Mental Health Awareness Week 2017: Supporting Better Mental Health in Bury

• Bury Council is supporting Mental Health Awareness Week 2017, a national mental health campaign run by the Mental Health Foundation. With 27,000 residents experiencing a mental health condition, the council wants to shine the spotlight on mental health issues and raise awareness of local services.
• A full week of free and fun activities for residents has been organised and the council and its partners want residents to get involved.

• Marketplace stalls will be hosted by partner organisations at Bury Market on 10^th May from 10am – 3pm.

Bury Council is working with local providers and partners in the voluntary and private sector to support better mental health for the residents of Bury this Mental Health Awareness Week (8^th -14^th May).A whole week of free activities and events have been arranged, which are designed to shine the spotlight on mental health, raise awareness of local services and get people talking about mental health.

With an estimated 27,000 people in Bury experiencing a mental health condition at any given time, the council and its partners are keen to emphasise to residents that they’re not alone. You don’t have to suffer in silence with a mental health condition. Local organisations are on hand to offer advice and support - and the Council and its partners are encouraging residents to reach out and seek support.

Lesley Jones, Director of Public Health at Bury Council, said: “At least one in four of us will experience a mental health condition at some point in our lives and it can have a huge impact on all aspects of our lives. With many of us struggling to cope with the demands of modern life, we need to take the opportunity to reflect on things we can all do to take better care of our mental health.

“That’s why we’re asking everyone to pledge to do just one thing to improve their mental wellbeing. There are also many free events and activities taking place over the week - from mindfulness sessions to hot yoga, I’m sure there’s something to suit everyone, so please get involved.”

Lots of local organisations have come together to offer a great range of free and fun activities that people can use to help improve their mental health. This includes activities such as hot yoga at Evoke Studios, free taster courses offered by the Bury Adult Learning Service, physical activity sessions organised by Total Fitness and Nordic Walking in Nuttall Park. You can find a full timetable of events and activities on the Bury Directory: www.theburydirectory.co.uk/mhaw17.

If you get down to Bury Market on 10^th May (10am – 5pm), you’ll find lots of activities and information on the market near the food hall, as well as free fitness sessions and a GMP fire engine in Kay Gardens. A range of partner organisations will be on hand to talk mental health and discuss steps we can all take to look after ourselves, and identify ways to cope better with the demands of modern life.

For any enquiries, please contact Nicola Hine, Strategic Planning and Development Officer at Bury Council on: 0161 253 6751 or by e-mail: n.hine@bury.gov.uk or

For any media enquiries, please contact: Josie Neil, Communications and Marketing Officer on: 0161 253 6897 or by e-mail: j.neil@bury.gov.uk.

ENDS

Notes for Editors

1. What is Mental Health Awareness Week all about?

   Mental Health Awareness Week is a national campaign that takes place every year and it’s organised by the Mental Health Foundation (MHF). This year’s campaign theme is ‘Surviving or thriving’ and it asks why so many people are living with mental health issues rather than enjoying good mental health. It asks why so many of us struggle to cope with the demands of modern life, and in some cases just get through the day.The campaign also looks at steps we can all take to look after our mental health, build resilience and cope better with the demands of modern life.

You can find out more about the national campaign and access a range of advice on the MHF website at: www.mentalhealth.org.uk.

1. What’s happening in Bury?

A whole week of events and activities have been arranged to highlight the wide range of information, advice and support available from local providers.

For more information on mental health services in Bury and a timetable of events and activities taking place during the week, please visit the Bury Directory: www.theburydirectory.co.uk/mhaw17(copy attached).

1. Follow the campaign on social media:

Bury Council are asking everyone to pledge to do one thing to improve their mental health during Mental Health Awareness Week. They can do this in two ways:

1. Tweet us on social media tagging the accounts below using the hashtag: #MHAW17Pledge. OR
2. Fill in a pledge card and take a selfie with it at Bury Market on 10^th May.

   Twitter

• Bury Council – Main corporate account - @burycouncil
• Bury Council Communities and Wellbeing - @burycwb

  Facebook

• Bury Council – Main corporate account – @burycouncil
• Bury Council Communities and Wellbeing - @burycwb

Photo Opportunity:

Various photo opportunities are available around events and activities taking place during Mental Health Awareness Week.