In recent months, there is a subject that has got people talking – from royalty to celebrities and musicians to sports personalities. They have spoken out with an important and powerful message: mental health matters. However, despite the considerable efforts of these influential figures, there is still much work to be done.
Last Thursday was Time to Talk day. It aims to bring people together to get talking and break the silence around mental health problems. Now in its fifth year, Time to Talk day is spearheaded by Time To Change, a social movement run by charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness. Its work is made possible thanks to millions of pounds of funding from Comic Relief, the Big Lottery Fund and the Department of Health. Mental health difficulties affect one in four of us, but too often we are afraid to talk about them. Yet by doing so, we can break down stereotypes, improve relationships, help recovery and take the stigma out of what is a common issue faced by people up and down the country on a daily basis.
Tackling issues around mental health is, rightly, a government priority. The Prime Minister recently commissioned an independent review of mental health and the results starkly illustrate the cost of untreated mental illness: around 300,000 people with a long-term mental health problem lose their jobs each year with businesses losing billions of pounds as a result. Of course, there are also unquantifiable personal costs. A recent poll found that over half of those surveyed lost contact with a loved one as a result of mental illness.
The good news is that attitudes across England are improving every year, as national surveys show. I hope that Time to Talk day 2018 will have begun a whole wave of discussions that will lead to many more positive outcomes.
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If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health problems and need someone to talk to, you may wish to contact Samaritans (Telephone: 116 123 – 24 hours a day, free to call), Mind Infoline (Telephone: 0300 123 3393 (9am-6pm Monday to Friday) or Rethink Mental Illness Advice Line (Telephone: 0300 5000 927 (9.30am - 4pm Monday to Friday). Young people aged 13 – 25 can access information and support through The Mix (Telephone: 0808 808 4994 (11am-11pm, free to call)
HS2 Community and Environment Fund
Further to my last column about the HS2 Community and Environment Fund, it has been recently announced that St Peter’s Church in Wormleighton has been awarded almost £75,000 to install toilet and catering facilities. Congratulations to them, and good luck to any groups making their applications at the moment.