A very high-profile boost for mental health awareness in Britain and beyond: on May 16, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (William and Kate) and Prince Harry are launching Heads Together, a campaign to “end the stigma and change the conversation on mental health once and for all.” Says Kate: “Mental health is just as important as physical health.”
The Heads Together website explains the royals’ motivation:
Through our work with young people, emergency response, homeless charities, and with veterans, we have seen time and time again that unresolved mental health problems lie at the heart of some of our greatest social challenges.
Too often, people feel afraid to admit that they are struggling with their mental health. This fear of prejudice and judgement stops people from getting help and can destroy families and end lives. Heads Together wants to help people feel much more comfortable with their everyday mental wellbeing and have the practical tools to support their friends and family.
Being the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon Charity of the Year is the perfect springboard for the Heads Together campaign. We cannot wait to see hundreds of runners hitting the streets of London next April to end the stigma and change the conversation on mental health once and for all.
Heads Together aims to raise more than a million pounds along with its eight charity partners. Its website will host The Conversation, a platform to “bring the conversation to life” through a mix of informative and inspirational stories, messages, discussions and pictures.