Brandon Block’s new BELIEVE Tuesdays Mindfulness Festival moves online

BELIEVE Tuesdays Mindfulness Festival, originally scheduled for 31 March in London, will go ahead as a free online event, live on  Facebook and Instagram.

The event boasts an array of talent and expertise from the worlds of dance music, physical wellbeing and mental health. Headed up by dance music legend  Brandon Block the line-up is united by having faced addiction and mental health issues and a desire to help others in the same boat.

The 12 hour long live online broadcast is the first in a brand new set of sober parties and staged in partnership with electric radio.

Hosted by  MC Chalkie White, the first ever MC in the dance scene, one of the first ever MCs in dance music, who will be sharing his incredible story of recovery throughout the day. BELIEVE Tuesdays will see industry leaders share their raw experiences of overcoming a range of mental health challenges and addiction, aiming to inspire and help others who are facing similar issues.

All sessions are free but inviting donations of £5 to male suicide charity  CALM. The wellness sessions raise awareness of better mental health in dance music and encourage us all to look after our mental wellbeing at this anxiety-inducing time.

Co-founder of BELIEVE Tuesdays,  Emily Chapman said “We were devastated when we realised the current COVID-19 situation meant the London event couldn’t go ahead. But we soon realised the BELIEVE Tuesdays event was needed now more than ever and resolved to find a way to make it work. We soon had a plan and hopefully, especially now that it is free, will reach even more people this way, particularly those who are feeling lonely, anxious, or isolated at this difficult time. In our house we are all equal and no matter what personal struggles you are experiencing, music can unite us, uplift us and make us feel like we are not alone.”

Along with documentary-maker Emily Chapman, BELIEVE Tuesdays is co-created by Kai Cant, brainchild of  ABODE,  HotBed,  The ABODE Project, Anth Lowther founder of  Rise and Shine and  Paravana. Each had their own personal challenges as a result of the scene and are now on their own individual journeys of rediscovery. In setting up the series of sober events, they aim to prove that it is possible to socialise and enjoy dance music without relying on substances or alcohol.

 

BELIEVE Tuesdays has partnered with  WeAreHummingbird, who provide mental health first-aid training for people to learn how to look out for the signs that friends of family members are struggling. 

Ian Hurst, founder of  WeAreHummingbird said  “Almost a third of young people in the UK are now shunning alcohol whilst recreational drug use is higher than ever as are suicide rates as a result of depression and mental health issues associated with the industry. Tragedies such as that of Keith Flint and Avicii prove these challenges are often long-term and not selective of class, colour, wealth or profile.  It’s our responsibility as senior figures in dance music to share our stories, experiences and access to provide support to those who need it most, at a time when they need it most.”  

Brandon Block  - DJ session & Q&A

MC Chalkie White – DJ sessions and Q&A

Anth Lowther  - Meditations live from Bali 

Anth established the UK super parties Swankys and Paravana and after experiencing suicidal depression due to drugs and alcohol, went in search of alternative life experiences, living with Buddhist monks in Ashrams in the Himalayas, visiting communities in Costa Rica and Cambodia and ceasing all drinking and substances. Currently based in Bali, he now runs the hugely successful sober, vegan parties ‘Rise and Shine’ across the world.

Kev Smith Fitness training live from Ibiza

Dr Rachel Gow – Expert in Nutrition and Mental Health, founder of Nutritious Minds

Dr. Rachel V. Gow, Ph.D is a Child Neuropsychologist and Neurodevelopmental specialist with expertise in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and associative learning and behaviour differences. She is a Registered Nutritionist and partnered with Dr. Balu Pitchiah, GMC Registered Psychiatrist to launch Nutritious Minds Consulting, a unique nutrition and brain-health clinic providing a comprehensive avenue to psychological health by adopting a personalised, science- based, integrative approach with interventions for the whole family. Dr. Gow holds a Visiting Lecturer position at the University of Surrey, is an Associate Lecturer at London Metropolitan University and has an honorary role at The Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London.

Ross Mac Live DJ session

Ross has been DJ’ing since he was 16. He suffered addiction and after years of turmoil at 30 he visited the 12 step fellowship for the first time, a decision he soon recognised as saving his life. He is now sober and since getting clean Ross has DJ’d all over the world and played at some of the UK’s biggest festivals including, We Are FSTVL, Standon Calling, Back of Beyond and Wilkstock.

Kai Cant Q&A on mental health

Kai is the brainchild behind ABODE, one of the biggest electronic clubbing brands in Europe with large-scale events across the UK, festivals in London, Southampton and Malta and a residency at Amnesia Ibiza.
Kai has lived with ADHD all his life which remained undiagnosed until recently, has an autistic non-verbal son and has battled severe depression as a result of the cocaine-fuelled promoter lifestyle he became used to. In May 2019 at the height of his success with ABODE, he tried to kill himself. 

Over 40 weeks clean (to date) life has transformed and his commitment to supporting others is unprecedented. He uses his influence online to share a very public journey of sobriety which has already saved lives and it’s Kai, his experience and his belief in the elements that have changed his life - nutrition, fitness and people - that is the driving force behind BELIEVE.

Charlotte Archer  Mandala Art Therapy live from Barcelona

BELIEVE Tuesdays Virtual Wellbeing Festival Schedule

NB: Schedule is subject to change.



Website
Instagram
Facebook      

Tweet