Bodies and minds

WELL-WISHERS have united in support of a campaign which aims to tackle discrimination against mental health sufferers.

The Time to Change Roadshow visited Oldham’s Market Place to encourage the public to back the move by adding their face to a huge “visual pledge”.

An interactive stand allowed visitors to have their photograph taken and used in a mosaic that will feature on the website www.time-to-change.org.uk/visual  pledge.

Oldham is one of 12 venues the roadshow will have visited by the end of the month.

The programme has teamed up with Tameside, Oldham and Glossop Mind, as well as NHS Oldham, Oldham Council and Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust to help the one in four affected to overcome the stigma and misunderstanding of the issue.

To tie in with the event, local organisations are staging physical activities as part of Get Moving Week.

Activities organised this week include health walks across Oldham, freestyle football skills with Latics and rugby sessions with Oldham Roughyeds.

NHS Oldham chief executive Gail Richards said: “Promoting positive mental health and well-being is a key priority for NHS Oldham.

“We are absolutely delighted that the Time to Change Roadshow is creating the opportunity to highlight and underpin the breadth of work that is being undertaken in Oldham to ensure mental health services meet local needs.”

Councillor Brian Lord, Cabinet member for adult services and health at Oldham Council, said: “Enabling all citizens in Oldham to feel inclusive and take advantage of all services available to them is very important.

“I readily endorse this campaign and hope that it will help people to appreciate the issues around mental health.”