Every year the Time To Talk (TTT) Day campaign takes place on the first Thursday of February. This year, Time To Talk Day took place on Thursday 1st February and the theme for the campaign was based on the idea that we often say we are fine, even when we aren't, to avoid talking about our mental wellbeing.
From the grant we received from Mind and their partners, the Durham Stamp It Out Partnership Hub, encouraged conversations on #TimeToTalk Day, via a range of activities and resources.
Working with public health, we prioritised providing resources to those areas of County Durham with high numbers of poverty, and those areas with higher rates of suicide. Stamp It Out mugs, with Time To Talk Day messaging on them, were given to community venues within these areas, to promote conversations around mental health.
To begin, the Durham Mental Wellbeing Alliance, in conjunction with the Credit Union at the Safe Harbour Hub in Seaham, received Stamp It Out branded mugs and takeaway cups, with Time To Talk Day messaging on them, to support in their encouragement of conversations around mental health.
Horden Together hosted a 'Walk n Talk' event, in which attendees went for a communal walk, then came together for a 'cuppa' and a chat with their Stamp It Out mugs!
Over at the Waddington Street Centre, on January 31st, the centre hosted a film viewing of ‘The Directors’ by Marcus Coates. The film explores what it is like to live with psychosis, and stars the centre’s very own Stephen Groves. Stephen is one of our Anti-Stigma Ambassadors, and he attended the film viewing session to talk about his experiences with psychosis, and encourage conversations around mental health. On Time to Talk Day itself, the Waddington Street Centre hosted a ‘mental health quiz, tea & chat session’, with the help of another two of our Anti-Stigma Ambassadors, to further encourage conversations.
Karen Ray, Partnership Manager at Stamp It Out, visited the Kindness Café at a Newton Aycliffe primary school, to provide them with our Time to Talk Day mugs & posters.
Karen also visited the Pioneering Care Centre in Newton Aycliffe to attend their coffee morning, providing TTTD mugs and materials to those who attended.
Chris Affleck, Stamp It Out Partnership Hub Coordinator, visited King James I Academy in Bishop Auckland to review the work they have been doing within their mental health focus group, and encourage conversations around mental wellbeing. Chris also delivered training with Durham County Council the day prior.
We would like to say a huge thank you to all of our partners for getting involved with Time To Talk Day, and helping us break down the stigma around talking about our feelings, emotions and mental health.