At Agency51 we’re passionate about all things digital marketing – but we also care deeply about issues that may significantly affect the wellbeing of those around us. One of the most talked about issues in the media today is mental health, which is rightfully receiving the publicity it should be as more and more of us begin to discuss the most challenging and often stigmatised issues.
One proponent of this wellbeing movement is our very own Business Development Manager, Mr Franky Woods. 31-year-old Franky is an avid supporter of campaigns that encourage people to talk about their mental health. In particular, he is a regular participant in Movember and believes strongly in breaking the stigma behind men’s mental health. Having battled through his own personal struggles in the past, he is keen to raise awareness of mental and emotional issues in men, hoping to make a change to the following shocking statistics:
- In the UK, one man dies every minute from suicide
- Every week, 1 in 6 adults experiences a common mental health problem
- 1 in 5 adults has considered taking his/her own life at some point
Mental strength for the nation
To help bring these numbers down to zero, Franky has teamed up with the folks at Chakra Corporate Mental Strength, who will be holding talks as part of their nationwide Mental Strength for the Nation event. The corporate wellbeing specialists will be touring the UK’s major cities including Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and London to deliver training on wellbeing in the workplace and emotional health in general.
These sessions will coincide with various national mental health awareness events, for example Mental Health Awareness Week and Men’s Health Week. Our very own Franky will be giving talks at these training days, sharing his own personal experiences and encouraging us all to do that little bit more to bravely tackle these issues. You can see Franky in action in the following cities:
Manchester
Thursday 17
th May – as part of Mental Health Awareness Week
York
Thursday 14
th June – as part of Men’s Health Week
Newcastle
Thursday 19
th and Friday 20
th July
These talks come as part of a larger set of masterclasses as provided by Chakra Corporate Mental Strength. Each masterclass will include two days of training on de-mystifying mental health at work and stress resilience and relaxation. Times and locations have yet to be confirmed, but you can find out more by contacting
Chakra here or calling 07984635377.
Franky says: “It’s an honour to have been asked by Chakra to speak at these events. I’m not ashamed to say that I have struggled with my own demons in the past, but for some people it’s simply too difficult to talk about their problems for fear of being stigmatised. I’m looking forward to speaking at these events so that I can encourage people to share their stories and know that help is at hand. It’s okay not to be okay – it really is!”
