It Takes Balls to Talk
A new mental health awareness campaign is being launched in Coventry to encourage people, particularly men, to talk about how they feel.
‘It Takes Balls to Talk’ is a campaign which uses sporting themes and key messages to direct people to help and support, when they need it.
Mental health issues can affect anyone and can be caused by a number of factors, including bereavement, unemployment, finance and debt issues, family and relationship problems, social isolation, low self-esteem, drug and alcohol issues and many other personal factors.
The campaign is being launched in time for Suicide Prevention Day on Saturday 10 September. Suicide continues to be three times more common in men than in women. It is also the single most common cause of death in men under 45.
Organisations are working together to get their message across to men in sporting venues and male dominated environments to share the message that it is okay to talk about how you feel.
We have developed the campaign, in partnership with Coventry and Warwickshire Mind, Unite the Union, Samaritans, Time to Change and sporting venues including Wasps Rugby Club, Blaze Ice Hockey Club and Coventry City Football Club’s charity, Sky Blues in the Community.
Campaign volunteers will be attending a number of sporting events during the campaign to share information with attendees leading up to World Mental Health Day around Monday 10 October 2016.
The campaign team plans to attend professional and amateur football, rugby and ice hockey and other sporting matches at venues including the Ricoh, Sky Dome and across Coventry and Warwickshire.
Alex Cotton, Mental Health Nurse and Campaign Coordinator at our Trust said: “It can be difficult to talk about mental health and we hope that the campaign will help men understand it is important not to keep their feelings to themselves.”
“It Takes Balls to Talk is about reaching out to men and the people who care about them, to promote positive mental health. We want people to have positive conversations about mental health, inspired by this campaign.”
Steven Hill, Director of Coventry and Warwickshire Mind said: “This is an exciting, innovative opportunity for us to use sporting venues, as a means to engaging people, particularly men, in conversations about their mental health and wellbeing.”
“We are hoping to reach tens of thousands of people around World Mental Health Day in October.”
If you are part of an amateur sports club and would like to find out more, please email communications@covwarkpt.nhs.uk