Welcome from Our JAMI Mental Health Ambassador: Victoria Dadds

We’re pleased to welcome Victoria as our new JAMI Mental Health Ambassador for Kehillat Nashira. In this role, she will be helping to strengthen awareness of mental health within our community, share resources, and support open and thoughtful conversations about wellbeing.

Below is a message from Victoria introducing herself and her hopes for the role, including ways the community can get involved and shape this work going forward.

"Hi everyone,

I’m so pleased to be here! For those who don’t know me, my name is Victoria. I’m new to the Kehillat Nashira community, and I’m really looking forward to getting to know you all as part of my role as a JAMI Ambassador.

For a bit of context, JAMI is a mental health charity that supports people in the Jewish community who are affected by mental illness. Their work includes advice and advocacy, treatment and support, as well as education and campaigning.

Mental health is something very close to my heart. I lost a family member to suicide when I was young, and since then I’ve wanted to do something meaningful to raise awareness and support others. When I came across the mental health ambassador role, it really resonated with me.

My role is essentially to be a link between JAMI and the community—helping to raise awareness around mental health, supporting open conversations, sharing useful resources, and highlighting opportunities like events, training, and volunteering. I’m also here as someone you can reach out to if you’re looking to be signposted to support.

It’s been lovely already spending time with Rabbi Miriam, talking about all things mental health and wellbeing, and learning more about Kehillat Nashira. There’s clearly so much already happening here that supports the wellbeing of the community, and it’s been really encouraging to think about what more we might build together.

We’ve started thinking about a few ideas going forward—perhaps a relaxed community walk one sunny Shabbat afternoon, looking into Mental Health First Aid training, and more to come.

But most importantly, I’d really love to hear from you. Your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions will shape what we do:

• What would actually be helpful for you?

• Would you be interested in group chats, events, or something else?

• Are there activities you find good for your own wellbeing that we could do together as a group? (For example, something creative, time outdoors, or activities for children.)

• What’s already working well that we could build on?

  
  

I’m really hoping to join you for a Shabbat in June - I’ll be at Kiddush, so do come and say hello. Whether you’d like to chat about mental health or just introduce yourself, I’d love to meet you. You’re also very welcome to email any thoughts and ideas to me at viczim@hotmail.com.

I’m really looking forward to getting to know you all.

Victoria"