Walsall residents are being called to help break the silence and stigma around mental health and wellbeing and encourage open and honest conversations as part of Time to Talk Day on Thursday 6 February.
Time to Talk Day, a national initiative run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, is about creating supportive communities by having conversations with family, friends, or colleagues about mental health and wellbeing. By talking about it, residents and others can feel supported.
To encourage residents to get support to talk about their mental wellbeing, there are a number of services and resources available.
The Let’s Chat mobile unit is a friendly, local service , which parks in different locations across Walsall, to help people improve their wellbeing and reduce stress. The service is a member of the No Wrong Door approach, coordinated by Rethink, which means that the staff will help residents to connect to the right support when needed.
Residents attending the Lets Chat mobile unit will receive support to develop a personal free 8 Steps to Wellbeing Plan, which provides an opportunity to talk about helping them and others to remain healthy, independent and well. These are available at the Let’s Chat bus or online through the Walsall Council website.
The Walsall Wellbeing Directory contains activities, services and groups to help all residents live healthy, active and fulfilling lives, as well as be sociable, feel included and improve overall wellbeing.
“ Talking openly and honestly with a friend, family member, colleague or a professional, can be the first step towards better mental health. Finding a way that feels right for you to talk, asking questions, and listening are just some of the things you can do to get comfortable with starting to talk about mental health and wellbeing. There are also lots of local groups and services that you can get involved with to start the conversation.
We want you to know that you are not alone, and help is always available. If you need to talk to someone urgently, contact NHS 111 and select option two to speak to a trained mental health professional. You can also access face-to-face support outside of normal hours at the Walsall Sanctuary Hub in Bloxwich. “