High profile personalities join forces with Health Assured to challenge stigma and silence around mental health
Dame Kelly Holmes, Ruby Wax, Sally Gunnell OBE and Emmerdale’s Gemma Oaten are among the high profile faces joining forces with the UK and Ireland’s leading mental health and well-being provider, Health Assured in a new online TV campaign to challenge the stigma and silence around mental health.
The exclusive monthly series features a range of well-known personalities talking about their personal experiences with mental health. It breaks down some of the barriers around mental health issues, showing that however famous or successful you are, mental health can affect you at any time and at any stage.
This campaign is particularly important at the moment as people face the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Calls to Health Assured’s helpline from anxious and depressed employees have increased two fold since the first lockdown was announced in March. In addition, we have seen an increase in downloads by 158% not only from those finding it difficult to cope at the moment but also from people who feel currently well but are looking to support their mental wellbeing during these testing times.
The monthly videos are available on BrightTV with the first episode, featuring Dame Kelly Holmes, having a reach of thirteen million people across the UK and already having been viewed over times. Over the next few months, conversations with several high profile guests from the world of TV and sport including Ruby Wax, Andy Reid MBE, Sally Gunnell OBE, Gemma Oaten, Carrie and Clarke Carlisle will appear on the channel. The monthly series will be accessible exclusively to Health Assured clients via the My Healthy Advantage app and the Health & wellbeing website
Speaking about the new series, Dame Kelly Holmes said:
“I’m delighted to be working with Health Assured on this exciting new series. We must take the stigma out of mental illness. I’ve personally been to the lowest point and the highest point and everything in between, similar to a lot of the public figures featured in this campaign. It shows we can go through life and have struggles and still actually achieve. If that is empowering for other people that would be really nice.”
David Price, CEO, Health Assured commented:
“The pandemic has increased loneliness and some groups such as disabled people, older adults or those with pre-existing health conditions have been disproportionately affected. Many people will find their mental health challenged at some point in their lives, especially those currently vulnerable and prone to mental health issues and this weekly series shows they are not alone. Raising awareness is vital. One of the most significant issues is that people don’t get help early enough. We want to encourage people to take timely and appropriate action to get the support they need, whatever is on their mind.”
