BABCP

BABCP has pledged support for a high profile campaign to end mental health discrimination.

The Association formally backed the Time to Change campaign at this year's open meeting -- where members of the public can learn about CBT and how it has helped people experiencing various mental and physical conditions to reclaim quality of life -- held at the University of Manchester on Tuesday, 20 July 2010.  

Time to Change is England's most ambitious programme to end the discrimination faced by people with mental health problems, and improve the nation's wellbeing. The leading mental health charities Mind and Rethink are running the programme, funded with £16m from the Big Lottery Fund and £4m from Comic Relief, and evaluated by the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College, London.

BABCP President Professor Shirley Reynolds and Company Secretary Jennifer Riggs both signed the Time to Change pledge in front of the open meeting audience, recognising the prominent role that BABCP has in challenging prejudice and misinformation around mental health. They were joined in the pledge signing by Time to Change Director Sue Baker, who had earlier spoke at the event about the campaign's aims and achievements to date.

Professor Reynolds says: "Engaging with the public directly is one of our priorities. These open meetings give us a terrific opportunity to promote accurate messages to the public about talking therapies and those who use them. BABCP is firmly committed to challenging prejudice in relation to mental health across all its activities and I welcome the fact that we are using this important event of ours to show our support for this vital campaign."

Sue Baker says: "We are thrilled so many local organisations are making a pledge to end mental health prejudice. Employees and their staff can all play a part in helping to stamp out stigma and companies like BABCP are taking a lead. The public's support combined with endorsements from celebrities like Frank Bruno, Trisha Goddard and Gok Wan, who have all made a Time to Change pledge, will go a long way to bringing about positive change to attitudes towards mental health problems."

Find out how you can make a personal pledge by visiting the Time to Change website here.

(left to right) BABCP President Professor Shirley Reynolds, Sue Baker and Jennifer Riggs sign the 'Time to Change' pledge