Events are being held across the borough tomorrow as part of a day to raise awareness of mental health issues and encourage people to talk about them.

Brentwood Borough Council is backing Time to Talk day, a national campaign that aims to break the silence and end the stigma surrounding mental health.

Since signing up to the national Mental Health Challenge in 2014, the Council has been committed to promoting and supporting local mental health services, while taking residents' views into account when designing services and working with our mental health community. As well as hosting its own internal events, Brentwood Council is encouraging residents to take five minutes to talk about mental health.  Taking time to ask friends, family and colleagues, ‘How are you?’ will encourage people to open up about their thoughts and feelings and share a problem or two.

There are many events by supporting groups, taking place throughout Brentwood tomorrow. These include:

  • Hosts at Phoenix FM will have a full day of guests visiting to talk about mental health.
  • Brentwood Community Print is offering a Tea, Cake and Chatter afternoon from 2pm-3.30pm at the Eagle Cafe, Warley
  • Fitness in Mind is offering a free tea and biscuit at the Brentwood Centre café and a chat to the Fitness in Mind team from 12pm-4pm. A representative from the Samaritans will also be at the Centre from 11am.

Brentwood Borough Council's Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board and Lead Member Champion for the Mental Health Challenge, Councillor Olivia Sanders, said: "We are supporting this campaign because the more people talk about mental health, the more stigma and discrimination will be reduced in our community.

"Conversations about mental health can help change lives and the aim through this campaign is to ensure that no one feels isolated. I hope the steps the Council are taking show our commitment to improving the lives of those affected by mental health."

More information is available at http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/timetotalkday