Northern Ireland will be ablaze in purple on World Mental Health Day as Action Mental Health leads the way in shining a light on mental health.

Iconic buildings, schools and leading businesses across Northern Ireland will be bathed in Action Mental Health’s branded colour on Wednesday, October 10 as the global celebration of good mental health marks this year’s special theme – young people and mental health in a changing world.

Action Mental Health officially kick-started the annual celebration of mental health with the annual Granite Challenge cycle, which saw hundreds of cyclists from all over the province, follow a picturesque 55 – mile path through the Mourne Mountains, raising money for AMH’s Men’s Shed in Downpatrick.

Businesses, schools and civic buildings across Northern Ireland will be marking the global awareness day by acting as ‘shining’ examples of efforts to break the enduring stigmas attached to mental ill-health, by illuminating their facades in purple.

In County Down, Bangor’s historic McKee clock, will cast a purple glow over the town’s seafront, as a similar light will shine over Newtownards when the Town Hall follows suit. Newtownards’ YMCA will be hosting ‘Creativity Explored’ art exhibition featuring the amazing artistry of AMH clients at New Horizons North Down and Ards

In Downpatrick, the world-renowned St. Patrick’s centre will join the purple effort. While in Newry the City Hall will be lit in purple along with several local businesses. The city will also play host to the annual Big Breakfast event at the Canal Court Hotel, when local HR expert Emma Marmion, from Prestige HR will share great advice and guidance on how to look after mental health in the workplace.

In Antrim, the town’s Civic Centre will go purple, at the same time as Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council offices at Mossley Mill and Ballyclare’s clock tower face. The ‘Art of Recovery’ exhibition will also showcase the talents of the AMH clients at the town’s New Horizons. Lisburn’s Island Arts Centre will also join the purple example for the day.

Armagh Banbridge and Craigavon Council will also be on board with the Craigavon Civic Centre, Palace Stables, Armagh and Banbridge Civic Building all going purple. In the north west, Derry City Council offices will also shine in the AMH branded colour.

A number of businesses around Northern Ireland will be hosting Go Purple fundraising events including Danske Bank, Caffe Nero, HMC Global, Prestige HR, Murdock Building Supplies and Pia Rossini.

Schools too, will be hosting events including Glengormley High School, Ballymoney High School, St. Mary’s High School, Brollagh, Belleek, Ballysillan Primary School, Belfast Girls Model High School and New-Bridge Integrated College.

David Babington, chief executive of Action Mental Health said: “This year’s theme of World Mental Health Day is focused on the mental health of our young people.

“We are delighted that so many councils are joining in the celebrations of World Mental Health Day by turning some of Northern Ireland’s most iconic buildings purple to show support for local people experiencing mental ill-health and also raising a positive message encouraging people to look after their mental health.

“It is very apt that we focus on the mental health of our young people. According to recent figures, some 10% of 5-16 year olds have a clinically diagnosable mental health problem, but only 70% of them receive adequate intervention, early enough. This must be seen against a backdrop in which only 7.8% of Northern Ireland’s mental health budget is allocated to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), leaving a large gap in funding to cope with rising need.

“This shortfall exists in a climate in which the actual need of children and young people in NI is likely to be much higher, considering estimates which put mental health need in Northern Ireland as 25% greater than England.”

To find out more information on Action Mental Health and the services it offers, please visit www.amh.org.uk.

Action Mental Health is part-funded through the Northern Ireland European Social Fund Programme 2014 – 2020 and the Department for the Economy.

Schools, individuals and groups who go that extra mile to support the mental health and well-being of young people across Northern Ireland are to be rewarded for their efforts by Action Mental Health.

To mark 2018’s World Mental Health Day on Wednesday, October 10, Action Mental Health is unveiling the inaugural Head First Awards which recognise organisations and people within education and the community who avail of the pioneering mental health promotion work carried out by the charity’s MensSana team.

The awards’ ceremony will be led by Cool FM radio presenter Paulo Ross, who has spoken publicly about his mother’s mental health struggles in the past. He has said Action Mental Health’s New Horizons recovery service had been life-changing.

Belfast Giants’ chief coach Adam Keefe Belfast will be in attendance to hand out the specially-commissioned awards, hewn in Action Mental Health’s trademark head shape.

The awards will be conferred at W5 at the SSE Arena, on World Mental Health Day which this year focuses on ‘Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World’ – a theme very close to the heart of AMH’s MensSana service.

MensSana provides tailored activities to support positive mental health and emotional well-being, directly in schools and across a variety of community-based organisations.

Encompassing age ranges from 8 to 25-year-olds and their key contacts, a variety of programmes are delivered in schools, youth clubs and community groups. The workshops are young people-friendly, positive, interactive and informative, exploring issues and facilitating discussion around issues of mental and emotional well-being.

The Head First awards celebrate exceptional commitment to mental and emotional well-being within the various education and community sectors. Nominees were selected based on their success in raising awareness of issues of mental health and well-being, tackling stigma, fundraising and championing young people’s mental health during the academic year 2017 – 2018.

There is also a special award which recognises the outstanding efforts of one inspirational young person.

Winners were first shortlisted from a panel of MensSana project workers following assessment against agreed award criteria. A wide range of nominations were made by a panel of MensSana project workers, and winners were selected against agreed award criteria by a panel of judges.

The winner of each award will receive a framed certificate and personally inscribed Head First award.

We were delighted to host representatives – Annie McGowan and Sarah Sheppard – from the ESF Managing Authority (Department for the Economy) who were on a familiarisation visit at our Regional Office in Antrim. The Managing Authority oversees the running of all ESF funded projects such as AMH’s Working it Out project which is delivered in our New Horizons services throughout NI.

Our visitors commented,

‘We appreciate the amount of work and effort that you all do to make Action Mental Health such a fantastic organisation. AMH is very lucky to have such dedicated and caring staff.’

Action Mental Health’s eating disorder service within the Southern Health and Social Care Trust (SHSCT) area has been relaunched, introducing a vital and effective new model of support for people experiencing eating disorders and their families/ carers in partnership with the SHSCT.

The launch event of ‘AMH everyBODY’, formerly known as Adapt, gave a gathered audience of local politicians, health service personnel and local school children, an overview of a service which has proven a lifeline for many users and their families.

One service user spoke poignantly of the support she gained through everyBODY when her binge eating disorder and extreme exercise regime began to take over her daily life. She said everBODY helped take back control and taught her mechanisms to cope with her illness.

The mother of a young woman with bulimia spoke very movingly about her feelings of helplessness while witnessing her child endure her illness.  She said she learned valuable lessons in dealing supporting and communicating appropriately with her daughter, which was vital for her and her younger son, also affected by the repercussions of his sister’s illness. She also spoke of coming to realise the importance of her own self-care and that by ensuring she was supported, she could in turn better support her daughter.

Statistics show that eating disorders claim more lives than any other mental illness, with one in five of the most seriously affected dying prematurely from the physical consequences or by suicide.

AMH everyBODY will promote a greater understanding and awareness of eating disorders,  promote positive lifestyle choices in people about eating to develop preventative, self-supporting skills and break the associated stigma including unhelpful assumptions that it is attention-seeking behaviour or fad dieting that stops people seeking the support they need,– having an eating disorder is a serious mental health condition.

The focus of AMH everyBODY’s approach is recovery through partnership; a partnership between the person, their family and the SHSCT, who in working collectively will provide comprehensive support towards recovery.  AMH everyBODY provides much needed support not only to the person affected but also to their families and friends at the Carers’ Group monthly meeting.

Eating disorders affect over 700,000 women and men in the UK at any one time, with research suggesting that this figure is vastly underestimated. It is thought some 80% of individuals who screen positively for having an eating disorder have never accessed help or support.  One of the most harmful symptoms of an eating disorder is silence – AMH everyBODY encourages people affected to speak out for support and know that a listening, understanding and confidential ear will be there to provide support towards recovery.

One user of the service said: “To be honest, I have really questioned the possibility of my recovery, but thanks to this service, for the first time in a long time, it made me feel like there was some hope. The support and space to talk as given by AMH everyBODY has really made a very difficult journey a lot easier for my Mum and we are both SO grateful. As someone who is very passionate about mental health and does feel that eating disorder services can be lacking in Northern Ireland, I really take heart knowing that AMH everyBODY is out there and I know will make a BIG difference when it comes to improved understanding, positive recovery outcomes and overall quality of life of those who come into contact with them. The biggest thank you doesn’t even begin to cut it.”

Action Mental Health’s Deborah McCready, everyBODY Project Worker said: “AMH everyBODY exists to bridge the gap on the clients’ journey from the moment they seek help until they eventually get to speak to a medical expert, as with existing waiting lists this can be a long time.

“When people have taken that important step and are willing to engage and seek help AMH everyBODY offers a recovery approach in sessions when people will receive information and support to develop skills, stay focused and healthy until they see a therapist.”  Prior to appointments people can feel unsupported and alone, contact with AMH everyBODY at this time will help people support themselves and get the best from their therapist when they meet.

Another service user said: “Speaking out is hard and you get scared that people will judge you, but for the first time I felt like somebody was listening to me and just got it. I was able to get support for other underlying issues as well as my eating disorder and it helped having someone to explain how to access different types of support. I learnt how to be more aware of my emotions and learnt new strategies to help me cope in a more positive way. Working with Deborah I started to focus and learn about my own strengths that I hadn’t really ever paid attention to before and it helped build up my confidence. I know I still have a long way to go but now I have a bit of hope for the future.”

AMH everyBODY Manager, Colin Loughran: “This is a very practical model and one that could be used as a model of best practice throughout Northern Ireland.

“There is a significant shortfall in support services for people experiencing eating disorder and their families, prior to patients being seen by clinicians,” he said.

“This new service will fill that gap; giving people access to specially trained staff who will provide the vital support to help people in their recovery.”

There are just 4 days to go until Action Mental Health’s annual Granite Challenge, the 55-mile sportive throughout the picturesque Mourne Mountains.

Many will be returning for a repeat performance, having participated in the County Down route once, twice or many times – others will be total novices, taking on the mighty challenge for the very first time.

But whether you’re one of the seasoned Granite gang or a total newbie, you’ll need to get your final fitness arrangements into gear and your nutrition on top form to tackle the hills and valleys of the route.

Lynne Troughton, a personal trainer who works at Dromore Community Centre and who studied at the University of Ulster and the Southern Regional College, has provided a comprehensive list of tips and tidbits on what to eat and how to prepare physically.

This week she outlines the best food to pack in just the right calories to prepare us for this weekend’s big cycling challenge…

Lynne’s nutrition plan

10th October is World Mental Health Day.  This year the theme is “Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World” and we want you to GO PURPLE and take action on Mental Health.

Your support helps Action Mental Health improve the lives of people with mental ill-health and allows us to promote the importance of mental resilience and well-being across Northern Ireland.

How to get involved ……..

It’s simple and there are so many things you can do to help raise vital funds for AMH and play a part in breaking the stigma of mental ill-health.

Hold a Purple Party

Get together with friends, classmates, sports team, colleagues or neighbours and organise a purple themed fundraising day – it could be a coffee morning, movie night, a table quiz or even an football match. Participants could dress in purple, drink purple drinks and eat purple buns – it’s totally up to you!

Wear Purple

Mental health is important for everyone so why not show your support by wearing something purple to work or to school or college. It could be as simple as a pair of socks or perhaps you want to be really daring and wear a purple wig and matching tutu. Whatever you choose, simply ask your workmates, classmates, friends and family to add a dash of purple to their wardrobes and donate on the day or even combine it with a coffee morning, cake sale or raffle.

Rack Up the Purple Miles

Lace up your running shoes, get on your bike, jump in the swimming pool or just take a nice leisurely stroll with your friends and family, get some sponsorship and really make those miles matter. Getting active is great for your mental health after all and you’ll be helping AMH support those living with mental ill-health – we’ll even supply the running vests or T-shirts.

Get Creative

Make World Mental Health Day memorable by making it your own!  Whether it’s a talent show, a school dance or a fun day, spending time with friends, family or colleagues or just enjoying some all-important ‘me time’it’s all about raising awareness and funds.  These are just some ideas but the world is your oyster.   Whether  it’s all about raising awareness and funds.

For further inspiration for fundraising ideas visit our  A-Z.

Our fundraising team is here to help so get in touch and let us know what you’re planning and we’ll provide all the help and advice you need to make your event a great success.

Your support will really make a difference.

AMH GO Purple Posters for the Workplace

AMH GO Purple Posters for schools

There are just 14 days to go until Action Mental Health’s annual Granite Challenge, the 55-mile sportive throughout the picturesque Mourne Mountains.

Many will be returning for a repeat performance, having participated in the County Down route once, twice or many times – others will be total novices, taking on the mighty challenge for the very first time.

But whether you’re one of the seasoned Granite gang or a total newbie, you’ll need to get your final fitness arrangements into gear and your nutrition on top form to tackle the hills and valleys of the route.

Lynne Troughton, a personal trainer who works at Dromore Community Centre and who studied at the University of Ulster and the Southern Regional College, has provided a comprehensive list of tips and tidbits on what to eat and how to prepare physically.

This week she outlines the best moves to get us in tip top shape for Granite Challenge 2018!

Cycle AMH Fitness Programme – Lynne Troughton

#FundraisingFriday

Titanic Hotel Belfast’s trio of petrolheads, Team Titanic, have completed their grand European road tour as part of the Fireball Rally Challenge. Team members Rory Doyle, Chris Flanagan and Declan Doyle went on a manic 2325-mile trip for charity, including PIPS and us here at Action Mental Health.

They grabbed an old banger from KD Kars for their four-day race round eight countries – France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy, Austria, Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium – tackling many famous alpine passes and iconic sites along the way.

The journey raised £2000 for Action Mental Health, which is a grateful charity partner of Titantic Hotel Belfast – and we are so grateful, not to mention green with envy, with the way they achieved it. Team Titanic was able to pursue this amazing trip with the assistance of local sponsors, including Noel Eakins & Sons Ltd, Used Cars NI, KD Kars, Northern Pest Control, Assure Services Ltd, Wilson Auctions, Kennedy & Co Chartered Accountants, GMW Electrical Distributors, Carpet World, Stephen’s Catering and Abercorn Construction.