Swiss Benevolent Society UK

Swiss Benevolent Society UK We aid fellow Swiss living in the UK who are experiencing difficulties, of all ages & walks of life

Here is this month's small experiment: one line a day. That's all. ✏️Not a diary you'll abandon by the 12th (most of us ...
08/10/2026

Here is this month's small experiment: one line a day. That's all. ✏️

Not a diary you'll abandon by the 12th (most of us have a drawer full of those). Just one honest sentence about how you feel, or one thing you were glad of. "Tired, but the walk helped." "The bus was late, a stranger waved me ahead, and it lifted the whole morning." That is a perfect entry.

Do it at the same moment each day so it holds — while the kettle boils, or last thing before the light goes off. And on the days when even a sentence feels like too much, put the pen down and ground yourself another way: a brisk walk in cold air, a proper meal cooked slowly, hands in the garden. That counts too.

Here is a thought while you are at it: your phone keeps a kind of journal of its own, feeding you whatever will keep you scrolling. So teach it to be kinder. Follow a good-news account, a maker who shares cosy crafts, a journaling prompt, a slow-living channel, or the corner of BookTok that leaves you wanting to read rather than buy. Give the algorithm better instructions, and it tends to hand back calmer evenings.

Fancy trying it? Ask a friend to join you, so you keep each other going. More in the blog 👉 https://www.swissbenevolent.org.uk/october-reflection-on-ground/

A quick question: what is the small thing you do that holds your day together? ☕There's a lot to be said for rituals ove...
06/10/2026

A quick question: what is the small thing you do that holds your day together? ☕

There's a lot to be said for rituals over resolutions at this time of year. A resolution is a grand promise to become a whole new person by January, and we all know how those tend to go. A ritual is humbler and far sturdier — the coffee made slowly before the house wakes, the same loop around the park, ten minutes with a book before the lamp goes off, the Sunday bake that fills the kitchen with something warm or the cosy movie night with the kids. Rituals over resolutions: the steadying effect, without the weight of a big promise you'll feel guilty about breaking.

None of them look like much on paper. But strung across a week, they become the things you lean on when everything else feels like a lot. And they are worth protecting most in the very weeks you feel you have no time for them — those tend to be the weeks you need them most.

So tell us yours in the comments; we would genuinely like to know. (And keep an eye out: we have a lovely wellbeing event coming up on Saturday 21 November — more on that on our website.)

Grounding means different things to different people. For me, it starts with being intentional in the small moments of m...
04/10/2026

Grounding means different things to different people. For me, it starts with being intentional in the small moments of my morning: opening the window and greeting the sun, taking a moment whilst the kettle boils, or making the bed.

In the busyness of everyday life, grounding might look like taking myself on a walk during my lunch break, pausing for a deep, calming breath, or simply looking at the trees and noticing the changing colours and the sound of leaves crunching beneath my feet.

I even think fondly of grounding moments from the summer, taking off my shoes and socks to feel the grass beneath my feet. 🌱

These small rituals remind me that grounding doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes, it's simply about slowing down and reconnecting with ourselves and our surroundings.

A small practice to try this week: Take a moment to check in with yourself and your body. What are you noticing? What might you need right now?

You don't have to change everything. Sometimes, a little moment of awareness is enough.

Disconnect to Reconnect: Our Digital Wellbeing Workshop is now taking place on Saturday 21 November — and we’d love you ...
02/10/2026

Disconnect to Reconnect: Our Digital Wellbeing Workshop is now taking place on Saturday 21 November — and we’d love you to join us.

From 1–4pm in London, we’ll spend an afternoon stepping away from our screens and making space for something a little different: mindfulness, meaningful conversation, good company and practical ways to build healthier digital habits.

Together with My Resilient Mind, we’ll explore our relationship with technology through a Digital Wellbeing workshop, guided mindfulness and simple tools you can take away and use in everyday life.

A chance to:
- slow down
- have good conversations
- take a break from the scroll
- learn practical tools for everyday life

Saturday 21 November 2026
1–4pm
79 Endell Street, London
Tickets: £10

Spaces are limited, so if you’ve been meaning to book, now’s a good time.

🎟️ Book your place on Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/digital-wellbeing-disconnect-to-reconnect-tickets-1995718157733

"

Our October blog is live. 🍂It's been an unusual year for weather, hasn't it? A long, dry summer, yellow gardens, trees l...
01/10/2026

Our October blog is live. 🍂

It's been an unusual year for weather, hasn't it? A long, dry summer, yellow gardens, trees letting go of their leaves weeks early — and now the light is fading fast and many of us are wondering what sort of winter lies ahead.

This month's theme is GROUND. It isn't about a grand autumn reinvention — the shops are already doing plenty of that, with Halloween and Christmas somehow competing for the same shelf. It's the gentler opposite: returning to the small things that keep us steady. A hot drink made slowly. A walk with no particular destination. One honest line in a notebook before bed.

Inside this month: a warm, personal piece from our Welfare Officer Lily on how she grounds herself, why small rituals serve us better than grand resolutions, an honest word about the darker evenings and the winter costs ahead, and where to turn if you need a hand.

Have a read, and tell us — what is the small thing that keeps you steady when the season turns? 👉 https://www.swissbenevolent.org.uk/october-reflection-on-ground/

Lily's Book Recommendation: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse 📚In line with this month’s theme of sharing, this i...
29/09/2026

Lily's Book Recommendation: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse 📚

In line with this month’s theme of sharing, this is a book I would love to pass on!

“What do we do when our hearts hurt? We wrap them with friendship, shared tears and time, till they wake hopeful and happy again.”

This is a gentle little book about kindness, friendship, vulnerability and connection. I found something of myself in each of the characters: vulnerability, strength, our inner child and our more fragile sides. It left me feeling hopeful, reassured and with a little more faith in humanity.

It feels like one of those books that is made to be passed from one person to another — to read with children or family, or simply picked up when you need a gentle reminder of kindness, friendship and connection.

You can also listen to it on YouTube, and copies can be found at local libraries. 🎧

💭 What’s your favourite quote from a book? Share it this in the comments below!

As September draws to a close, we’re checking in. 🍂This month’s theme was SHARE — not only sharing things, but sharing t...
28/09/2026

As September draws to a close, we’re checking in. 🍂

This month’s theme was SHARE — not only sharing things, but sharing time, attention, help and company too.

Maybe you caught the last of the decent weather with a friend, brought along a coffee and something to eat, and finally had that catch-up you had been meaning to have. Perhaps you helped someone with something practical, passed something useful on, made time for somebody who needed it, or simply turned up.

And perhaps, for once, you were the one who accepted the invitation or let somebody help you.

Often the things we remember most are not the biggest gestures. They are the coffee someone brought, the afternoon they made time for, the message that arrived at exactly the right moment, or the person who sat with us when we needed company.

So before September ends, think back over your month:

What did you share — or what did someone share with you — that made a difference?

Thank you for being part of our community. 💙

A reflection from Lily, our Welfare OfficerSometimes, the smallest things we share can make the biggest difference. ☕A w...
26/09/2026

A reflection from Lily, our Welfare Officer

Sometimes, the smallest things we share can make the biggest difference. ☕
A warm smile, a few encouraging words, a cup of tea, a helping hand, or simply taking the time to ask someone how they are.
But sharing can also mean sharing what we’re carrying.
Life can sometimes feel heavy, and when we’re struggling, it can be easy to keep things to ourselves. Talking to someone we trust, sharing a worry, or simply saying “I’m finding things difficult at the moment” can be a small but important step. We don’t always need someone to have the answers, sometimes, having someone listen is enough.
In our communities, making space for one another can help people feel connected, supported and less alone. And often, kindness has a way of being passed on with one thoughtful gesture inspiring another.
What’s a small act of kindness someone has shared with you that you’ve never forgotten?
We’d love to hear your stories in the comments.

Sweater weather has officially arrived. 🍂You can usually tell autumn is on its way before you check the calendar. Pumpki...
23/09/2026

Sweater weather has officially arrived. 🍂

You can usually tell autumn is on its way before you check the calendar. Pumpkin spice and maple lattes are back 🍁, the first mince pies have somehow already appeared in the shops 🤨, and that lightweight jacket you brought “just in case” is suddenly earning its keep.

Autumn has always been a season of gathering in what has grown and making good use of what we have. Across Switzerland, that still shows up in local harvest festivals, village traditions and, of course, plenty of food shared around a table.

It also happens to fit rather well with our September theme: SHARE.

Sharing does not have to mean making a grand gesture. It can be an hour with a friend, passing on a coat you no longer wear, bringing something to the table, helping someone with something you happen to be good at, or simply noticing that somebody could use a bit more company.

And sharing is not always about being the one who gives. Sometimes accepting an offer of help matters too. It gives somebody else the chance to contribute — something that can be surprisingly difficult to remember when we are used to managing everything ourselves.

So, as the jumpers come back out and autumn properly settles in, have a look at what you already have in abundance. Time? Experience? Food? Clothes? Knowledge? Company?

What could you share this season?

🍂 Read our September reflection on SHARE:
https://www.swissbenevolent.org.uk/september-reflection-on-share/

International Day of Peace: We Are More Alike Than We Are Different 🕊️Some of you may remember Henri Dunant from our Jun...
21/09/2026

International Day of Peace: We Are More Alike Than We Are Different 🕊️

Some of you may remember Henri Dunant from our June reflection — the Swiss businessman who stumbled onto the battlefield at Solferino and, amid tens of thousands of wounded men, stopped seeing French soldiers or Austrian soldiers. He saw only human beings who were suffering, and he helped whoever was nearest. That instinct became the Red Cross.

On the International Day of Peace, his example is worth holding onto — because so much of what divides us pulls in exactly the opposite direction. It is easy to slip into sorting people into categories: by nationality, by faith, by colour, by where they were born. But up close, almost everyone wants the same handful of ordinary things — to feel safe, to be treated with dignity, to build a decent life, to see their children and loved ones do well.

Peace, on a personal level, often begins with something small and quietly courageous: refusing to see the person in front of you as a category, and choosing to meet them as an individual instead. That is something every one of us can practise — today, and every day.

🕊️

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