🌸 Celebrating Together: Easter & Sri Lankan New Year at MHM Wales 🌸

On Thursday 24th April 2025, we brought our team together for a celebration of Easter and the Sri Lankan New Year (Aluth Avurudda) – a unique opportunity to honour cultural traditions, share food, and enjoy a much-needed afternoon of fun and connection.

From sweet treats to spicy curries, games to gifts, the event was a beautiful reflection of the diversity, warmth, and community spirit we’re so proud of here at Mental Health Matters Wales.

A Feast to Remember

The Café Room was transformed into a vibrant hub of colour and flavour! We enjoyed a delicious spread that included:

• Chicken curry and vegetable lentil curry

• Onion bhajis, naan breads, mint sauce, poppadoms, and mango chutney

• A surprise homemade soup from our Community Services Co-Ordinator (perfect for a spring day!)

  
  

Special shout-outs go to:

Our Finance Officer who brought in Kokis (කොකිස්) – a traditional Sri Lankan New Year snack made from rice flour and coconut milk.

Our Assistant Advocacy Manager, for her amazing Biscoff rocky road.

Our Finance Manager brought in coconut water, which kept us hydrated throughout the afternoon.

Our Administrator, who brought in Easter treats including hot cross buns and chocolates.

Thank you to everyone who contributed food and helped create such a welcoming table.

A Taste of Sri Lanka: Kokis

We loved learning more about Sri Lankan cuisine – and many of us tried Kokis for the first time! These crispy, flower-shaped snacks are traditionally made during Sinhala New Year.

Meaningful Moments

As part of the celebration, everyone received a small, symbolic gift:

• A peacock feather – representing renewal and beauty in both Sri Lankan and Easter traditions.

• A hanging elephant – a common sight in Sri Lankan festivals, symbolising good luck.

• A crystal Easter egg – a reminder of peace and new beginnings.

  
  

  

Quiz Time & Avurudu Spirit

Our very own Our Talking Connections Co-Ordinator hosted a brilliant themed quiz that combined fun facts about Easter, Sri Lanka, and beyond. (Did you know cinnamon – not tea – is Sri Lanka’s biggest export? Or that Easter was once banned in the 1600s?)

Congratulations to our joint quiz winners – our Wellbeing Services Operations Manager and our Strategic Development Manager – and runner-up our Assistant Advocacy Manager!

To round off the day, our Talking Connections Co-Ordinator was voted our Avurudu Kumari (New Year Queen) – an honour given in Sri Lankan tradition to someone who embodies kindness, joy, and community spirit. A perfect fit!

🌈 Looking Ahead

We’re already looking forward to our next staff celebration on Thursday 19th June, where we’ll be marking the Summer Solstice and Pride Month with a theme of Colourful Summer Fun.

🛠️ Aligning with Welsh Policy

This celebration also aligns closely with key Welsh Government frameworks and legislation:

Under the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, this event supported several of the Act’s seven wellbeing goals, particularly:

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  • A Healthier Wales – by promoting emotional and social wellbeing through shared experiences.

  • A More Equal Wales – by embracing and celebrating cultural diversity across our team.

  • A Wales of Vibrant Culture and Thriving Welsh Language – by fostering respect for different heritages, cuisines, and traditions.

    
    

  The celebration also reflects principles in the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, promoting:

  
  

  • Community cohesion, inclusion, and preventative approaches to mental health and wellbeing.

    
    

  • Voice and choice, as staff-led ideas and contributions shaped the activities.

    
    

• We’re also proud to support the Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan, recognising the richness of diverse cultural identities and creating inclusive spaces where everyone feels valued.

  
  

These values underpin everything we do at MHM Wales – not just on celebration days, but throughout our ongoing work in communities across the country.

Supporting a Globally Responsible Wales

This event also reflects our role in building a Globally Responsible Wales, one of the seven wellbeing goals in the Well-being of Future Generations Act. By recognising and celebrating international traditions such as Aluth Avurudda, we promote cultural understanding, global citizenship, and respect for diverse heritages – all essential in fostering inclusive, connected communities.

Strengthening Participation and Belonging

Staff from across different roles and departments came together, contributed food, shared stories, and helped shape the day. From planning to activities, this event reflected our commitment to co-production and shared ownership – a model of inclusive workplace culture.

Reflecting the MHM Wales Ethos

This wasn’t just a staff event – it was a celebration of our values in action:

• People-first approaches, recognising the importance of belonging, identity, and emotional wellbeing.

  
  

• Celebrating lived experience and cultural richness, strengthening the way we connect with one another and the communities we support.

  
  
  
  

These moments build trust, improve morale, and reinforce the inclusive ethos that underpins our work every day.

💕 Thank you

Events like this remind us why our community matters – and how important it is to take time to celebrate, reflect, and have fun together. Thank you to everyone who made the day special.

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