This important day is marked once a year here in the UK.
A campaign ran by mental health awareness initiative Time To Change, its aim is to change the way people think and act about mental health problems, by breaking down the stigma and encouraging conversations.
And with the latest studies by leading mental health charity MIND revealing that more than half of adults (60%) and over two thirds of young people (68%) said their mental health has deteriorated over lockdown, #TimeToTalk day couldn’t be more crucial for Mancunians this year.
We know that talking about mental health is not always easy.
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But starting a conversation doesn’t have to be awkward, and being there for someone can make a huge difference.
While it’s true that there is no right way to talk about mental health, and just the act of starting a conversation itself could have a significant impact on someone who needs it, that doesn’t mean we always confident approaching the subject, which is why Time To Change is here to help.
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These top five tips will guide you along to make sure you’re lending a hand in a helpful way.
It's #TimeToTalk Day! A small conversation about mental health has the power to make a big difference.
We know that the more conversations we have, the more myths we can bust and barriers we can break down.
This one may seem like it goes without saying, but asking questions can give the person space to express how they’re really feeling and what they’re going through.
It will also help you to understand their experience better.
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Try to ask questions that are open and not leading or judgemental, such as – “How does that affect you?”, or “What does it feel like?” – and then make an effort to listen intently to their responses.
2. Time & Place
Giving careful thought and consideration to the time and place of a conversation can be truly invaluable.
Sometimes it’s easier to talk side by side rather than face to face, so if you do talk in person, you might want to chat whilst you’re doing something else, like walking, cooking, or even stuck in traffic, for example.
But don’t let the search for the perfect place put you off.
3. Don’t Try to Fix It
It can often be hard to see someone you care about having a difficult time, but it’s encouraged that you try to resist the urge to offer quick fixes to what they’re going through.
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Learning to manage or recover from a mental health problem can be a long journey, and they’ve likely already considered lots of different tools and strategies, which is why just giving them the opportunity to talk can be really powerful.
So unless they’ve asked for advice directly, it might be best just to listen.
4. Treat Them The Same
It’s important to remember that when someone has a mental health problem, they’re still the same person as they were before, and that means that when a friend or loved one opens up to you about mental health, they don’t want to be treated any differently.
If you want to support them, just keep it simple – do the things you’d normally do.
5. Be Patient
No matter how hard you try, some people just might not be ready to talk about what they’re going through, and that’s ok – the fact that you’ve tried to talk to them about it may make it easier for them to open up another time when they feel comfortable.
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And there’s a lot of other things you can do to support them even if you’re not talking too:
Doing things together.
Sending a text to let them know you’re thinking of them.
Offering to help with day-to-day tasks.
Andrew Neel / Pexels
Are you finding lockdown tough?
If you or anyone you know is struggling right now, please know that you are never alone and there are many different places you can reach out to for support right here in Greater Manchester.
Suffering in silence never need be the way – there’s always #TimeToTalk
Manchester Mind – An organisation that has supported people in Manchester for over 30 years. Most services are now available over the phone, by email or video call. The number is 0161 769 5732 and the opening hours are Monday – Friday, 10am – 2pm.
The GM Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust – The local NHS helpline is open 24/7 which you can call any time, day or night, if you feel your mental health is beginning to suffer: 0800 953 0285.
Andy’s Man Club – A group dedicated to starting conversations about mental health, assuring people that it’s ok to talk. You can contact them by email on: [email protected].
CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably supports people via phone and webchat. You can call 0800 58 58 58 or speak to a support worker online. Open 5pm – midnight.
Samaritans – The Manchester & Salford Samaritans offer emotional support by telephone and email. The phone lines and email support are available 24/7. Call 116 123 or visit the website.
It's #TimetoTalk Day and this year's theme is the power of small. We know that small conversations about mental health can make a big difference and would encourage you to join us and @TimetoChange to reach out to your friends, family & colleagues today and check if they are okay pic.twitter.com/JisJ6TV6Np
Another great resource we recommend checking out is Manchester’s very own Feel Good Club.
The movement – which started humbly as an Instagram page, filled with uplifted messages and top tips by founders Kiera and Aimie Lawlor-Skillen – is aimed at normalising the stigma around mental health and has since flourished into a successful platform of 187K+ followers. So successful in fact, that it saw the pair go on to open a brand-new wellbeing-focused cafe in the heart of the Northern Quarter in October of last year, which has remained open for takeaway services throughout this third national lockdown to provide a freshly-brewed cup of coffee and some support where needed.
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The Manc Group is also here to help too.
There are real people behind our platforms, and our DMs are always open, so we encourage you to drop us a message should you ever need a chat and we will be more than happy to help point you in the right direction towards the best help possible.
And remember, no matter how many times it may have been said before, it cannot be said enough – it’s okay not to be okay, and your emotions are always valid.
We got this, Manchester.
Trending
Bolton Wanderers sign young Celtic striker on loan
Danny Jones
Bolton Wanderers have signed young Celtic forward Johnny Kenny on loan for the rest of the season, rounding off a busy January transfer window with a final bit of business on deadline day.
All told, that’s seven new arrivals brought in this month as the League One side looks to continue their promotion push.
The Republic of Ireland international Johnny Kenny is just the latest among a number of offensive reinforcements, with Steven Schumacher looking to both increase his side’s goal output and further shore up the defence.
Still just 22, Kenny has already shown plenty of potential back in the Scottish Premiership, and now the fans will see how he takes to life in the English third tier.
Already scoring six times and registering a couple of assists in 22 appearances across all competitions so far this campaign, the Sligo-born striker is just a couple of contributions away from chipping in with his best overall tally in the league over a full term.
His best senior spell overall came on loan in the Republic of Ireland, where he scored a baker’s dozen of goals and assisted three times for Shamrock Rovers.
While perhaps not the most competitive league, he’s certainly taken some of that form back to his parent club in 2025/26, and now Celtic will get an even better sense of where his level is at right now – as will Bolton Wanderers.
Addressing the supporters deal in a club statement, Schumacher said: “We’re delighted to have signed Johnny to continue a really strong month. He is a player who we rate very highly and is someone we identified last summer as someone who would really strengthen our attacking options.
“He’s since played regularly and scored goals at a high level, so [he] will be a big addition for us. We didn’t think he would be available during this window, but once we were made aware Celtic would allow him to leave on loan, we acted really quickly to get the deal done.”
With other acquisitions such as attacking midfielder Ruben Rodrigues and winger Corey Blackett-Taylor, who has already scored on his debut, there’s suddenly some real squad depth to draw from.
As for Kenny, the promising youngster has every intention of quickly becoming the main man at the Toughsheet Stadium, taking on the number nine shirt.
Speaking in his first full interview as a Trotter, Kenny admitted that the interest has been there for some time and that the deal has been a longer process than the eleventh-hour nature might suggest, but reiterated that Bolton “reached out to [him] a lot during the summer.”
He’s made it clear that his aim is not only to increase his regular first-team minutes but also to make sure he is well and truly in the final national team picture.
Ireland are yet to find out if they qualify for the 2026 World Cup – pending a tricky playoff tie this March – but Kenny clearly wants to make sure there’s no doubt in terms of selection should they make it through the challenge.
Elsewhere in the EFL, another big attacking loan deal was done by local promotion rivals Stockport County, who have managed re-sign Louie Barry for a third spell.
Louie Barry returns to Stockport County for a third loan spell
Danny Jones
One of the most popular Stockport County stars, whether that be a permanent player or a loan signing, has returned to the club by popular demand: Hatters, rejoice, because Louie Barry is back at Edgeley Park.
In one of the most heavily rumoured January transfer deals of this window, Aston Villa youngster academy product Louie Barry has been confirmed for a third County stint, getting reacquainted with Stockport on deadline day.
Having come through not only Barcelona’s famous ‘La Masia’ system, but West Brom’s youth setup and then Aston Villa, his most successful spells of senior football have come at the Greater Manchester club.
Parent club Villa recalled him only to send the youth prospect back out on two other lacklustre loans (much to the disappointment of County supporters), but now he’s going back to well, and is hopefully set for a return to form. Unveiled in a dramatic video at the local Plaza Theatre, fans are already buzzing.
Who doesn’t love a bit of old-fashioned paegantry, eh?
Still just 22 years old, Louie Barry remains highly rated by his foremost employers, but has had few opportunities to try and impress his parent club.
Barring a handful of cup appearances, the Sutton-born attacking midfielder – often deployed as a winger during his two previous terms – the majority of his professional minutes have been with County.
His second visit to the then-League Two side was even better than his first, and all told, he scored 25 goals in 45 games, not to mention more than a dozen assists across his appearances off the bench and an increasing number of starts as he became an increasing talisman in the team.
Unfortunately, one thing that has been consistent throughout his professional career thus far is struggles with injuries, which have certainly derailed his last two loan deals to Hull City and Sheffield United.
It remains to be seen whether he is at the level of the Championship or beyond, but with the now third-tier outfit currently chasing promotion, this may prove to be the perfect test.
Should be able to stay fit, it goes without saying that he’ll quickly knit back into the first-team squad, and with fellow fan favourite Isaac ‘Tanto’ Olaofe having also been re-signed on a half-season loan deal, it’s been a popular period of recruitment overall.
Pair these deals with the signing of Adama Sidibeh, and suddenly, manager Dave Challinor has some real strength in depth when it comes to offensive options.
What do you make of the acquisition, Hatters? Will three prove to be the magic number, and could another promising visit to SK3 be the start of a potential permanent deal somewhere down the line?
You can see Louie Barry’s first full interview back as a Stockport County player down below.
Barry is aiming to be back fit soon, though it’s unclear if there is an option to buy in the contract.
Emily Sergeant -
4th February 2021 
