Drop in for a cuppa to help change attitudes to mental health

The event on Briggate this Saturday is one of a number that the national Time to Change team will be holding across the country this Summer. Time to Change, England’s biggest anti-stigma programme, led by charities Mind and Rethink, will be touring the streets and festivals of England with a series of fun, colourful roadshows that address the fear and awkwardness people feel in talking about mental health problems.

Celebrities such as Ruby Wax and Stephen Fry, who have experience of mental problems have backed the campaign.

People in Leeds are being invited to take a seat and have a cup of tea in the pop-up, virtual living room. Members of the public will be encouraged to talk to people with lived experiences of different mental health conditions and the stigma they encounter.

Chris Butler, chief executive at Leeds Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust said: “The Time to Change roadshow gives the people of Leeds a chance to find out more about mental health by talking to someone with personal experience. Just a few small words can make a big difference to someone with a mental health problem and can help to break down stigma and discrimination.”

John Lawlor, chief executive for NHS Leeds added: “I know that the work we have been doing to promote Time to Change in Leeds is having a positive effect on challenging people’s perceptions of mental health.”

Sue Baker, director of Time to Change said: “We know that face-to-face contact with someone who has experienced a mental health problem is key to transforming our understanding and attitudes.”

The roadshow takes place on Saturday from 10am – 4pm. For more information and updates visit www.facebook.com/timetochangeleeds, www.twitter.com/timetochange or www.time-to-change.org.uk.