Bristol Time to Change Champions Fund re-opened for Time to Talk Day 2020!
February 6, 2020 at 9:00 am
To celebrate Time to Talk Day 2020, the Bristol Time to Change Hub has re-opened the Time to Change Champions Fund for a final round of funding. The Fund is available to Time to Change Champions to support them in delivering an event or project that challenges mental health stigma where they live.
The Fund has already completed numerous successful funding rounds, and supported activities such as drop-ins, awareness events, discussion workshops exploring the myths surrounding Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, health festivals, and more.
The Bristol Time to Change Hub is excited to support further applications to the Champions Fund. There is a limited amount of funding available, and applications will be considered on an as-received basis. For more information about the Champions Fund, frequently asked questions, and an application form, click here.
The Champions Fund supported ‘Lifting the Myth of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder,’ an open discussion workshop that explored the harmful myths and stereotypes surrounding OCD.
February 6, 2020 at 9:00 am | News, Time to Change | No comment
BIMHN Member Attends Shared Learning Day on Suicide Prevention
October 18, 2019 at 12:22 pm
The Bristol Independent Mental Health Network (BIMHN) is actively involved with suicide prevention work taking place locally. Two of our members sit on the local Suicide Prevention Transformation Fund Working Group, which oversees the use of a portion of money given by NHS England to address the relatively high suicide rate in the local area. This group oversees initiatives such as the Hope Project, which aims to help men at risk of self-harm or suicide.
Additionally, BIMHN is supporting a wide-ranging campaign taking place later this year that will raise awareness and educate on suicide and self-harm. Watch this space for more details, to be announced soon!
Recently, Francesco, one of our members, attended the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH)’s recent learning day in London. These learning days are known as ‘Learning Sets’.
These sessions are an opportunity for healthcare organisations to provide updates on various suicide prevention initiatives taking place up and down the country, with an emphasis on shared learning, with the ultimate goal of reducing the number of lives lost to suicide nationally.
You can read Francesco’s report of the session here.
October 18, 2019 at 12:22 pm | News | No comment
Bank of Ireland Signs Time to Change Employer Pledge
October 10, 2019 at 1:13 pm
Today, on World Mental Health Day 2019, Bank of Ireland signed up to the Time to Change Employer Pledge at its offices at Temple Quay, Bristol. In attendance were employees of the Bank, members of the Bank’s leadership team, representatives from the Time to Change Bristol hub, and Bristol City Council.
Furthering the reach of the Time to Change Employer Pledge is one of the aims of the Time to Change Bristol hub. The hub is a group of organisations who have come together to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination within the city of Bristol.
Over 1,200 organisations, collectively employing over 2 million people, have now signed the Time to Change Employer Pledge nationally. Bank of Ireland have signed the pledge today to show their commitment to the launch of their company-wide wellbeing offer, at all of their offices across the England, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland.
This picture shows David Carrie (Director of Operations, Bank of Ireland – centre) holding the newly signed Employer Pledge, with others including Tom (far left) and Lynn (far right) from the Time to Change Bristol Hub.
The Time to Change Bristol hub is lead by the Bristol Independent Mental Health Network (BIMHN); the Bristol branch of the Independent Mental Health Network.
Independent Mental Health Network CEO, Tom Renhard, said:
We are really pleased to have joined the Bank of Ireland on World Mental Health Day for the signing of the Time to Change Employer Pledge. It signals their commitment to this agenda and it is great to hear of the important work that has already started within the organisation to challenge mental health stigma and encourage people to open up about their mental health in a supportive environment.
The Time to Change Bristol hub look forward to working with the Bank of Ireland in the coming months and years to support them on their journey. If you work for an organisation that hasn’t yet signed the Employer Pledge, please do get in touch with the hub by emailing us at ttcbristol[@]gmail.com.
Notes to editors:
What is the Time to Change Bristol Hub?
The Hub are a group of organisations who have come together to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination in the city of Bristol.
The lead partner of the Hub is the Bristol Independent Mental Health Network, a branch of the Independent Mental Health Network, which is a membership-lead organisation for those with lived experience of mental health. The Hub is supported by Rethink (Bristol), Wellbeans Initiative, Community Access Support Service (CASS) Bristol, and Bristol City Council.
Find out more about the Hub here.
What is the Time to Change Employer Pledge?
The Time to Change Employer Pledge is a commitment to changing the way we all think and act about mental health in the workplace. The Pledge is organised by Time to Change, a national campaign committed to campaigning against mental health stigma.
Over 1,200 organisations, employing over 2 million people, have now signed the Time to Change Employer Pledge. The Employer Pledge is free of charge and available to organisations based in England.
October 10, 2019 at 1:13 pm | News, Time to Change | No comment
Focus Group Opportunity with Time to Change!
March 27, 2019 at 8:15 pm
Time to Change are a national campaign that tackles mental health stigma by working to change the way we think and act about mental health problems. They run a number of ongoing initiatives, including Ask Twice, the annual Time to Talk Day, and more. Their work also includes support local hubs, which are centres of focus around anti-stigma work and activities. BIMHN is a partner of Bristol’s Time to Change Hub.
Time to Change runs in ‘phases’, responding to changing and prevailing concerns in the mental health landscape. The main campaign has, is, and always will be about ending negative attitudes towards mental health. However, Time to Change are looking to hear from people about their experiences, so that the priorities and focuses for phase four (which commences in 2021) are effective in ending all mental health stigma and discrimination.
The Focus Group
Time to Change are running a focus group to discuss and gather day-to-day experiences of those with lived experience of mental health problems, to assist them in their future planning.
The session takes place on Monday 29th April, between 13:30 – 15:30 at The Station, Silver Street, Bristol (BS1 2AG).
To recognise your contributions to the session, you will receive £25, plus travel expenses up to a maximum of £15.
It is recommended that you have some knowledge of Time to Change if you wish to attend. You may also find it useful to have a read about our Bristol Time to Change hub, including the work of the Champions Fund. Additionally, you can read more about Time to Change Champions, and how to become one, here.
March 27, 2019 at 8:15 pm | News, Opportunities | No comment
Bristol City Council Signs Time to Change Employer Pledge
February 7, 2019 at 1:37 pm
BIMHN is a partner of the Bristol Time to Change hub, a group of organisations who have come together to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination in the city of Bristol.
One of the initiatives that the Hub works on is furthering the reach of the Time to Change Employer Pledge. This is a scheme where employers and businesses sign up and demonstrate their commitment to change how we think and act about mental health in the workplace, and make sure that employees who are facing these problems feel supported by those around them.
The pledge has already been signed by more than 900 employers in England, including those from the FTSE 100, leading retailers, and Government departments.
Yesterday, the day before Time to Talk Day 2019, we are delighted to announce that Bristol City Council has signed the pledge.
This picture shows Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees holding the newly signed Employer Pledge, along with Tom and Liz from the Time to Change Bristol hub, and others (including Keith and Aden from Time to Change UK).
February 7, 2019 at 1:37 pm | News | No comment
Time to Talk Day 2019!
February 1, 2019 at 1:13 pm
About Time to Talk Day
Time To Talk Day is an annual national event, that aims to promote talking about mental health. Mental health problems affect one in four of us, yet people are still afraid to talk about it. Time to Talk Day encourages everyone to talk about mental health; talking about mental health problems and sharing real life stories helps to change the way we all think and act about mental health problems.
This year, it takes place on Thursday 7th February, and the theme is bringing together the right ingredients to have that important conversation about mental health. Whether that’s tea, biscuits and close friends; or a room full of people challenging mental health stigma; we want people to get talking.
If you’re posting to social media, we’ll be using two hashtags; #TimeToTalk and #TTCBristol.
In Bristol, there are lots of events going on both before and on the day itself – take a look below!
North Bristol
- Community Access Support Service (CASS) Bristol / Tea and Talk with tea, cake, activities and space to talk / 09:30 – 12:00 Thursday 7th February / The Greenway Cafe, Doncaster Road, Bristol, BS10 5PY
- Community Access Support Service (CASS) Bristol / Gentle Walking Group / Starting at 10:00, Wednesday 6th February / The Greenway Centre, Doncaster Road, Bristol / CASS’ new ‘Talk and Walk’ app (see below) will be used on a route walking through Badock’s Wood with quiz questions on the topic of mental health.
Central Bristol
- Time to Talk Stall at Bristol City Council’s ‘Cash Hall’ / 11:00 – 14:30 Thursday 7th February / City Hall, College Green, Bristol, BS1 5TR
- Introduction to Challenging Stigma and Discrimination training session / 09:30 – 12:45 Tuesday 5th February / The Station (First Floor Classroom), Silver Street, Bristol, BS1 2AG
- Time to Change Champion’s Fund Information Session / 13:30 – 14:45 Tuesday 5th February / The Station (First Floor Classroom), Silver Street, Bristol, BS1 2AG
- Integrated Community Localities Transformation Event: as part of the event, attendees such as GPs, health commissioners, people from local authorities and other partners will be encouraged to share what they will be doing to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination.
- St. Mungo’s are running a drop-in on Time to Talk Day between 10:00 – 12:00 with an open invitation to anyone to come in and talk about mental health / Location: 1 New Street, Bristol, BS2 9DX
East Bristol
- Time to Talk Day at Changes Bristol / 15:00 – 17:00 Thursday 7th February / Terrace Room, Barton Hill Settlement, Lawrence Hill, BS5 0AX
- Time to Talk to CASS / 10:30 – 12:30 Thursday 7th February / Wellspring Health Living Centre, Beam Street, Bristol, BS5 9QY
UWE Bristol
Every February, UWE runs a Feel Good February initiative focusing on health and wellbeing. This year, there are two events taking place on Thursday 7th February;
- The Bristol Time to Change hub will have a stall at UWE’s Frenchay Campus, as part of Frenchay’s mental health and wellbeing fair.
- The Children and Young People’s team from Time to Change will be at UWE’s Glenside Campus for Glenside’s mental health and wellbeing fair.
Talk and Walk
Finally, CASS will be launching a ‘Talk and Walk’ app in time for Time to Talk Day, promoting gentle exercise with some fun and exciting challenges included. You can download the app from Monday 4th February, and challenges run until Sunday 17th February. For more information, take a look at the flyer.
Wellbeans Initiative
Wellbeans Initiative CIC are a social peer network. To mark Time to Talk Day this year, they will be visiting retailers. Through social contact, they will look at ways of opening the conversation, and how we respond to challenging attitudes and behaviour towards mental health in the workplace. Wellbeans’ aim is to really try and open up conversation between staff, how they may respond to challenges, and also safeguard themselves.
Getting more involved with Time to Change
Would you like to get more involved with anti-stigma mental health work, or start your own event? Find out about how to support the Time to Change social movement and sign up to become a Time to Change Champion.
The Time to Change Bristol hub, is a partnership of local organisations, who collectively work together to further the mental health conversation. To sign up to the Hub’s mailing list, to hear about new opportunities and events, click here.
The Champions Fund is available to any Time to Change Champion to use to run an event in line with Time to Talk’s aims; you can apply for up to £500 to run a social contact event. Take a look at the linked pages for more information, and for help applying.
February 1, 2019 at 1:13 pm | News | No comment
Funding to help challenge mental health stigma in Bristol
July 2, 2018 at 9:21 am
Today (2 July 2018) Time to Change Bristol is launching its Champions Fund – a £10,000 pot of money to help residents with personal experience challenge mental health stigma where they live.
Each applicant must be a registered Time to Change Champion and can apply for up to £500. The funding will be used to spark conversations between people who have experienced mental health problems and those who have not. Talking about mental health problems and sharing real life stories helps to change the way we all think and act about mental health problems.
Activities can range from stalls in shopping centres or festivals to free haircuts by bantering barbers and even ‘walk and talk’ dog walks.
A spokesperson for the Time to Change Bristol Hub said: “This is a great opportunity for residents who have experienced mental health problems to share their story and encourage people to talk more openly about mental health.
“When we talk to each other and establish common ground, prejudices and assumptions are often challenged and replaced with mutual understanding and respect. This can lead to changes in attitudes and behaviours and our campaign is proving that it is an incredibly effective way to reduce stigma and discrimination.”
Cllr Asher Craig, Cabinet Member for Communities, Equality and Public Health said: “I’m looking forward to seeing how our local champions would like to spend this money and their ideas to get more people opening up about their mental health. Since becoming a Time to Change hub we’ve offered training for people to become champions and this new funding pot will help to really bring the campaign alive. Only by working together will we bring about change that lasts, break down stigma and put our mental health at the top of the priority list.”
The funding is made available through Time to Change, a social movement run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness to change the way we all think and act about mental health problems. Time to Change Bristol was successful in its bid to become a Time to Change hub in March 2018. Time to Change Bristol is made up of the city council, Bristol Independent Mental Health Network (BIMHN), Rethink Bristol and Wellbeans Initiative CIC and with support from partners across the city – including employers, unions, universities, police and the NHS.
Time to Change hubs are local partnerships which demonstrate their commitment to:
- Putting people with personal experience of mental health problems at the heart of their work
- Embedding anti-stigma and discrimination work locally, whether that be local schools, workplaces or other community settings
- Proactively campaigning to improve people’s attitudes and behaviours towards mental health.
To apply for funding applicants need to be registered Time to Change champions, be at least 18 years old, have lived experience of a mental health problem and live in Bristol.
The deadline to apply for the first round of funding is 24th August. Applications will be assessed by 7th September and successful applicants will be notified by 14th September.
To register as a Time to Change champion visit www.time-to-change.org.uk/get-involved
To apply for the Champions Fund visit www.bimhn.org.uk/ttcbristol/
July 2, 2018 at 9:21 am | News | No comment