Keeping Well In Winter
Welcome to the #Keepingwellinwinter Campaign!
Winter can bring unique challenges, but with the right resources and support, we can navigate this season together. This page is designed to be your go-to for tips, local resources, and advice to help you and your community stay warm, connected, and well this winter.
We’ll be updating this page weekly, from week commencing the 8th December 2025 until the 1st February 2026, with new themes, tips, and links. The current week will be at the top of the page. Please check back regularly to stay informed. Plus you can also follow our posts on our social media platforms by following Sheffield Flourish on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
Join the conversation on socials using the hashtag #Keepingwellinwinter to share your own tips and experiences!
Week 1
Introduction to the campaign
We started things off with a video introducing the return of the #Keepingwellinwinter campaign and asking a few Sheffield Flourish team members what’s their most and least favourite thing about winter and the festive period.
Welcoming Places
Sheffield’s Welcoming Places are here for everyone. From council to community and volunteer-run centres, these spaces offer warmth, connection, and support through the winter months.
We’ve created a short how-to video to help you navigate the Welcoming Places map and find what’s available near you (click the image to watch the video).
Link to the Welcoming Places map – Welcoming Places
Week 2
Places to eat and warm, welcoming spaces open over the festive period
We’ve put together a free downloadable PDF to support people over the Christmas and New Year period.
Inside you’ll find:
• places offering meals and food support
• warm and welcoming spaces before and after Christmas
• important mental health support details for the festive period, when many services are closed
The PDF downloads straight to your device and includes clickable links, making it easier to find information or support when it’s needed most.
Please feel free to share this with anyone who might find it helpful 💛
Week 3
Support for older adults over Christmas and New Year
For those feeling lonely over Christmas there are support lines and ways to connect locally.
b:Friend – A volunteer visitor service for older adults (65+) who may be feeling isolated. Volunteers visit regularly for friendly conversation and support ☎️ 07523 698530
Re-engage – helps older people (75+) who may be spending Christmas alone by offering regular, friendly phone calls and social connection ☎️ 0800 716 543
Call Companions: Free regular chats by phone ☎️ 0800 716 543
Silver Line (Age UK) – 24/7 friendship helpline run by Age UK. Confidential, free, 24 hours a day helpline for older adults (55+) feeling lonely. You can call at any time — including Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year ☎️ 0800 470 8090
🟢 Community groups & cafes – Libraries, community centres and People Keeping Well groups run events and drop-ins that help reduce loneliness throughout winter. Find places on the Sheffield Directory – www.sheffielddirectory.org.uk
🟢 For mental health friendly support and services search on the Sheffield Mental Health Guide and tick the Older People category – www.sheffieldmentalhealth.co.uk
For more info please see our socials post – Support for Older Adults.
Feeling overwhelmed at Christmas
Christmas can bring joy, but it can also stir feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. The pressure to make everything perfect – choosing gifts, hosting, or creating magical moments… All this can lead to overspending and financial stress. Social events and family gatherings may feel obligatory rather than enjoyable, especially when you’re navigating tricky relationships or extended time with people you rarely see. Sensory overload from busy shops, loud festivities, and bright decorations can further heighten feelings of stress. Remember, it’s okay to set boundaries, decline invitations, or carve out moments of quiet for yourself. Taking time to recharge doesn’t require justification – your well-being is most important. #mentalhealthmatters
Week 4
Make this year intentional for your mental health
Rather than rigid new year resolutions you might want to simply choose to be more intentional this year with things that matter the most to you. Such as being intentional with putting simple supports in place to help you through both the good days and the harder ones.
My Toolkit is an online tool that can help you with this. My Toolkit is an online tool that helps you create a living, personal wellbeing document.
It’s your own confidential space to gather:
- Services and activities that support your mental health
- Ideas that help when you’re struggling
- Goals and intentions you want to work towards
Everything is in one place, ready when you need it.
For information on what you can do with My Toolkit, how to use My Toolkit, and how to get started click HERE!
Week 5
Domestic violence awareness
We’ve shared over on instagram 10 slides on domestic violence awareness, as there can in the weeks after the festive period often be an increase in domestic abuse disclosures.
People may:
• have experienced incidents over the holidays
• feel safer or more ready to seek help
• be responding to increased stress, financial pressure, or relationship breakdown.
If this is you, or someone you care about, support is available and you’re not alone.
On the Sheffield Mental Health Guide home page scroll down to ‘service categories’ and click on ‘Abuse & Trauma’ for links to local and national support listed on the guide.
Week 6
Blue Monday
Is there a most depressing day of the year? The 19th January 2026 was labelled as Blue Monday but when we looked into its origins we discovered Blue Monday is actually a myth. It turned out to be a concept that surfaced back in 2005 as part of a marketing campaign by a travel company.
Although no one day is more depressing than any other (our mental health is changeable day to day) the focus on Blue Monday does offer the opportunity to think about how you are feeling. Part of our #keepingwellinwinter campaign on social media looks at Blue Monday and ways to manage your mental health during winter. Here’s a link to the post we shared on Instagram and below are the images from that post.
Have Feedback or Suggestions?
If you have suggestions for additional resources or want to share your feedback on the campaign, please get in touch with us – email: [email protected]. Together, we can make this page even more helpful for everyone in our community.
Follow the Campaign
Stay updated by following Sheffield Flourish on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Join the conversation using #KeepingWellInWinter to share your own tips and experiences!