Improved mental health will be at the front of the minds of a city-wide partnership on Mental Health Awareness Week 13-19 May 2019.

Partners including City of York Council, York Explore, Make It York, York MIND, York Advocacy, York Travellers’ Trust, Yor Peer Support, LGBT groups, Kyra, The Haven, IDAS, York CVS and Ways to Wellbeing, will be reaching out to individuals and groups to talk about mental health, how it can be improved and the support available across the city.

LiveWellYork will be promoting events available across the city – simply look for blue star events at www.livewellyork.co.uk. This will include free interactive suicide prevention training, running as part of the #TalkSuicide. If you are looking for activities throughout the year to help improve your health and wellbeing why not check out the community activities directory.

The Talk Suicide campaign will raise awareness of free suicide prevention training. It can be completed in twenty minutes and teaches lifesaving skills, such as being able to spot when someone might be feeling suicidal; how to speak out about suicide and where to correctly signpost someone who is struggling to the correct support and services. More information at www.talksuicide.co.uk .

To support people living with mental health issues, there will be three community events held by partners during the week. Drop-in sessions will be open on Monday 13 May at West Offices (9.30am-4pm) and on Wednesday 15 May on Parliament Street (9.30am-4pm). Both will be jam-packed with information, activities and helpful staff to signpost people to extra resources and sources of good quality mental health support.

On Friday 17 May at 30 Clarence Street (10.30am-4pm) there will be a special day event with information and advice. Afternoon tea will be served made by people attending community recovery projects. There will also be crafts and activities including mindfulness taster sessions which can be booked via canse.karatas@york.gov.uk.

At all three events, green ribbons will be handed out for people to wear and to help show support for and raise awareness of mental health and its importance. These ribbons have special significance as they have been made by people who use the council’s mental health support services. The national theme of Mental Health Awareness Week is body image and there will be activities run at the three events to reflect this. We invite the people of York to wear a green awareness ribbon; lets talk about mental health and stand united against stigma.

Tim Madgwick, independent chair of York’s Mental Health Partnership said:  “We know there are thousands of people living and working in York who struggle with their mental health. There are some great programmes in the city which have changed the lives of people but we also know that there are some people who feel unable speak openly or get any form of help.

“We want to be a city that listens and cares about everyone who has  mental health problems. The week is about broadening the reach to people, we know the first conversation is often the hardest but weeks like these raise awareness and have the capacity to change lives.”

Sharon Houlden, corporate director of health, housing and adult social care at City of York Council, said: “1 in 4 of us¹ will experience a mental health problem.

“Mental health really matters, and there is a wealth of support available so no-one need struggle alone. Events like these are so important for raising awareness and signposting people and their friends and family to how they can access good mental health support.”

ENDS

¹ https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/about-mental-health/myths-facts