It’s been a very unusual summer for all of us and at Centre for Mental Health we’ve been working hard to support better mental health for all throughout.
As the pandemic continues to dominate many of our lives, we’re asking anyone who wants to share their experiences of this year to become a part of our exciting writing project, A Year in Our Lives. Whether you want to write a story about your experience or a poem, we want to hear from you. We’ll soon be publishing the first few pieces we’ve received on our new and improved website.
We published some significant new reports in August, including a look at how local councils across the country are supporting mental health in their communities and a report on children’s mental health in rural and coastal communities. They both remind us how important it is to protect and promote the public’s mental health.
We also raised major concerns about the lack of understanding about mental health in the UK Government’s obesity strategy and its decision to replace Public Health England. With growing evidence about the effects of the pandemic on our mental health, it’s more important now than ever that leaders put the public’s mental health first.
This month we will have more new reports, a new Writer in Residence, and more views to share through our blogs and videos. Stay tuned for more to come.
Living in rural and remote areas can create distinct challenges for children’s mental health.
The space between us explores evidence about the mental health and wellbeing of children living in isolated communities across the UK. The report calls for action to boost children’s mental health in rural and coastal areas.
Mental health is interwoven with many other policy agendas – including housing, employment, social inclusion, economic development, and safety.
Our place examines the initiatives of local councils that are rising to the challenge of promoting good mental health and preventing poor mental health in their communities with innovative approaches and strategies.
Responding to the Government's new "tackling obesity" strategy
Following the announcement of the Government’s new obesity strategy, author and campaigner Hope Virgo has written an open letter calling on Government to rethink potentially damaging policies such as adding calorie labels to menus.
Sarah shares her personal experience of healthy weight management and explains why we're concerned that the Government's proposals could be both ineffective and psychologically damaging.
A Year In Our Lives
We are really grateful for all the fantastic responses we've received so far for our creative writing project and we can't wait to begin publishing them. If you haven't sent us your piece yet, don't fret - there's still plenty of time for you to get involved.
We're collecting your accounts of the pandemic to build a picture of how this year has impacted us emotionally. What has helped you cope during these uncertain times? Tell us about your experience in lockdown and what this year and its dramatic changes have been like for you. Remember, you can contribute in poetry, prose or any other written form. You can find lots more information about the project here.
David Gilbert, one of our Expert Advisors for A Year In Our Lives, shares some poetic inspiration based on his lockdown experience.
We know that the coronavirus pandemic is a physical health emergency on a global scale, such as we have never seen in our lifetimes. But it is also a mental health emergency. Our high quality, evidence-based research, evaluation and policy advice has never been more important during this time of uncertainty. Now more than ever, your support is so valuable.
