A comedy extravaganza, African and Caribbean church partnerships in Leeds, a pop-up kitchen table set at Manchester Pride, and a portable tree that will tour over 35 country shows are just some of the ways that local communities will be tackling mental health stigma and discrimination. The projects have been established after receiving Time to Change funding totalling £525,752.
Following on from the first successful grant fund last year, this second round of grants will see 13 creative projects being rolled out by local communities.
The Green Party of England and Wales, as a major membership organisation, has signed up to the Time to Change organisational pledge. The Party Leader, Natalie Bennett signed the pledge on behalf of the party at the Spring Conference at East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham.
At a joint event Kent Police and Kent Fire and Rescue signed the Time to Change Pledge on 5th February.
Kent Police place the importance of lived experience of mental health problems at the centre of delivery around anti stigma messages to officers. A champion for mental health within the force, Inspector Wayne Goodwin has been instrumental in developing a suite of tailored workshops themed around a Holistic Approach to Managing Health and Well-being, designed to challenge the stigma around mental health.
Three quarters of people who have experienced a mental health problem have lost friendships as a result, according to our recent survey.
Talking openly with friends is an important part of many people’s lives, yet having a conversation about mental health seems to be a step too far for many of us and can leave us lost for words.
