‘IT’S still time to have a talk’ was the message from project leaders after a successful mental health event in Chard last week.

The Time to Change event provided a platform for individuals to talk about mental illness and isolation – and the W.A.T.C.H Project, at the Youth Centre in Essex Close, would like people to visit on a more regular basis.

The Somerset-based 1 in 4 group, which attempts to tackle stigma and discrimination around mental health, held the county-wide event on Thursday, hosting five fiveminute conversations in five towns, including Chard.

Julie Matthews, of the W.A.T.C.H Project in Chard, was delighted with the number of people who turned out to discuss mental health.

She said: “It was a lot better than last year and hopefully year on year more people will come out as we break down the walls of stigma around this issue.

“More than 60 people attended and there were quite a few conversations going on throughout the event about mental health and how it affects different people.

“We had a wide variety of people, including those who had been affected themselves or people who find themselves isolated and wanted to reach out. There were even people there who had concerns over friends or neighbours and wanted to learn some more.

“It was helpful for those people to come into an environment where they can talk to anybody and where there is no stigma or judgement, and there was an atmosphere of positive discussion all day long.

“We like to do these events and we want to do more in the community but anyone is welcome t o come along to the project at any point.

“We would like to say enormous thanks to Chard carnival committee for the donation of a massive £300 to our project. Thanks to everyone that donated and we will use the funds to help our members put on workshops in creative activities to help boost confidence.

“Here at W.A.T.C.H we help the isolated people of Chard and surrounding areas form new peer relationships and discover their potential, with their own voice, in their own way.”

It was also announced on Time to Talk Day that the charities behind the event, Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, are to receive a combined £4.6 million from the Department of Health, Comic Relief and the Big Lottery Fund to continue their anti-discrimination programme in England until March 2016.

Sue Baker, director of Time to Change, said: “This funding will enable us to sustain the pace of change and further embed anti-discrimination work within organisations and communities.

“Despite the progress there has been, our vision is still a longterm one – we want to see a society in which no one faces stigma or discrimination on the grounds of their mental health.”

To go to a session at Chard Youth Club on Thursdays between 11am and 4pm, call Julie on 07506-238540.