09/10/2020
World Mental Health Day is coming and in our Media Focussing department, we are delighted to note that the podcasting, television and radio industries have come together, putting aside differences of formats, or commercial competitiveness, to champion the mental health of the country. Magic Radio, a national easy listening station here in the UK, has been running promotions advocating better mental health and encouraging people to take time to look after their emotional wellbeing. Over on BBC Radio 1 and its sister station 1-Xtra, DJ Target told listeners “the radio is like a friend who you can't see, but we are in the room with you. Anything you got on your mind, your radio will entertain you and you can get in touch with us”. This was an important message from two of the country's most youth orientated stations, with a large teenage audience. Meanwhile, the UK's largest single LGBTQ network, Gaydio in Manchester, London and Brighton, is advertising discounted therapy and personal training sessions at its “Gaydio Wellbeing” Portal. All its therapists are professionally accredited and naturally, are LGBTQ or LGBTQ friendly. You can hear Gaydio on FM 88.4 in Manchester and 97.8 in Brighton and across London, Birmingham and some other cities on digital DAB radio. We would add to this too, that ShoutOut, and all the stations it broadcasts on, are firm advocates for mental health. Our community knows what it is to suffer and struggle at times and this means we need to take care of each other and ourselves. Be kind to yourself, especially as we move into Autumn and the colder part of the year. And if you have anything on your mind – anything at all – remember that there are a plethora of LGBTQ and general organisations that can help you. For information and signposting, you can call the London LGBTQ Switchboard on 0300 330 6630 and twenty four hours a day there are the Samaritans on 116 123.
