Local thoughts on mental well being on World Mental Health Day

In true 'Big Brother' style visitors to Castlemere Community Centre on World Mental Health Day, 10 October will have the opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings on camera in a diary room.

One in four people in the UK have a mental health problem that means over 33,000 of people living in Rochdale may suffer from mental illness at some point in their lifetime.

The Big Brother diary room will enable the public, service users and carers to express their views and opinions about what affects their mental health, what helps them feel better and what services could do to help them more.

These thoughts and opinions will be built into a new mental health promotion strategy and help health and social care professionals on how we can improve mental health services for the benefit of the community.

The diary room entries will be edited to form a short promotional film that will be shared with other agencies and schools to help raise awareness of mental health and well-being - Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT will be working closely with Mind’s service user media group in the production of this short film.

Castlemere Community Centre will be transformed into a haven of calm and tranquillity where you can try alterative therapies and express your emotions through the medium of art on the graffiti wall plus many more activities.

Shabnam Sardar, Mental Health Promotion Lead for Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT said: “Mental health is central to all health and well being, mental well being, like physical health is a resource we all need to protect. Please come along on the day to see how local services can help you to promote well being and how you can feed your comments into the metal health promotion strategy.”

Tricia Hornby for Rochdale and District Mind added: “It is very important to promote self help and ensure that information is available for people about looking after their own mental health. The World Mental Health Day event focuses on promoting positive mental health and providing opportunities to take part in some ‘fun’ activities as well as accessing information about local mental health services.”

Guest speakers will address the audience in short intervals to talk about current hot issues such as Food and Mood, Art and Mental health, and welfare benefits.

A light lunch will be provided and an Urdu interpreter will also be available.