MENTION mental health and the chances are people will run a mile.
But now the Redditch Mental Health Action Group (MHAG) is bringing it right to slap bang into the middle of the Kingfisher Shopping Centre – and they want to hear from you.
It’s all part of Wellbeing Week which culminates in World Mental Health Day next Saturday (October 10) and the aim is to raise the profile of mental health right across the borough.
“The more understanding we can spread about this issue the better,” said MHAG chairman Rebecca Blake.
“Mental health can cover a wide range of things and that includes redundancy, divorce, and bereavement – in fact one in four of us will suffer from it at some time and we want to see mental illness put on the same footing as physical illness.”
MHAG acts an umbrella organisation for a range of support groups and as government cutbacks have hit services it has been actively campaigning to raise the profile of mental health issues in Redditch.
“The police have improved the way they operate but we’ve had people who say they have gone to A&E or their GP and have come away angry because nothing has been done for them, they’ve just been sent home,” said Rebecca.
“There’s also the issue of people being successfully treated but without the on-going support that they might need available to them, but we can help with that.”
MHAG runs open meetings on the last Thursday of every month from 7pm to 9pm at Redditch town hall where people can, if they wish, tell of their experiences.
“At the first one we didn’t know how many people would turn up but in the end we had 40 come along, so we know there is a need out there,” said Rebecca.
Volunteers from MHAG will be at the foot of the escalators in the Kingfisher Shopping Centre on October 9 and 10 from 10am to 4pm with a range of supporting agencies including Age UK, Yum Tum Club, Ebeading, Victim Support and Health Watch.
For more information visit http://redditchmhag.blogspot.co.uk/ or call 07788 379389 or email redditchmhag@gmail .
