Health
William and Kate visit to shine a light on World Mental Health Day
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will mark World Mental Health Day by meeting young people who have battled the issue and are now helping others. They will visit Harrow College in north-west London and chat to young people who volunteer with the charity Mind, or the anti-stigma campaign Time to Change, after having dealt with their own mental health problems. Their visit coincides with World Mental Health Day - a day when awareness is raised around the world about the issue. Paul Farmer, the charity’s chief executive officer, said about the Duke and Duchess: “Their support will shine a spotlight on mental health and we hope it will spark conversations in households across the country, amplifying the vital message that it’s time to talk about mental health.”
We hope it will encourage people to think about the little things we can all do to make a difference to anyone experiencing a mental health problem.
Paul Farmer, chief executive Mind
William and Kate have carried out engagements in recent weeks which have shone a light on the causes and consequences of mental health problems. Research by Time for Change found that nearly a third of people in England would not feel uncomfortable even asking someone close to them about their mental health. But the young royals were quickly becoming global ambassadors for mental health issues the charity said. Director Sue Baker said: “It’s not just people in our country will see them openly supporting mental health and having conversations, it’s got the potential to have global influence as well.”
There is a stigma to mental health problems in almost every culture in every society globally, so having two high profile royal visitors will allow that message to get out globally
Sue Baker, Time for Change
