Oakwood Training

12/12/2025

The festive season isn’t easy for everyone.

Behind the celebrations, many people experience quiet loneliness - and it’s not just older adults.

Recent UK data shows one in four adults feel lonely at times, and loneliness is actually highest among young adults, with around four in ten 16–29-year-olds reporting it.

At a time when we’re more digitally connected than ever, it’s a reminder that human connection still matters most.

The blog below blog explores:
💬 why loneliness shows up at all ages
🧠 what the science says about connection
🤝 how small moments of kindness can make a real difference
✨ why “Connect” and “Give” matter more than ever during seasonal pressures

If you’re supporting teams through the weeks ahead, this is a thoughtful place to start.

Read the blog: www.oakwoodtraining.co.uk/loneliness-during-the-holidays/

11/12/2025

We're very grateful to Ashley Brooks, Head of UK Security Operations at Tesco for his kind words and support during 2025.

It's been a pleasure developing customised training for Tesco that we have tailored around their specific needs. This has included managing conflict, dealing with traumatic/critical incidents, building resilience and enhancing wellbeing.

10/12/2025

For many people, the festive break is meant to be a chance to rest… yet switching off isn’t always as easy as it sounds.

End-of-year deadlines, financial pressure, “just one more thing” tasks and the mental load of the season can all make it hard to properly disconnect, even when we want to.

If you’ve ever found yourself checking emails on your days off, struggling to relax, or feeling guilty about taking a break, you’re not alone. And for leaders, it’s a reminder that our teams may need support not just to take leave, but to truly benefit from it.

Our blog explores:
🎄 why switching off can feel harder during the festive season
🧠 the psychology behind “always on” habits
💬 what managers can do to help people take a real break
✨ simple ways to reduce the pressure and return refreshed

If you’re heading into the holidays feeling stretched, or supporting teams who are, this is a thoughtful read for the weeks ahead.

Read the blog: www.oakwoodtraining.co.uk/annual-leave-anxiety-why-switching-off-can-still-feel-hard

09/12/2025

In a desperate attempt to show how strong we are, we often break ourselves.

Resilience is about how you recharge. It’s in the recovery that we get stronger.

Here are our Top 10 steps to develop your personal resilience....

08/12/2025

Congratulations to the fantastic Mental Health and Wellbeing trainers at Superdrug who completed their refresher training with us last week 👏

It's been a pleasure supporting Superdrug since 2018 with mental health, wellbeing and conflict management programmes.

05/12/2025

Weekly round-up...

🧠Mental Health and Wellbeing Train the Trainer refresher programme with the amazing trainers at Superdrug (pictured below)

💡Live webinar with JELD-WEN Europe in French on building personal resilience

💬 Live workshops with LKQ Europe in German on supporting wellbeing during times of change

😊 Mental Health First Aid training with UPP

Thank you to everyone who has attended training with us for your kind feedback.

04/12/2025

International Volunteer Day is celebrated on 5 December every year.

It is a day where volunteers are acknowledged and the spirit of volunteerism is promoted at the local, national and international levels.

Volunteering can make a real difference in your own life and the lives of those around you.

If you're in the UK, you can find out more about volunteering here: https://www.ncvo.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering/want-to-volunteer/

Information to help you find a suitable volunteering opportunity in England.

03/12/2025

It was fantastic to get some of the Oakwood team together on Saturday evening 🎄🎅🥳

With the team now spread across the UK and Europe, we were grateful to those who traveled to be with us. Those who couldn't make it, we look forward to catching up with virtually.

A few more weeks to go and then a well-deserved rest for everyone 😊

02/12/2025

As seasonal pressures rise, many organisations are focused on short-term support, but the strongest ones are already thinking bigger:


💡 How do we make wellbeing part of performance, not a separate initiative?

When wellbeing is treated as a strategic lever, measured, managed and modelled by leaders, it stops being an HR priority and becomes a business advantage.

We’ve seen this shift firsthand. The organisations that succeed don’t treat wellbeing as a benefit; they build it into how decisions are made, how managers lead, and how performance is defined.

Our latest blog, Building a Workplace Culture Where Wellbeing Fuels Performance, shares five evidence-based actions leaders can take to embed wellbeing into strategy and leadership at every level.

👉 Read the full article: www.oakwoodtraining.co.uk/building-a-workplace-culture-where-wellbeing-fuels-performance/

Discover how to build a culture where wellbeing fuels performance. Explore practical strategies to support mental health and boost engagement.

01/12/2025

Grief is a word for some of the feelings you may have after the death of someone close to you.

There is no right or wrong way to grieve. Some people describe being overcome or frightened by their feelings, others say they feel numb.

The thoughts and feelings you have will vary. Sometimes, they may be very intense and stop you doing things. At other times, they may be in the background and you can still do your day-to-day activities.

Macmillan Cancer Research shares resources and advice for :

2 to 8 December marks National Grief Awareness Week. Learn more about what grief is and where you can get support.

28/11/2025

Weekly round-up....

🌍 We've been back in Germany delivering conflict management and de-escalation training to a global retailer

🎤Oakwood Founder Terry Streather was speaking at a Housing conference in London about resilience, burnout and employee wellbeing

💡We've been delivering live virtual courses on a wide range of wellbeing topics.

This weekend is the Oakwood Christmas Party🎄, and we are looking forward to getting some of the team together in person.

Have a great weekend 😊

27/11/2025

We're very grateful to Ashley Brooks, Head of UK Security Operations at Tesco for his kind words and support this year.

It's been a pleasure developing customised training for Tesco that we have tailored around their specific needs. This has included managing conflict, dealing with traumatic/critical incidents, building resilience and enhancing wellbeing.