Free yoga and meditation session on offer in Norwich city centre

Barley Green will be running an easy 30-minute Hatha Yoga practice and 30-minute meditation during Open Up at Open on March 6 . Picture: Eamon Green (Image: Archant)

Now those who have always wanted to have a go at either yoga or mediation are being offered the chance to try both at an all day event focusing on mental health.

Called Open Up at Open, the free to attend event, which will take place in Norwich, will cover everything from where to seek mental health advice from to standards of care and real-life stories.

Among the workshops, talks and discussions taking place throughout the day will be a 30-minute meditation and 30-minute Hatha yoga sessions.

The sessions will be run by Barley Green, a yoga instructor, who teaches at The Yoga Tree in Norwich.

Mrs Green, who has been practicing yoga for more than 20-years said the sessions would be about focusing the mind, she said: "It's about highlighting a little tool box that people can use and pull on when they need it, so things that are useful both in a workshop situation and on their own."

She said helping people to handle difficult times, and upsetting news was 'crucial': "The mind can take us to a very dark place so I like to be able to offer people the view that actually we're not our thoughts, we're something else and with training, and with this lovely experience they can really help themselves to have really different time. Yoga and mediation in the long run does help us improve our response.

"Because life is quite busy and fast paced, sometimes we just get swept along with the stress of it all and it gives you the opportunity to take a bit of time out," she added.

Mrs Green said all of her sessions were targeted at beginners and completely accessible, she said: "Come along and give it a go with an open mind and just have fun with it.

"I'm quite playful with some of the work and I make it really accessible."

Open Up at Open will take place in Open Norwich on March 6, for more information on the day, head to the Open Up at Open Facebook page. The free yoga and meditation event takes place from 5pm on the day.

Open Up at Open will take place at Open in Bank Plain, Norwich, on Friday, March 6 from 8.30am to 6pm.

Here's the schedule:

8.30am - Doors will open for people to come and say hello and speak to a number of charities which will have information stands at the event.

8.55am - Introduction and welcome from David Powles, editor-in-chief of the EDP and Evening News

9am - Live BBC Radio Norfolk breakfast debate asking the question; 'How can we build a nation that can handle its mental health?'

- On the panel will be: Norman Lamb, Dawn Peri, Dr Dan Dalton, NSFT Chief Medical Officer and Philip Eke, chief executive of Mind.

10.15am -Q&A with Norman Lamb on his Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund

11.30am - 1.30pm - A series of talks from people who will be sharing personal experiences on the topic of mental health

- 11.30am - Joe Tracini - '10 things I hate about me'

- 11.50am - Steve Hunt - 'A trip to the edge and back'

- 12.10pm - Carly Rowena - 'Balancing motherhood, sefl-employment and mental health'

- 12.30pm - Darren Eadie - Ex-NCFC footballer on mental health

- 12.50pm - Craig Hill - 'Overcoming my demons to help others'

- 1.10pm - Naomi Farrow - 'My story of post-natal depression, being bipolar and setting up a charity'

1.30pm - 'My Child and their Wellbeing' Panel

- A discussion on child and young people's mental health aimed at parents

2.30pm - Breathing workshop

3pm - Norwich Together - Tackling Loneliness

- A talk one what an organisation is doing to help reduce loneliness

4pm - Mental health in the workplace

-A discussion on mental health in the workplace featuring speakers who have suffered ill health at work and practioners

5pm - Free to attend yoga workshop with Barley Green from The Yoga Tree

5.30pm - Free to attend Meditation workshop with Barley Green from The Yoga Tree

6pm - Event finishes