Will you 'Bee the Change' with Highland charity Mikeysline?
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What will you do to raise awareness and breakdown stigma around mental health this year? Will you Bee the Change with Mikeysline?
Mikeysline, a Highland based mental health and suicide prevention charity launched it’s Bee the Change campaign last month on World Suicide Prevention Day.
And as part of that campaign – and to coincide with World Mental Health Day, which took place earlier this week on October 10 – it is hoping to encourage as many people as possible to make a difference in their community, workplace or schools by raising awareness, driving change and challenging stigmas around mental health.
The campaign’s message is simple. We all have mental health, just like we all have physical health.
And we all have experiences of mental health challenges – either our own, or those of the people we are around and close to.
“However, even though mental health difficulties can affect everyone, we know that stigma and fear of judgement can still stop people reaching out for help when they need it,” said Mikeysline’s CEO Emily Stokes. “We want that to change. Whilst Mikeysline is always here to help support when needed or things are feeling difficult, there’s a part that each and every one of us can play in changing how we think and talk about mental health in our communities and in tackling stigma.
“And this is where we can all ‘Bee the Change’.
Related: Highlands suicide prevention charity Mikeysline nets windfall
“We want everyone across the north of Scotland to hear and understand the message that ‘it’s OK not to be OK’.
“So, if you too would like to see things change and feel you could help us get that message out there to as many people as possible, please do consider what you will be doing for mental health and make a pledge to ‘Bee the Change’.”
Leading up to World Mental Health day, Mikeysline featured some examples of local people who have taken a ‘Bee the Change’ pledge – all will be doing different things, but all will be making a difference in their local community to get those key messages out.
And we don’t need to take big actions to make a big difference if we do this all together.
The Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey MP Drew Hendry, for example, has pledged to have a supply of Mikeysline’s flyers in his office and be ready to signpost anyone to Mikeysline who he feels would benefit from their support.
“I am pledging to Bee The Change,” said Drew (pictured inset). “Mikeysline are trying to break down the stigma locally around mental health and educate our community that it’s absolutely OK not to be OK!
“I will have a supply of their flyers here in my office and be ready to signpost anyone to their services that’s struggling with their mental health.”
To find out more about how you can become a “Bee the Change” Champion with Mikeysline, www.mikeysline.co.uk/get-involved/bee-the-change/
– Young Highland martial arts star Niamh Ross is among those who have already signed up to ‘Bee the Change’. Niamh (12), who is already winning gold medals in international and world martial arts championships, hopes to use her place in the community to help spread Mikeysline’s message.
The North Kessock youngster has not only agreed to fly the flag for Mikeysline whilst travelling the world for her martial arts, but has also volunteered to take a lead with the cleaning of Mikeysline’s shelter too, with her parents also signed up.
Niamh is all set up with her knapsack and hi-vis vest, both donated by Macgregor Industrial Supplies. She is pictured next to a mural similar to one sprayed in the Victorian Market in Inverness for Mikeysline by Fresh Paint.
Mikeysline is eager to get nature-based murals across the Highlands and Moray in support of nurturing minds with nature. If your business, school or group wish to collaborate on a mural, email beethechange@mikeysline.co.uk
