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Make Time for Mental Health

The WI is calling on members to take action to make it as acceptable to talk about mental health as it is about physical health. Find out more below.

The Make Time for Mental Health logo - a purple background with two cogs - one is yellow with a clock face on the inside; the other is light pink with a blond woman's profile in the middle, there is a purple heart on her hair - underneath are the words 'MAKE TIME for Mental Health' written in white.

Mental health matters as much as physical health. The NFWI urges all WI members to recognise the importance of parity between mental health and physical health, and take action to make it as acceptable to talk about mental health issues as much as physical health issues, and to lobby government for better support for mental illness.

Proposed by Callow End WI, Worcestershire Federation

At the NFWI Annual Meeting in June 2018, delegates were clear that action must be taken to improve the way we view mental health. The WI’s Make Time for Mental Health campaign aims to tackle the stigma associated with mental health problems and asks for better support for those who need it. It calls on WI members to recognise the importance of parity between mental and physical health and take action to make it is as acceptable to talk about mental health as it is about physical health.

World Mental Health Day 2018 postcard action

On World Mental Health Day (10 October) we launched a postcard action to encourage healthcare professionals to ask people about their mental and physical health.

This is based on research that suggests people with mental health needs often feel a lack of attention has been paid to their physical health, while others with physical health needs report the opposite effect.

We know this won’t be possible in all instances as healthcare professionals work in pressured time slots. However, where feasible, simply asking someone "How is life?" can encourage them to start talking about their mental health. Our postcard is designed as a reminder of this.

To find out how to take part, please visit My WI.

Campaign resources

Download the Make Time for Mental Health action pack.

Or to request a hard copy, contact the NFWI Public Affairs department: publicaffairs@nfwi.org.uk

How common are mental health problems in the UK?

According to the Mental Health Foundation:

An infographic with three boxes of information: 65% of people say they have experienced a mental health problem (next to an outline of a person's head with a cog in where the brain sits); women (70%) are more likely than men (60%) to report having experienced a mental health problem (next to an outline of a woman's head covering a smaller outline of a man's head with a cog where they overlap); people aged 18-34 (70%) are more likely to report experiencing a mental health problem in their lifetime than people aged 55 and over (58%) (next to a dark green outline of a person overlapped by a smaller light green outline of another person)