Category: Blog

Conversations have the power to change lives. Today, on Time to Talk Day, we look at the importance of opening up about our mental health.

Time to Talk Day is the UK’s biggest mental health conversation – encouraging communities to come together to talk and listen. And it does so for good reason.

Why it is so important we open up

Mental health affects everyone – no one is immune from experiencing a personal crisis. Talking about how we feel can not only help ourselves but can also help others.

It may not be easy to say, at times it may feel awkward, for some it may be hard to find the words. But being there for someone can make a big difference.

There is no right or wrong way to talk about your health and wellbeing, and this reflected in this years’ Time to Talk Day theme, “However you do it” encouraging everyone to open the dialogue.

How you can do it

The most important thing we can do for one another is to listen. If we ask questions about how someone feels or what they may be going through, it can help to understand their experience better.

Talking is a powerful tool, but it is worth remembering to not always offer your own solutions to someone else’s problems. There are many tools and strategies to be considered on someone’s recovery journey – those decisions should be made by the individual.

It is also vital to be patient. Sometimes, someone just might not want to talk about their experiences – and that is fine. Opening the door to help in future is still a positive step.

Finally, it is important to remember to treat people the same. Experiencing a mental health problem is a difficult thing for anyone to go through; but it doesn’t mean they want to be treated any differently.

How you can get involved

First started in 2014 by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, Time to Talk Day helps to generate more than two million mental health conversations every year.

You can begin conversations with loved ones, organise events in your community, or share on social media using #TimeToTalk.

More information on Time to Talk Day and resource packs can be downloaded here.

At the Charlie Watkins Foundation we are committed to helping young people who face mental health and wellbeing challenges.

We fund vital initiatives which support young people with their mental health. We would be so grateful if you could please consider making a donation to support our projects via our JustGiving page.

While Christmas can be a very happy and enjoyable time of year, for some it can be a difficult period; mental health doesn’t get easier just because it’s the festive season.

Here we have put together a list of five ways that you can make the festive season less difficult for yourself and others facing mental health challenges.

1. You don’t have to say yes to every Christmas gathering

Lots of social events are organised over the festive period with colleagues, family and friends. It can feel quite overwhelming to be invited to so many events. Instead of feeling like you have to go to every single one of these social gatherings, consider which events you would most like to go to and choose the ones you really feel able to attend. If you don’t feel up to attending any, then that’s okay too. You can always organise for yourself and a close one to socialise alone another time.

Equally, if you are organising a festive gathering, don’t be upset if someone cannot make it or only comes for a short time. They might be struggling. Check in with them and ensure they know it is okay to not attend or leave early.

2. Take some time out for yourself

Lots of people have one or two weeks off from work or school over Christmas so your home can feel busier than usual. If you find yourself surrounded by family all of the time or you are continually busy, be sure to take some time to yourself when you need to. Go and take a bath, read a book or go for a walk. It is okay to need some time alone to unwind and take a break.

3. Stay in touch with nature

While there may be grey skies and a cold breeze outside, it is important to stay in touch with nature and not shut yourself indoors for the entire festive period. It can be easy to find yourself slumped in front of a screen and stuffed with food; but this can make you feel lethargic and low in mood. So take yourself and your family out for a walk to find the best Christmas lights in your area and improve your mood.

4. Reach out to your loved ones

After the year we have all had, it is more important than ever to reach out to your loved ones this Christmas. Make sure they know you are there for support should they need it, even if you are not spending time with them over the festive season.

You don’t have to spend lots of money to let someone know you are there for them. You can send a card or letter in the post, give them a call or arrange a video chat over a cuppa. They will appreciate you taking the time to think about them!

5. Carry out a random act of kindness

Carrying out random acts of kindness is a win-win for all parties involved. Completing an act of kindness gives you a sense of meaning and purpose and lifts your mood. The person or people on the receiving end of your kindness will also appreciate that someone is thinking of them and it will lift their mood too.

If you would like to carry out a random act of kindness this Christmas, please consider making a donation to the Charlie Watkins Foundation so we can continue our vital work and give support to young people who need our help the most.

National Grief Awareness Week aims to make grief an easier topic to discuss and to ensure those who have lost loved ones feel they don’t have to suppress their emotions. Here we discuss why we need to normalise grief and start talking about it more.

Grief is something most people encounter at some point throughout their lives, yet the emotional experience of grief still has a stigma attached to it. Although it is a topic of conversation often avoided, we need to normalise grief and get talking to allow ourselves and each other to process these emotions.

It is important to be aware that grief affects everyone in various ways – people can react very differently to loss compared with others. Some may choose to be very expressive with their grief while others may withdraw into themselves.

There’s no right or wrong way to grieve, but it is important to check in with loved ones if they are going through a loss. They may look fine, but on the inside they could be struggling and in need of support and empathy.

Remembering your loved one

Discussing grief can be a helpful way to work through your own emotions, whether this is done in a professional setting, such as with a counsellor, or in a casual setting like talking with a friend.

If you have the courage to speak up, you could share your story of losing a loved one, like Harry and Tim have. Your story could resonate with someone who has been through something similar and give them hope.

If you would like to cherish memories with your loved one in a different way, you could come up with a new personal tradition or alternative ways to remember them – such as putting together special memorabilia, looking back on photos, or meeting up with mutual friends and family. This can help you establish connections and prevent fear and illness caused by suppressed emotions.

Keep in mind that anyone you come across could be experiencing grief, so it is valuable to always be kind. Here are some ideas of how to look out for each other and to start a conversation about grief:

• Check on your neighbours
• Stop for a chat
• Put the kettle on
• Go for a walk and talk

If you are looking for support for yourself or someone you know, please go to The Good Grief Trust for advice and guidance. Or if you would like to support the Charlie Watkins Foundation, please visit our ways to donate page.

If you are a business, you might want to consider becoming a mutual benefit corporate partnership.

We would be so grateful to any support are able to give, thank you.

On Saturday 20^th November, International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day takes place. It is a day of healing where all those who have been impacted by suicide in any shape or form can connect and share their experiences. Harry Watkins, who lost his twin brother Charlie to suicide in 2017, reflects on the day and the impact on those who are left behind.

In 1999 Senator Harry Reid, who lost his own father to suicide, introduced a resolution to the United States Senate which led to the creation of International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day. The Day is also known as Survivor Day and is intended to bring together those who are affected by suicide.

The Day always falls on the Saturday before American Thanksgiving because holidays are often a hugely challenging time for suicide loss survivors. This is certainly something my father and I resonate with, having lost my twin brother Charlie four years ago.

With the festive season fast approaching, I am reminded once again of the impact of Charlie’s leaving; and it makes me more determined than ever for Charlie’s name to live on.

Losing a brother is hard enough, but losing a twin is immeasurable. As twins, you enter the world together and you expect to go through life by each other’s side. Through every milestone, through every life event; even through the small things, like going for a pint down at the pub. I expected to do that with Charlie for the rest of our lives. We’ll never grow old together and even though I will learn to cope with living without him, I will never forget the bond we shared as twins.

This is why the Charlie Watkins Foundation is a hugely important symbol for all those who continue to struggle the same fight that Charlie had.

We have some incredible projects that have been funded thanks to the generosity of our supporters. All these projects are actively helping young people who are struggling with mental health challenges across the UK.

This includes a hugely important school navigator role in Essex in conjunction with the Youth Enquiry Service (YES); an assessment tool with Student Minds which will give university students the opportunity to offer honest feedback on where there is room for improvement in mental health and wellbeing at their universities; and a set of crucial transition guides written by the Charlie Waller Trust which aim to help vulnerable students leaving home for the first time navigate support networks.

The support we’ve had as a foundation has been phenomenal and none of these projects would have been possible without our corporate partnerships or Charlie’s Champions.

Please remember that any donation, no matter how small, will go towards actively helping young people who are struggling with mental health challenges.

I often think about what Charlie might be doing now if he was still with us. But I know in my heart that he would be proud of the work we have done; and the work we will continue to do for young people’s mental health.

Thank you so much to everyone that is helping us to achieve our ambition.

The Charlie Watkins Foundation (CWF) has several charity partners which provide crucial support for young people who may be struggling with their mental health and wellbeing. Student Minds, the UK’s student mental health charity, has been working with CWF to further its shared objective of making a difference in the way universities approach mental health.

Read more on Charity Today

If you’d like to donate to CWF, visit our Ways to Donate page.

The importance of early intervention in mental health is something we focus on in our brand-new podcast with Dr Zoe Burgess. Around one in eight young people aged five to 19 experience a mental health challenge so it is crucial that early intervention is prioritised in young people.

Mental health, much like physical health, will affect nearly everyone at some point in their lives. However, the stigma surrounding mental health means that it is sometimes not spoken about as openly as it should be.

This is especially true in children and young people. As children are growing up there are so many  stress factors  and changes that happen  which can be extremely daunting. This is why it is so important to intervene early to try and manage a healthy approach to promote good mental health before they reach adulthood.

According to the Mental Health Foundation, early interventions and home treatment for mental health challenges can reduce hospital admissions and shorten hospital stays.

What can I do?

Establishing an open line of communication is really important.

If you’re a parent who’s worried about their child, being open and honest yourself (while of course being sensitive to how much information you share), can show your child that it’s ok to talk about emotions and feelings.

This doesn’t have to be a sit-down conversation. You could do this through play or ask them to draw a picture about how they’re feeling.

If you remain concerned there is always the option to take your child to a GP; who will be able to help point you in the right direction for local support.

What we’re doing

The Charlie Watkins Foundation supports vital projects which give support to young people to help them to have good mental health. In particular, to those who are experiencing change and stressful events in their lives which, if not helped earlier, can result in a number of serious issues that can lead to having poor mental health in the future.

One example is our work with the Youth Enquiry Service (YES) to  fund a school navigator/counsellor role (Keran), who is currently working in ten schools across Essex. Keran has helped more than 104 students in the last four months by being there to provide face-to-face support and a listening ear.

If you’d like to help support projects like these, please consider becoming one of our Champions and raising money for CWF.

If you’re a business, you might want to consider becoming a mutual benefit corporate partnership.

Or if you’d simply like to kindly leave a donation, you can do so via our JustGiving page.

We would be so grateful to any support are able to give, thank you.

The Charlie Watkins Foundation is extremely fortunate to have many Champions who give up their free time to raise funds for our cause. One group of selfless supporters took part in the Charlie Watkins Foundation Cricket Day in August and have to date, raised £1,200.

Read more on Charity Today

If you’d like to donate to CWF, visit our Ways to Donate page.

Did you know that mental health challenges are the number one cause of sickness absences in the workplace? And that’s not all. Statistically, those suffering with these challenges are more likely to hide the real reason why they’re absent.

It’s no secret that there’s a real taboo when it comes to talking about mental health in the workplace. There’s a genuine fear that being honest about how you are feeling; and any mental health challenge you are experiencing could suggest that you are no longer capable of doing your job.

This is why it is so important that employers are actively promoting good mental health in the workplace; and taking steps to ensure that there is an open conversation around mental wellbeing and recognising when their colleagues need support.

Your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

The term Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to actions taken by a business; which are intended to have a positive influence on the world.

There are all sorts of examples of CSR including reducing your carbon footprint, volunteering within your local community, and donating to charity.

CSR has many benefits such as building public trust and a better business reputation. This is why here at the Charlie Watkins Foundation; we talk to businesses and encourage them to consider supporting our work as part of their CSR.

Young people are our future

Young people are the future.  Some are already in employment and others are future employees.  They are future employers and our future leaders. According to a paper in the British Journal of Psychiatry in February 2021, around 7% of children have attempted suicide by the age of 17 and almost one in four say they have self-harmed in the past year. Sadly, the numbers continue to grow at an alarming rate. Suicide in young people is a very real problem; and we all have a responsibility to help and support those who are struggling.

The Charlie Watkins Foundation supports a variety of charities who are actively trying to help young people who are  struggling with their mental health by providing funding and help.

From the beginning of 2022, we have been funding a second school navigator role with the Youth Enquiry Service (YES), which will help a huge number of students. We have also funded a set of transition guides for vulnerable young people making the move to university with the Charlie Waller Trust; and funded an assessment tool with Student Minds to recognise and reward universities seeking to gain the Charter Award Scheme accreditation as defined by Student Minds’ University Mental Health Charter.

How we can work together

By choosing to support the Charlie Watkins Foundation, we can offer you a corporate partnership profile on our website which links back to your own website, showing all our visitors that you are supporting our vital work.

We will also work with your PR team to provide tailored communications to demonstrate your commitment to your CSR; and provide you with website and social media graphics that show your support to us.  We can also help with fundraising events and support the objectives of your mental health committee. If you’d like to find out more about how you can support us as a corporate partnership, get in contact with us. We’d love to hear from you.