemic, we spoke to  Alison Lowe, CEO of mental health and wellbeing charity Touchstone, about how she’s led a radical change in how her charity works and improved wellbeing as a result.  1. Tell us about your role at Touchstone. I am a very busy CEO of this amazing Mental Health and

2021-04-30T11:31:05+01:0030th April 2021|News|

Voices Against Stigma Campaign

Mental health problems are common. They affect thousands of people in the UK, and their friends, families, work colleagues, and society in general. The Anti Stigma Leeds Champions came together with Producer/Script Reader/Script Editor Thea Burrows to create the video campaign Voices Against Stigma. Below they told their stories: https://youtu.be/Jy654qTrThs   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIeZNKVw7D0   https://youtu.be/kjD87Z-sn6A   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWlVbfQyA8I   In Leeds around 106,000 people experience a common mental health problem, such as anxiety or depression

2021-05-17T13:48:03+01:0028th April 2021|Anti Stigma Leeds, News|

#BAMEOver

Following Inc Arts UK statement on the use of the term BAME, Touchstone has surveyed all our staff on the terminology Touchstone should be using to describe people who are not “White British”.  Please see below the outcome of that consultation and our statement on the terminology Touchstone will use from now on. Black Minority Ethnic (BME) In Touchstone we use the term ‘Black Minority Ethnic’ to inclusively describe people

2021-04-20T12:03:16+01:0020th April 2021|News|

Healthy Ramadan Cookery Book by Ellen Rabia & Lena Meryem

Asalamu Alaikum everyone. I’ve compiled a few recipes and ideas for Ramadan to raise awareness about eating dishes that are healthy, ethical, wholesome, vegetarian, very tasty and also that can be made from seasonal and local sources with an added benefit of zero waste. It’s often thought that vegetarian food is not tasty and fulfilling, but the use of spices and herbs changes that idea. A very basic food like

2021-04-14T11:31:29+01:0014th April 2021|Blog|