700 miles to talk about mental health
Karen Lally and Suzanne Baines are building up the UK wide Time to Talk campaign by getting people talking across Scotland in an epic six day roadtrip
A pair of mental health campaigners are leaving Glasgow on Sunday 27th as part of a 700 mile trip around Scotland, to get people talking about mental health. Karen Lally and Suzanne Baines are building up the UK wide Time to Talk campaign by getting people talking across Scotland in an epic six day roadtrip, starting on January 27th.
On their way they will be speaking to skiers at the Nevis Mountain Range, taking a boat out of Oban with a local peer support group, visiting HMP Perth, catching up with Kilted Yogi Finlay Wilson at the Apex Hotel in Dundee, speaking to students in Aberdeen and visiting the Borders Recovery College.
They will also be setting up on streets around the country and are encouraging people to come and say hello, and tell them what they think makes a good conversation on mental health.
Karen and Suzanne, who volunteer for See Me, the programme to end mental health discrimination, are touring the country for the second time after starting conversations at some of Scotland’s major landmarks last year, including St Andrews Old Course and Stirling Castle.
After that success they have been supported this year by Apex Hotels, who are putting them up for legs of their tour, and People’s Ford, who have transformed one of their cars by decking it out in the See Me logo for Karen and Suzanne.
Suzanne, from Erskine, said: “The tour is to promote more caring conversations, more transparency around mental health and to hear the voices of the people in Scotland.”
Karen, from Milngavie, said: “When it comes to making a good conversation listening is really important, creating a safe space for people being able to open up and talk and sharing only what you feel comfortable with.”
Calum Irving, See Me director, said: “This year Time to Talk day is all about what makes a good conversation on mental health, because meaningful conversations have the power to change lives, where ever they take place.
“So it’s great to have Karen and Suzanne out on the road again, having conversations in as many places as possible.”
You can follow the tour and see when they are at different locations or following #TimeToTalkTour on social media..