24 June 2009
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Tea and Talk to mark World Mental Health Day
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Newsnight’s Kirsty Wark adds her support to campaign
A comfy sofa, supportive friends and a hot cuppa - everyone knows how comforting that can be, especially when life gets tough.
So why not take part in the Mental Health Foundation’s first ever Tea and Talk national fundraising event this autumn and raise money for the charity, which helps people when they’re experiencing mental health problems?
Just hold a tea party with family, friends or colleagues in the run up to World Mental Health Day on Saturday 10 October.
By taking part in Tea and Talk you can support the Mental Health Foundation to help the 1 in 4 people living in the UK who find themselves experiencing problems like depression and anxiety.
Life events such as bereavement, divorce, pregnancy, losing a job or being in debt can all leave people vulnerable to such problems yet lots of people still don’t ask for - or receive - the help they need to get their lives back on track.
Kirsty Wark, journalist and Newsnight presenter, is supporting Tea and Talk. She said:
“This seems to me a simple and enjoyable way to spread the word that mental health issues will affect us all in some way during our lives, looking out for our friends in time of their distress, our families and their needs, or problems we ourselves may encounter." Register today!
The Mental Health Foundation provides free practical information and advice to those suffering in silence.
Mental Health Facts and Figures
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The rate of common mental health problems, typically depression and anxiety, has risen by a fifth among middle aged women since 1993
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There has been an 80 per cent increase in self-harm among women aged between 16 and 24 since 2000
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Depression is more common in older people than dementia
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One in ten children between the ages of one and 15 has a mental health problem
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Only a quarter of people living in England with a common mental health problem are getting any form of treatment
Andrew McCulloch, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation, said:
“There has never been a more vital time to support people who find themselves feeling mentally unwell. Mental health problems can affect anyone and as a result of the economic downturn increasing numbers of people are finding themselves unemployed and facing debt – stressful circumstances that can result in depression and anxiety.
Your support will enable us to reach individuals and families in need of free practical information and advice that can help people who are finding life a struggle.”
Ends
Notes to editors
For further information, contact the press office team on 020 7803 1128 / 1130.
The Mental Health Foundation uses research and practical projects to help people survive, recover from and prevent mental health problems. We work to influence policy, including government at the highest levels. And we use our knowledge to raise awareness and to help tackle the stigma attached to mental illness. We reach millions of people every year through our media work, information booklets and online services.
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