A young Belfast woman is running her first ever Belfast City Marathon this year to help raise money for Action Mental Health while ticking off a bucket list goal.

Annie McKirgan, a medical student, who is currently studying in Liverpool, is limbering up for her challenge which this year has moved from its traditional May time slot to October 3 due to the continuing restrictions of the pandemic.

The 22-year-old said she had chosen Action Mental Health to benefit from her fundraising efforts since everyone knows someone who has experienced mental health issues.

Annie took up running in October of 2019 after entering a half marathon with her mother – the London Landmark Half Marathon. Always an active sports fan, she had never run prior to that, but once she enlisted for her inaugural 13-mile challenge, she quickly got the bug for it.

Like many events which fell victim to the pandemic, the London run was cancelled, however, Annie kept running and managed to run a number of other half marathon-length runs in Belfast with her mum, and in solo runs in Liverpool.

“Running has definitely become an outlet for me, and such an amazing way to clear my head – I’m so glad I have found a love for it,” she said.

She continued: “No matter who you, where you’re from, or how good your life may be perceived, we all know someone who’s struggled with their mental health. That may be you. It may be a friend or family member. It may be someone you’ve lost contact with, but have heard they’re struggling. We all know someone. We are all affected.

“All too often, we forget that we need to nurture our mental health; that we should just put on our ‘big girl’ pants and get on with in. But if it were that easy, we wouldn’t be in the midst of a mental health crisis,” she added.

Annie said the work of charities like Action Mental Health, which provides myriad services to help bolster the mental health landscape of Northern Ireland, was essential.

“We need charities like this,” she said. “It is working to mend the mental health crisis at present, and yet, is actively working to instil resilience in our population so that our future society will be well-equipped to foster happy and healthy minds.

“Mental health is a spectrum, upon which we all exist. Some people have more days at the bottom of the spectrum, while others are lucky to spend more time at the top. But it’s a spectrum that incorporates the whole of society. So it’s about time we help charities such as Action Mental Health, to get more people towards the happier end of the spectrum.”

Sign up today at www.belfastcitymarathon.com and then register with Action Mental Health at https://bcm2021.eventbrite.co.uk to receive your free fundraising pack and running vest/T shirt. The date of final entry is August 27, 2021

Popular local artist Terry Bradley is lending his trademark artistic style for a special collaboration to create a unique, artisan instrument for a draw in aid of Action Mental Health.

The renowned artist has teamed up with Chris Moffitt of Kithara Guitars to produce a beautifully-painted, hand-crafted six string in an initiative which aims to focus on men’s mental health.

Terry and Chris were first introduced by Simon Cordner, owner of Windmill Guitars and business neighbour of the Bradley Gallery on High Street in Bangor.

The pair soon found common ground, not only in their love for art and music, but also in similar experiences with poor mental health, inspiring them to collaborate in an effort to open up the often taboo conversation with other men.

Recognising that many men still find it very difficult to talk about their mental health, Terry and Chris set out to fundraise for Action Mental Health to help distigmatise the subject.

For their project, Terry applied his emotive artistic flair to hand paint an electric guitar, handcrafted by Chris. Members of the public are being invited to make a donation of £10 or more to be entered into a draw to win the bespoke guitar.

For more information and to donate visit Terry Bradley’s JUST GIVING page.

You can enter the competition by emailing: [email protected]. This prize draw is organised by Terry Bradley Art.

NB – Please ensure you share your details with Just Giving and Action Mental Health, when making your donation to ensure your entry to the draw.

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Action Mental Health’s Chief Executive David Babington has today welcomed the launch of the new 10 year Mental Health Strategy for Northern Ireland.

‘Action Mental Health has long campaigned for a mental health strategy for Northern Ireland and warmly welcome Minister Swann’s announcement this morning. We know the size of the challenge that we face and the publication of the strategy is only the first step on a long road to help build better mental health for all, across Northern Ireland.

We warmly welcome the recognition given to the community and voluntary sector within the document. The strategy has been published alongside a funding plan that highlights the significant investment that is required to deliver the actions outlined in the strategy. It is imperative that we now see urgent work across Government to secure this funding to make this strategy a reality. We urgently need to see parity for mental health, our clients and the people we support have waited too long already.’

You can download the strategy at:

http://www.health-ni.gov.uk/news/minister-health-publishes-new-10-year-mental-health-strategy

It’s World Well-Being Week – shining a light on the all aspects of well-being and recognising professionals working in the growing sector.

The annual event, now in its third year, also places a focus on charities, like Action Mental Health, which works to raise awareness, promote and support better mental health and well-being to people of all ages across Northern Ireland.

World Well-Being Week originated in Jersey, Channel Islands in 2019 and has now evolved into a worldwide event with online activity expected to generate much traffic over the weeklong calendar of events.

As an advocate for mental health Action Mental Health espouses the Five Ways to Well-Being which promotes Connecting, Learning, Keeping Active, Taking Notice and Giving, as means of achieving better well-being.

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For more info visit: http://www.wellbeingworld.je 

Action Mental Health client Mark Kincaid experienced many years of mental ill health before seeking help from the charity, but now he bravely shares his story.

Marking last week’s Men’s Mental Health focus, Mark Kincaid told The Irish News about the importance of the help and support he continues to receive from Action Mental Health

Mark, a father of two from Lisburn, has recently found work in a caring role after his condition caused considerable upheaval in his former career as a graphic designer.

Mark revealed how a lifelong fear of death affected his mental health. “As a kid I was always worried about death… it was quite an anxiety for me. But this was something major for me. This was going to happen, and I couldn’t control it. It became an obsession. I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t do anything because I thought what’s the point if I’m going to die soon? 

“It turns out I have an obsessional disorder. I went through a wedding like this with these feelings,” he said.

“I wouldn’t have known this until I got really unwell, but I have had mental health issues as long as I can remember… probably since I was three years old but being at home in a good family environment protected me because I may have had those things that were bothering me, but the home environment was safe and secure.”

He noticed his mental well-being declining when he became a graphic designer. 

“I think of that job in that way: I loved it, but it was detrimental to me. In 1997, I was 23 at the time, I started getting bad thoughts. Really anxious thoughts. I was petrified that I was going to die.” 

Anti-depressants helped for a time, however, his obsessional thoughts returned time and again before he had to seek help with Action Mental Health.

“AMH has been a constant for me for two years. I call it Good Ship AMH. When you think about it, you are lost at sea – that’s your mental health. And it’s dark and you don’t know what to do.  

“You’ve got this silly little life jacket on, and that’s the medication. So, the waves come, and you go under because the life jacket isn’t perfect but then you see this big light, and the light comes and it’s a ship. The ship comes and it’s called Good Ship AMH.”

Read the full story in The Irish News https://www.irishnews.com/news/healthcarenews/2021/06/20/news/mark-kincaid-shares-his-experiences-for-men-s-mental-health-week-2360366/

Mark’s takes part in Action Mental Health New Horizon’s Working It Out programme, which is funded through the Northern Ireland European Social Fund Programme 2014-2020 and the Department for the Economy.

When Mary Donaghue became ill, it was a frightening time for her, but with the care and consideration of staff at AMH Promote, she is now on her way to regaining her strength and independence.

Mary, 66 was unfortunate enough to endure two cancer scares and following a major operation she is now facing recovery with a wide variety of activities to keep her hands and mind occupied.

The Newtownards woman is among the group of adults living with a learning disability who attend AMH Promote, based in Conlig outside Bangor, which provides opportunities for social interaction, and to develop new skills in a supportive and engaging environment.

Mary spends her time at AMH Promote alongside other adults, enjoying arts and crafts, learning practical new skills like computing and life skills, including banking safely in an era of fraud and scammers.

Among her favourite pastimes is time spent in the kitchen with AMH Promote’s skills coaches, where she enjoys making scones and soup. She also enjoys tutoring in sewing seeds in the service’s garden and picking and eating its varied harvests. Without AMH Promote, Mary said life would be very dull, and she counts herself very fortunate to be surrounded by such caring and friendly staff and great company.

For more information about AMH Promote download their information leaflet and follow them on facebook or visit the AMH Promote Webpage.

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Communication is something most of us take for granted, but for many, being heard is a daily struggle.

Brian Denny, 56, is one of those who relies on others and on modern technology to voice his thoughts, wants and needs. But he is among the lucky ones who has been fortunate to be able to have his ‘voice’ provided by one of the caring staff at Action Mental Health Promote and with the help of a very special gadget.

The Bangor man attends AMH Promote, based in Conlig outside Bangor, which provides opportunities for adults with a learning disability to be socially active and develop new skills in a supportive and engaging environment.

Brian has experienced gradual speech loss in recent years and finds it difficult to articulate himself. But in response, Skills Coach Cahir McCann has stepped in to provide the voice Brian lacks.

Just as people living with motor neurone disease (MND) have found their ‘voices’ through people with similar regional accents, as featured in recent national news, Brian can convey his wishes via the advances in modern technology.

Brian has been gifted with an electronic pad – a communication device called ‘GoTalk’, which was provided by his Speech and Language Therapy Team.

So instead of issuing his thoughts and desires through a robotic or computer-generated voice, in the style of Professor Stephen Hawking, himself a victim of MND, Cahir, who has a familiar Northern Ireland accent, does the talking for him.

Cahir said he was delighted to be able to provide the voice for Brian, who presses particular buttons on the device to speak for him.

“Now Brian has a voice that he didn’t previously have, which caused frustration for him. Brian is able to use the device very effectively, due to the physical (rather than digital) nature of the device,” Cahir explains.

“It works by recording the audio orally/manually, then, when a specific image/button is pressed, the corresponding vocal recording will play. It is much simpler than a digital equivalency, however this has proved to be very effective in Brian’s case.”