Time to Talk day

Cheshire East will be holding a series of Time to Talk sessions for staff as part of a nationwide push to get people talking more openly about mental health for one day.

Time to Talk Day is organised by Time to Change, the campaign to change how we all think and act around mental health problems, led by charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness.

Time to Talk Day aims to get as many people as possible talking about mental health. People can struggle to talk about mental health, so this year Time to Change is highlighting that there are lots of different ways to have a conversation about the subject. And you don’t have to be an expert to talk.

Since its launch in 2014, Time to Talk Day has sparked millions of conversations in schools, homes, workplaces, in the media and online, and attracted support from celebrities such as Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff, Stephen Fry and Frankie Bridge.

The council’s staff will join thousands of other groups, schools and members of the public, who will all be having conversations about mental health on Time to Talk Day. Activities planned for 7 February will include recruiting more Time to Change ambassadors and holding staff sessions across Cheshire East in Sandbach, Crewe and Macclesfield.

One in four of us will experience a mental health problem in any given year but many of us are too afraid to talk about it. Starting a conversation about mental health might seem daunting but simply sending a text, checking in on a friend or sharing something on social media can break the ice. 

Councillor Liz Wardlaw, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for health, said: “The council signed the Time to Change pledge back in October last year, to signal its commitment to change perceptions of mental health, as well as providing reassurance to staff facing difficulties about how they will be supported. 

“We are pleased to be taking part in and supporting Time to Talk Day because mental health is a topic we should all feel able to talk about. Having these all important conversations can make a big difference to many people. The more we talk, the more lives we can affect with positive change.”