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1st March 2019

We are delighted to announce that Solent University are the first university joining a Time to Change partnership which will tackle mental health stigma in Hampshire.

Portsmouth and Southampton has been selected as one of eight areas in England to tackle mental health locally after winning a bid to become one of 2019’s Time to Change Hubs. The University will now support local mental health charity Solent Mind, Southampton City Council, Portsmouth City Council and a range of other local partners in this new initiative.

Time to Change Southampton & Portsmouth will work to change the way we all think and act about mental health problems. The Hub will support communities, workplaces and schools to end negative attitudes and behaviours towards people experiencing mental health problems in their communities. 

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Graham Baldwin says: “Working closely with our neighbours and key partners in the City, we are proud to be the first University support on this worthwhile and much needed project.

“Last year on World Mental Health Day, Solent announced the launch of our new Mental Health and Wellbeing Vision for the University. The Time to Change project is yet another step in the right direction and highlights our commitment to help ensure everyone is supported to achieve their full potential.”

Anna Fiers, a local Time to Change Champion, says, “I am thrilled at the news. As a Time to Change Champion, having access to the Hub will make it easier for me to connect with other champions, organise events and work together on voicing our important message.”

Each funded Hub is provided with £15,000 start-up budget along with £10,000 for a Champions Fund where local champions can bid for funding to run stigma-busting events and activities within their area.

Kevin Gardner, Solent Mind CEO, says, “I am delighted that Solent Mind is working in partnership with Southampton and Portsmouth City Councils to bring a Time to Change Hub to our area. This is a wonderful opportunity to achieve genuine change around how we think and talk about mental health. We will be harnessing the power of people’s personal experiences to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination.”

Time to Change, the national campaign run by charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, launched its first regional Hubs in March 2017.  The announcement of eight further funded Hubs, including Portsmouth and Southampton, is part of the campaign’s three year plan to establish a network across England to provide a focus for local campaigning work.

The 2019 funded Hubs include: Kingston, Somerset, Southampton & Portsmouth, Durham, Halton, Leicester, Birmingham and East Essex. For more information about Time to Change Hubs visit https://bit.ly/2vRp7Li

Find out more about Solent’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Vision here.