Channel 4 has become the first broadcaster in England to sign the Time to Change pledge to show their commitment to tackling mental health discrimination.  

Time to Change, England’s leading anti-discrimination programme run by the mental health charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, attended a jam packed launch event last night for the channel’s mental health season ‘4 Goes Mad’ where Director of Human Resources Diane Herbert, signed the pledge.

The pledge signing was witnessed by MPs, leading businesses and charities, celebrities and mental health advocates alike. The support shows a further commitment since Channel 4 announced the bold season of prime-time programming, which will challenge mental health stigma and discrimination - particularly in the workplace. The season also hopes to tackle the ingrained prejudice that surrounds mental health in Britain today.

Time to Change has worked closely with Channel 4 on the ‘4 Goes Mad’ season, helping to advise on the concept and approach,  providing background and statistical information and finding contributors for the shows. Work will now continue with Channel 4 to look at further ways in which the broadcaster can show their support in ending mental health discrimination.

Sue Baker, Director of Time to Change, said: “This is the first time we have seen a major broadcaster committing to tackle the stigma that people with mental health problems experience. This is really setting the standard and we hope that others in the media industry will follow their lead.

“In recent weeks we have seen a surge in people disclosing their mental health problems from MPs to Olympians. Now, Channel 4 is an influential addition to our movement for change.”

Diane Herbert, Director of Human Resources at Channel 4, said: “I am delighted to have signed a pledge to Time to Change’s important campaign to end mental health stigma on behalf of Channel 4. With one in four of us likely to experience a mental health condition in any given year, the Channel is proud to support this campaign to challenge the discrimination and prejudice that so for many can prove an even bigger burden that the illness itself.”

Channel 4 join the wide movement of organisations that have signed up to the Time to Change Pledge, including the FA, the Premier League, Universities, BT, Eon, NHS Trusts, Primary Care Trusts, local authorities, Transport for London, Citizen’s Advice, and police forces.

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For more information please contact Hayley Richardson, Time to Change Senior Media Officer, on [email protected] or 0208 2152 358/ 07789 721 966. Follow Hayley on Google+

Notes to Editors

Time to Change
Time to Change is England's most ambitious programme to end the stigma and discrimination faced by people with mental health problems.  The programme is run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, and funded by the Department of Health and Comic Relief. 

Department of Health
On 2 February 2011 the Department of Health launched No health without mental health, a cross-government mental health outcomes strategy for people of all ages which has the twin aims of keeping people well and improving their mental health and, when people are not well, improving their outcomes through high-quality services.

The strategy is based on six shared objectives, developed with partners from across the mental health sector, and focuses on ‘Recovery’ and the reduction of stigma and discrimination as overarching themes. 

To help deliver the objective to reduce the stigma faced by people with mental health problems, in 2011 the Department agreed to support Time to Change, the anti-stigma campaign run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness. The Department of Health is providing the campaign with up to £16 million of funding together with a further £4 million from Comic Relief. This funding will help Time to Change continue their work until March 2015.

Comic Relief
Comic Relief is committed to supporting people living with mental health problems. The projects Comic Relief funds ensure people with mental health problems get their voices heard in the decisions that affect their lives and get the help they need to recover. Comic Relief also helps people to promote their rights and reduce the stigma and discrimination they face so that they feel more included in society.  The £4 million grant to Time to Change is the second time the charity has awarded Time to Change its largest UK grant and is part of Comic Relief's long standing commitment to this issue. For more information go to www.comicrelief.com