- 10/05/2021
- Posted by: Hillingdon Labour
- Category: News
As part of proposals to improve mental health in Hillingdon, the Labour Group have marked Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 by encouraging their Councillors to speak openly about mental health, asking for help, and the importance of nature after spending the last 14 months in near-isolation.
The Mental Health Foundation have chosen nature to be the focus of the 2021 awareness week because research has found how important going outdoors to walk and be with nature has been with helping people cope with lockdown.
The week has two clear aims: to inspire more people to connect with nature in new ways, and to convince decision makers at all levels that access to and quality of nature is a mental health and social justice issue, as well as an environmental one.
The Hillingdon Labour Group repeatedly make mental health a key focus of their annual budget proposals – but these have been rejected by the incumbent Conservative administration.
Speaking about mental health awareness, Councillor Kerri Prince said:
“I have been frank and open about my experience of poor mental health, and the need to tackle the causes of it, as well as ensure the treatment is there for those who need it.
“Too often mental health is only recognised and treated at crisis point, and we could do so much more to prevent people ever reaching crisis point. Nature is a key part of wellbeing, and more should be done to promote it. It isn’t just about physical exercise – but mental too.
