Isle Listen and REACH IOM come together to continue removing the stigma surrounding mental health
May 9, 2022 | by Isle Listen
Isle Listen and REACH IOM, local mental health charitable organisations, announce they have come together to create a ‘louder voice’ around removing the stigma that surrounds mental health. The joining of the two organisations will enable an even greater spotlight to be shone on the importance of mental health within our Island community.
Both organisations have the shared aim of wanting everyone on the Isle of Man to feel emotionally empowered and effectively supported with their mental health, and the announcement coincides with the start of Mental Health Awareness Week on Monday 9th May. The annual awareness week includes the return of the symbolic building light-up on the Monday evening, which this year will be even bigger. Many businesses and notable buildings around the Island will be illuminated green, sending out a strong visual message to the local community and internationally, of the importance of mental health to ensure it receives the attention it deserves.
Adam Hudgeon of REACH IOM said: “I was amazed at the response I received from the local community in 2019 around my personal mental health struggles which led to the creation of REACH IOM. It has always been hugely important to me to raise awareness of the importance of mental health, and I wanted to approach the team at Isle Listen about our organisations joining forces as I feel that together, we can achieve even more and are ‘louder’ as a single voice championing positive mental health.
Andrea Chambers, Isle Listen Chief Executive added: “This is a great opportunity for us to continue raising awareness of mental health on our Island and we are looking forward to welcoming Adam to our team to continue building further important relationships within our Island community. Mental Health Awareness Week highlights to all those in our community who might be struggling with their mental health, that they are not alone, that support is available, and they will be understood if they reach out. However, to make a real and lasting difference, we need to ensure these principles are embedded within society all year round and that occasions such as Mental Health Awareness Week are used to help remove the stigma. With Adam joining our team, we can continue to make even more strides towards this goal.”