Breaking the Silence

It is funded by Mind and Rethink. The aim is to get as many people as possible, across England, talking about mental health. By midnight on the 4th February they had logged 68,199 conversations across the country.

Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership in North Somerset made a contribution to this national event by setting up a stall in Rafters Café, Weston General Hospital. Volunteers, some with lived experience of mental health, engaged visitors to the Café in a brief conversation about mental health. By the end of the day nearly 100 hospital visitors and staff had stopped to talk.

There was an excellent and very visual display organised with large posters as well as a giant teacup to grab people’s attention as they entered the Café. There was a table top display with giveaways to attract people with, pens, badges, stress balls and chocolates. Also available was a comprehensive selection of flyers and information on local mental health services in North Somerset, so if people were interested they could be signposted to an appropriate service.

Consultant Psychiatrist Dr. Tiff Earle says ‘’Mental health problems affect 1 in 4 people every year, yet too often people are afraid to talk about their experiences because they fear it will affect their jobs or relationships. That’s not right and it’s why we need your help to break the silence and end the stigma. By joining together on one day, we can break the silence that often surrounds mental health, and show that talking about this once-taboo issue doesn’t need to be difficult.’’

See the  Cartoon Video Link developed to promote the day.