Dr John Connolly, secretary of the Irish Association of Suicidiology, officially launched a countywide wellbeing campaign on Monday. The campaign is being led by the Mayo Suicide Prevention Alliance, a group which first formed in Mayo in 2009. It is made up of a wide range of organisations and groups working in the area of mental health and suicide prevention in the county.
The Mayo Suicide Prevention Alliance recognised the importance of drawing together groups and services that support mental health, to share ideas and to work in partnership. The group wants to make sure that the resources that are available are used in the best way possible, and that all the work is being done in a co-ordinated way. A key aim is to highlight and promote the good work that continues across the county.
Speaking on behalf of the Mayo Suicide Prevention Alliance, Mary O’Sullivan, HSE West, said: “This project would not have been possible without the very generous funding received from Mayo County Council. We are also very grateful for a further donation from the Living Links Mayo Tri Fundraising Group. It shows the huge good will, community spirit, and value placed on promoting positive mental health and wellbeing within the county. By us all working together we can make a difference.”
Delivered with the Mayo Advertiser this week was a colourful flyer called “Tips for keeping positive – Mayo Be Well” which lists some useful, practical, tips for keeping well in these challenging times. Some are to do with looking after our physical health such as eating well, getting a good night’s sleep and getting some fresh air every day. Others suggest ways in which to deal with challenges in our lives such as worries. It encourages us to listen to others and talk about our problems. Included are some useful telephone numbers for some of the services that you can contact for support.
The group is aiming to have this flyer in every home in Mayo and asks householders to keep the sheet safe, so that you can use it if you need to, from time to time.
As part of the project an advertising campaign will run on local radio in the coming weeks encouraging everyone to look after their mental health. It will highlight the importance of listening to others and also talking to others who can support us in the community.
