A local Merseyside community group is taking action in the run-up to World Mental Health Day, which takes place on Thursday 10 October 2024. The campaign aims to reduce the incidence of poor mental health and its debilitating effects.
St Helens has one of the highest rates of mental ill health, self-harm, and suicide in the country. Rotary St Helens, which has supported the community for over 100 years, has decided that urgent action is needed to help reduce these numbers.
Paul Winstanley, Youth Lead at Rotary St Helens and Community Lead for Rotary Northwest England and the Isle of Man, said: “Through conversations with local people and given the scale of the issue in 2024, it became clear that there’s confusion about where to seek help quickly. When someone’s in a bad place, searching for the right information online can be overwhelming, so people often suffer in silence.”
Paul and fellow members of Rotary St Helens believe the solution is ‘UnZip the Silence’ – a new creative campaign for the Borough that includes posters with a designated QR code.
He continued: “Once scanned, the QR code takes the user directly to the help they need, removing the hassle of searching online and navigating multiple support options.”
Rotary St Helens members, with experience in mental health and welfare, presented the idea to Ruth Du Plessis, Director of Public Health, Integrated Health and Social Care, and Mental Health Practitioner Matthew Thompson.
“Both Ruth and Matt felt the concept was a strong addition to the support already offered by the NHS, St Helens Council, and other agencies,” Paul added.
When asked why Rotary is so passionate about the cause, Joel Wood, President of Rotary St Helens, said: “Rotary’s motto is ‘Service Above Self,’ and all our members are deeply committed to supporting the community we serve.”
“The launch of ‘UnZip the Silence’ will take place on October 10th at St Helen’s Parish Church. Posters promoting the campaign will be displayed across licensed premises, churches, libraries, local charities, bus stations, railway stations, and retailers,” Joel concluded.