WORLD Mental Health Day takes place on Sunday 10 October and this year the message is to do one thing to fight for better mental health.

According to Bradford Council’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 2020, the Bradford district has lower levels of self-reported wellbeing, higher levels of anxiety, and more hospital admissions for self-harm than England as a whole.

Charities and organisations across Bradford have put together a range of sessions to help people across the district with their mental health.

Mind in Bradford are offering ‘Do One Thing fundraising challenge’, which anyone can get involved with.

The idea is you choose one activity to do - it can be anything - to fundraise for the charity.

Ideas include, going on a sponsored walk, giving up chocolate for a week, having a dress up or dress down day in the office or the answer to everything: a bake sale. 

The organisation has come up with a list to aid people in coping with their mental health such as, going for a walk, meeting up with friends, having a pamper evening or doing some arts and crafts.

Helen Davey, chief executive of Mind in Bradford, said: “We will also be supporting the World Federation for Mental Health’s (WFMH) theme of Mental Health in an Unequal World, a theme which is extremely pertinent to our local community. 

“Together we can fight for change, for fairness, for respect and for life-changing support for all.” 

This day is a time to raise awareness of the struggles of mental health, and to join the fight for positive mental health. 

WFMH do not just want it to be acknowledged that there is inequity across access to mental health services, it wants to change that.

The federation are looking to create change on a local, national and international level to help those who are suffering and losing out due to their lack of access to mental health services.