Last updated October 7, 2024 – 11:52 AM
To mark World Mental Health Day, Birmingham Mind will feature on a special podcast and radio show highlighting the help and support we offer.
The program will include conversations with volunteers and service users about their own recovery from poor mental health conditions.
The podcast 'A Space to Speak Your Mind', produced by former Galaxy Birmingham presenter and BRMB/Free Radio producer Richard Parkes, will also be broadcast on BRMB in Birmingham.
Richard has his own lived experience with mental health and as a passionate Brummie, he wants to let people know there are services available in the city for people going through difficult times.
He has now spoken openly about the anxiety and depression he has suffered throughout his working life before contacting his local Mind Services.
Richard also talks about how his recent recognition as being neurodivergent has contributed to the deterioration of his mental health and many of the difficulties he has experienced. He believes radio is a great way to have open conversations and break down the stigma around mental health.
The show celebrated its fifth anniversary on World Mental Health Day, during which time it won Gold in the Specialist Content category at the 2023 Community Radio Awards. The program is produced as part of the Recovery Wellbeing Group run by Cornwall Mind and is broadcast monthly on several community radio stations across the region.
Rachel McNair of Birmingham Mind said: We support people through housing support, residential care, wellbeing hubs, crisis intervention services and a dedicated mental health helpline.
“Our helpline volunteers provide valuable operational support to our service, which operates from 9am to 11pm every day and receives around 450 calls a week.
“Hearing our service users speak passionately about the support they have received not only vindicates the services we provide, but also builds support for mental health services and community wellbeing support. It also helps remove the stigma still associated with access.”
“A Space to Speak Your Mind” is available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts, and will be broadcast on BRMB this Thursday, October 10th, World Mental Health Day at 6pm.
