A GROUP dedicated to putting a little laughter into everyone's lives held its first happiness festival in Nottingham this weekend.
The Mini Happy Fest came to the city on Saturday and included films and workshops at the Broadway Cinema, in Broad Street, music at the Malt Cross in St James's Street and activities around the city centre.
Among the events were a screening of the acclaimed documentary Happy, guest speakers from Action for Happiness, the international movement for positive social change, and laughter yoga.
Laughter yoga mixes breathing exercises with laughing exercises and is based on the idea that forced laughter has the same psychological and physical benefits as spontaneous laughter.
James Moore, founder of East Midlands Happiness, the organisation behind the festival, said: "I guess what started the idea was the Government survey that was published last year which said that one of the least happy places in the country was Notts – it seemed that if we were starting a happiness group, then Notts was the place to do it."
Business engagement advisor Ashreen Seethal, 34, who attended the festival, said: "I'm just trying to come away with a few things in terms of taking control of my own feelings and thought control."
Miss Seethal came to the UK from South Africa ten years ago.
She said: "I initially wanted to travel, and then when I got here I established a live here and enjoyed living here – the country, the safety of it, the opportunities that are available that we don't really have in South Africa."
Lenton resident Elizabeth Goddard, 23, had to drop out of her Masters in Theology at Nottingham University last year because she developed chronic fatigue syndrome (ME).
She said: "The stuff on mindfulness might be particularly useful because of my ME.
"I just want happy vibes, like a warm happy bubble would be lovely, and it's about how everyday life can be a bit happier."
An atheist, Miss Goddard added: "There doesn't seem to be a lot of happiness in theology that I studied.
"I suppose yoga and mindfulness does start moving towards spirituality, but it's quite inclusive – you don't have to come with any preconceived beliefs to get anything out of it."
For more information about East Midlands Happiness group go to www.minihappyfest.co.uk.
