– Family fun day was of one of 1,000 Green Ribbon events held in September

A mental health campaign running every September for the past 13 years saw over a thousand events held nationwide again this year in partnership with local community organisations.

One of the standout events was held in Glenveagh National Park, Co Donegal, where hundreds of people walked up a ‘trail of thought’ to a hill summit where volunteers were doling out hot soup and good advice.

Known by its ribbons, Shine’s annual See Change Green Ribbon campaign raises awareness about mental health difficulties, services available and how to counter stigma and discrimination. This year, over half a million ribbons were distributed.

See Change

Shine, funded by the HSE, based out of Maynooth, Co Kildare, and involving over 60 partner organisations, has a national vision for a more compassionate Ireland where people affected by mental illness and stigma are supported and included in all aspects of society. It has a staff of 40 who work to help families of people with mental illness and to promote the message “There is no shame in having a mental health difficulty.”

See Change is one of its key programmes. During September around a thousand organisations, employers and community groups ran See Change events with the aim being to share information and end mental health stigma.

In Donegal, for instance, the public came out “in droves” in bright and blustery weather for a family fun day held in Glenveagh National Park on September 8.

– Representatives from some of the services at the Green Ribbon Family Fun Day. (North West Newspix)

Food For 200 Was Not Enough

Breege Ward, co-ordinator of Dunfanaghy Community and Family Resource Centre, said it was hard to judge how many came, because many people completed the walk – meeting volunteers along the way – without calling into the visitor centre where agencies had their stands. But numbers were higher than they had anticipated. “We had food for 200 people at the castle and we were eaten out of it,” she said.

Donegal’s network of 10 Family Resource Centres led in planning the event and it was timed to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10. The event was different, fascinating even, compared to a traditional community fun day.

The programme included talks on reconnecting with nature, a Green Ribbon Mindful Walk to Glenveagh Castle, Web of Life activities, a children’s scavenger hunt (where the focus was on listening out for sounds), Music at the Castle in the Orangery and The Tree of Intention in memory of lost loved ones. Without planning to they met people over two days.

“Putting up the ribbons on Saturday, we had so many people asking what they were for. We told them it means you’re open to conversations about mental health and suicide. So even setting up the trail led to many conversations.

People Sought Help On The Day

“We weren’t expecting people to come looking specifically for help on the day, but they did. And people brought other people to see us. We were able to help them on the day and because the service providers were there (with stands) we were able to link people straight into the supports.

“Also, a lot of smaller community groups saw the event organised and came to pick up to pick up information leaflets to bring back to their centres. We didn’t expect that either. The day was fun too,” she said.

– See the strings_ Joanne Lindsey Butler demonstrating The Power of Connection using the Web of Biodiversity. (North West Newspix)

Connecting For Life

Joanne Butler, climate justice officer with Donegal Local Development Company, brought along a 3D spiderweb (made from string) representing the web of life and biodiversity. After ten minutes in a game where people played being birds, branches, nest, eggs, etc, they emerged with a strong sense of how we are all connected, how we are all part of nature.

“She showed that everyone is linked, that we all have a web of connection. But if the tree goes, the links between us go,” said Breege.

Scavenging for sounds

“We had a children’s scavenger hunt where they had to listen for sounds. We’re part of nature, it’s important to get out there and engage with nature,” continued Breege. “A lot of people who came on the day went straight onto the walk without coming into the visitor centre.” However, the organisers had planned to meet them on the trail too.

– Una Collier, Mevagh FRC family support worker; and Caitriona Boyle, Foroige at the Green Ribbon Family Fun Day. (North West Newspix)

4KM Trail Of Thought

“Mental Health Ireland had given us printed statements and questions – we put them on slates with green ribbons along the walk, so we had a trail of thought. Some of them were in different languages, to connect with people from different countries as well. It gave people ideas to mull over and talk about as they walked,” she explained.

Hilltop Cooking Tips

“Then when they got to the top of the hill they were met by Donna from Healthy Communities and a staff member from one of our FRCs who were dishing out bowls of lentil soup and a nice dessert. Lentils are high on protein and protein is really good for your mental health.

“They had the recipes too –taken from the MABS cookbook ‘101 Square Meals’ – to show people how healthy eating can be easy and how good it is for your mental health, she said.

Where Did The Ideas Come From?

The brainstorming that went into planning the day involved a committee of three making recommendations to a bigger umbrella group and going from there.

See Change’s Key Messages (edited for brevity) are:

  • Mental health problems can affect anyone at any time.
  • People with mental health problems can and do recover.
  • People affected by mental health problems are entitled to the same human rights as everybody else.
  • Every person has the power to help stop the stigma and discrimination.

More information: www.seechange.ie and www. familyresourcementalhealth.ie/