MP ISSUES SUPPORT LIST
DERBY North MP Amanda Solloway has drawn up a list of organisations offering free or low-cost mental health support for residents in the city to mark World Mental Health Day.
Mrs Solloway has championed encouraging people to take the sometimes-difficult steps to improve and protect their mental health and is the founder of the not-for-profit organisation Head High, which works to prevent stigma around mental health and offers various support services.
The list, which has been published on her website, contains links to many local organisations offering support in the form of live chats, information, and resources, as well as helplines on which these organisations can be contacted.
The MP said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has had a major impact on almost everyone’s mental health, which means that it has never been more important to talk about it.
“Our mental health is our most precious resource, but during difficult periods in our life it can be really challenging to look after our minds, in the same way that we look after our bodies. Many people can feel very reluctant to discuss problems they are having with their mental health or may worry that they will not be taken seriously.
“The list is not exhaustive, but I hope it will be helpful for those people who don’t know where to turn to find support, either for themselves or for a loved one.”
Among the groups being signposted is Derbyshire Mind, on Ashbourne Road, which has been working in the city for more than 50 years, offering advocacy and support in the form of events.
While Derby Women’s Centre, in Leopold Street, has dedicated helplines and advice surgeries for women experiencing mental health issues.
Mrs Solloway, who has openly talked about her own family’s problems with mental health, said: “If just one person visits the website and is directed to find help then it will be a job well done. No one should feel as though they are alone.”
The list can be found at www.amandasolloway.org.uk/ world-mental-health-dayorganisations-offering-support