Services across Coventry and Warwickshire remind residents they are not alone this Christmas
“You don’t have to have huge amounts of experience, you don’t have to have mental health qualifications…you just need to be there - that’s the best possible thing we can do this Christmas period.”
Jon Andrews, mental health lecturer at Coventry University
The festive period can be a time of celebration but for people struggling with life, feelings of loneliness can intensify. The Coventry and Warwickshire Health and Care Partnership are reminding residents to look out for themselves and each other this festive season.
Over the winter period It Takes Balls to Talk (ITBTT), a campaign which started in Coventry and Warwickshire, will be sharing videos of men from across the region giving their ‘Presents of Experience’.
The videos cover a range of messages including:
- Support from the Samaritans;
- Becoming a new dad; and
- Coping with bereavement after suicide.
They aim to encourage a conversation about mental health and remind people that they are not alone if they’re struggling during the winter months.
Alex Cotton, founder of It Takes Balls to Talk, said: “Christmas can be a time of hardship if you’re struggling with your mental health.
"The ‘Presents of Experience’ campaign is a reminder that you are not alone with your emotions and to encourage everyone to not hold back on having difficult conversations.
“We all have experiences that affect our mental health, so opening up and sharing these with the people around us will help create a culture of kindness throughout Coventry, Warwickshire, and beyond.”
The holidays can be a busy time, and our self-care sometimes takes a backseat.
In September, Coventry and Warwickshire Health and Care Partnership launched the Stay Alive app, a free, easily accessible mental health pocket resource designed to be a safety net and keep minds at ease for when life stressors feel too much.
With local mental health and suicide prevention information all in one place, the app is a prompt to us all to look after ourselves and each other during the winter season and beyond. The app also has features like the LifeBox, where you can add reminders of the things that matter to you,
Shade Agboola, Director of Public Health at Warwickshire County Council, said: “Christmas can be a wonderful time of year, but for some, the added pressures it can place on people mean it can be a challenging and lonely time.
"There is a wide range of support services available across Warwickshire to help people who are feeling low, stressed or struggling to cope. Go online, pick up the telephone or meet with support workers who are there to help those in need during the festive season.”
Liz Gaulton, Director of Public Health and Wellbeing at Coventry City Council said: “Loneliness can be difficult to cope with at any time but particularly during the festive season, if things are difficult there are services in the city that can help.
“We are continuing to work alongside our partners to help residents in our city to feel more socially connected by feeling confident that they have someone to talk to. This has been promoted in our Christmas bin calendar signage this year as part of wellbeing messaging, getting into every household in Coventry so that people who may be struggling know where to go for specific support.”
There are also lots of other resources that may be helpful, including the national Let’s Talk Loneliness campaign that recognises all of us can experience loneliness at some point in our lives and encourages people to talk about it. To connect with others, visit https://letstalkloneliness.co.uk/
To find out more about the mental health and wellbeing support services available within Warwickshire, visit https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/mentalhealth.
More information on support services available in Coventry, can be found at https://www.coventry.gov.uk/mentalhealth.
To find out about events and services in your local area, explore the Coventry Directory or the Warwickshire Directory.
Coventry and Warwickshire wellbeing hubs
Face-to-face support is available at the Coventry Wellbeing Hubs or Warwickshire Wellbeing Hubs – for more information on free one-to-one support, walk-in sessions and drop-in sessions visit:
- cwmind.org.uk/coventry-wellbeing-hub/ or call 024 7622 4417 in Coventry
- cwmind.org.uk/wbw or call 02477 712288 in Warwickshire.
You can see the opening times for services over the festive period / winter period here.
Mental Health Matters
Speak to a trained professional at Mental Health Matters, which operates a free 24-hour help line for Coventry and Warwickshire residents. It is open 365 days a year and provides an independent and confidential service to anyone who has a query about mental health related issues.
Visit: www.mhm.org.uk/coventry-warwickshire-helpline or call 0800 616171.
Coventry and Warwickshire Mind Safe Haven
There is also a walk-in service available - there's no need to be referred by your GP or Care Coordinator. The Safe Havens offer two welcoming, safe, comfortable, non-judgmental and non-clinical environments where they will be able to provide information and emotional support if you are in crisis or feel you are heading towards a crisis situation. You can come just for a cup of tea and a chat, or you can access one-to-one emotional support from trained mental health professionals.
Visit: https://cwmind.org.uk/warwickshire-safe-haven-nuneaton or call 07887 627524 (Nuneaton).
Nuneaton Safe Haven open 6pm-11pm, seven days a week
Every Mind Matters
Every Mind Matters is a free NHS-approved online resource which provides expert advice, practical tips, and experiences from real people to help manage mental health issues and those of others.
Visit www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/
Big White Wall
Big White Wall provide a completely anonymous online community, free to people living in Warwickshire and available 24/7.
Visit www.bigwhitewall.com
Books on Prescription
Visit Warwickshire Libraries to access the Reading Well Books on Prescription (BOP) which includes recommended self-help books, audio CDs and e-books.
Visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/booksonprescription
Samaritans
You can call Samaritans for free at any time, from any phone on 116 123 (UK and ROI) or visit the Samaritans website to find details of the nearest branch.
Visit https://www.samaritans.org/
It Takes Balls to Talk
It Takes Balls to Talk (ITBTT) is a campaign that launched in Coventry and Warwickshire, aimed at encouraging men to start a conversation about their mental health and wellbeing.