Northamptonshire Mind joins Time to Talk day along with Co-op in hopes of sparking conversations about mental health

Northamptonshire Mind is asking people to start conversations about mental health as part of the annual Time to Talk day, complete with their own event.

The yearly event, which takes place on February 3, is designed to open up conversations about people's emotional and mental well-being. With ongoing stresses like the current energy crisis and concerns like increasingly the use of foodbanks, advocates hope the day will help people unwind.

The day was launched in 2014 by Time to Change, a campaign to end mental health stigma and discrimination and was run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness.

This year they are working in partnership with Co-Op to create supportive communities by having conversations with family, friends, or colleagues about mental health.

As part of this effort, Northamptonshire Mind is hosting their own Time to Talk activity day, complete with mental health baking, quizzes and more. Each aspect is designed to promote the core values of the day and help people bridge the gap of what can be a tricky topic to broach.

Northamptonshire Mind fundraising officer Nick Tite said: “Being mentally or emotionally healthy is so important. By talking about it, we can support each other through the stresses and strains of life.

“Time to Talk Day is an important date in our calendar – one in four of us will suffer a mental health problem in any given year and we aim to make everyone feel comfortable about talking about their mental health – wherever they like.

“By talking we can create supportive networks where we can talk openly and about our well-being and feel empowered to seek help when we need it.”

Nick said people can plan a community event, or simply check-in with a friend to get the conversation going.

He said: “There are some great ideas and resources at Time to Talk Day and you can follow Northamptonshire Mind social media accounts throughout the week to find out more.”

According to the Time to Talk campaign, one in four of us will experience a mental health problem in a given year.

It is hoped that with events like Northamptonshire Mind's activity day, they will help to make everyone more comfortable with discussing mental health and reducing stigmas around it. They hope to create supportive communities where people can talk openly about mental health and feel empowered to seek help when we need it.

Mind's official activity day will take place at Anchor House, 6 Regent Square, NN1 2NQ between 11am and 3pm.

If you would like to find out more about the day, or volunteering and fundraising opportunities for Northamptonshire Mind, please contact Nick on 07714 823693, or email him at [email protected]