Introducing the seven finalist projects for the 2024 Innovations in Mindfulness Awards!

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In their own words - and in no particular order - we present the finalists whose inspiring work has been selected for:

• Solving a real need
• Creativity and risk-taking
• Diversity, inclusion and accessibility to new audiences
• Testing and iterating
• Collaboration and learning from each other
• Sustainability and impact over time

Heartfelt gratitude to everyone who took the time to tell us about their project, and to our distinguished panel of judges for their careful consideration of the applications.

Join us on Saturday 19 October at the Manchester Mindfulness Festival, where we'll be celebrating all of the finalists, and announcing the winners.

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Ankor

Ankor is a shape-changing biofeedback device that makes mindfulness practices more accessible and engaging. Invented by Alexz Farrall, a Human-Computer Interaction Research Engineer at the University of Bath, Ankor changes shape to externalise the breathing of users in real-time, providing them with an intuitive and tangible mindful experience.

Alexz is currently exploring how this technology can be adapted and applied across different communities with a multidisciplinary team, including Ben Ainsworth, Pamela Jacobsen, Adwait Sharma, and Jason Alexander, to support individuals and healthcare professionals.

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Look Again

Look Again’s evidence-based mindful photography methodology weaves together mindfulness, creativity and nature connection. It is intentionally very accessible. All you need is a camera, and an open heart and mind.

Mindful photography is about experiencing the present moment, using the foundational attitudes of mindfulness, to see, be and do differently for inner and outer change; to create future stories of hope.

124 professional practitioners from 26 countries have completed the training. It is being applied in grief coaching, as social prescribing, with children and elders, with neuro-diverse and traumatised groups, in corporate settings, and with peacekeeping staff in war zones.

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Peer 2 Peer Mindfulness

Peer 2 Peer Mindfulness SCIO provides free, high-quality, face-to-face mindfulness courses across the Scottish Borders. The central ethos of the charity is ensuring that the life-changing, lifelong benefits of mindfulness are available to all, especially those who would be unable to afford to participate.

The project focuses on delivering multiple 8-week courses annually and building a supportive community of practitioners through ongoing weekly sessions.

By removing financial barriers, reducing stigma, nurturing a community for lifelong mindfulness practice, and fostering connections and support networks, Peer 2 Peer Mindfulness is contributing to the well-being of individuals and communities affected by socioeconomic inequalities.

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Stix Mindfulness

The Stix Remotes guide kids through interactive mindfulness activities involving deep breathing, guided meditations, balancing and more. Our range of activities, built into hand-held technology, aim to teach children about emotional regulation and support development.

The interactive remotes can be used completely screen-free, or alongside the companion app, which rewards children for developing their mindfulness practice, helping to build a long term mindfulness routine.

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The Mindful Practice Programme

Since 2020, 520 GPs and primary care staff across Gloucestershire have been introduced to mindfulness. Following NHS England funding and in collaboration with The Wellbeing Line (Gloucestershire), and University of Bath Centre for Mindfulness and Community, a tailored, accessible and sustainable mindfulness programme has been developed which has resulted in improvement in wellbeing, compassion and relationship with work. A Mindful Practice Programme includes:

• Tailored marketing/events to key stakeholders

• Taster events

• Adapted 8- week online MBCT training

• In-person silent retreat days

• Buddy system

• Monthly online Community of Practice

• Co-produced Mindfulness Toolkit in primary care

• Champion development

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Mindfulness for Refugees

We run 10-week mindfulness courses for women refugees. Asylum seekers are more likely to experience poor mental health than the local population, including higher rates of depression, PTSD and other anxiety disorders. Their vulnerability is linked to war or persecution in their home countries, and hostility in their new host communities.

Mindfulness Across Borders is a trauma-informed and culturally sensitive mindfulness course. We developed the programme to provide women with a safe and empowering space to connect with themselves and each other, learn tools for wellbeing and stress management, and cultivate greater acceptance, self-compassion, and resilience under extremely challenging circumstances.

The collaborating team are Lana Jackson and Julia Powell for the Sussex Mindfulness Centre, and Ariana Faris and Sheila Webb, the original pioneers of the innovation.

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Mindful Wellbeing as we Age

The project is a collaboration between the Centre for Mindful Life Enhancement (CMLE) and the University of the Third Age (u3a).   Central to it is a series of six sessions on mindfulness and meditation, based on the Five Ways to Wellbeing, and delivered by Zoom.

The first seven series have attracted over 1,000 participants in total. u3a has 1,035 branches and over 430,000 members, and participants have come from all parts of the United Kingdom. Continuation sessions are also run monthly, and the series is being delivered in person in Rotherham and elsewhere, involving further partnerships.