Thanks for being there; welcome to the Hello You family.
It’s Mental Health Awareness Week. Or Mental Health Week, or Mental Health Awareness Month, or something … It’s all a bit confusing, but anyway, we’re all being encouraged to think about, talk about and be more aware of mental health.
Which is a good thing. It’s one of the reasons I started this podcast, after all. (I frightened myself during a bad mental-health moment one Sunday morning. Want to hear what happened? Check out Hello You, episode one.)
So it’s a good thing, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy for everyone. For example, you might be in rural mid-Wales or Shropshire, where loneliness and isolation can be huge problems, and you simply might not see anyone to talk to from one day to the next.
Or, you could be part of an organisation which from time to time, encounters people who are having mental health issues. It’s not a key part of your work, but you need to know how to deal with it better … or you need someone to call, to help you.
On this Hello You, you’ll hear from two organisations who are plugging those respective gaps. They could help you, or someone you know.
First you’ll hear from Jamie Burt and Georgie Grant from Ponthafren, who have bases in Welshpool and Newtown. Georgie’s pioneering business networking to challenge loneliness, which I think is a tremendous idea.
Then, you’ll meet Adam Fejfer from Qube in Oswestry. He’s developing his idea of Shropshire Mental Health Allies. If you want to contact him about it, his email is a.fejfer@qube-oca.org.uk.
As always, I’d love to know what you think of this episode of Hello You. Leave a comment?
And if you have a story to tell, something on your mind, a topic - in Shropshire or further afield - that you feel isn’t receiving enough attention or discussion, or anything else you want to tell me, send me a message?
The next Hello You will be a dedicated, pure soundscape from somewhere in Shropshire on a sunny afternoon. This afternoon, in fact.
Take care of yourself, and of the people around you. And I hope they’re taking care of you, too.
Hello You 38: Mental Health Allies