‘World Mental Health Day’ is held each year on 10th October. It aims to raise awareness of mental health issues and improve vital support services for those suffering from mental health problems. It also shines a light on the incredible work of those organisations dedicated to tackling mental health issues and improving wellbeing, like Bronwen’s W;sh.
Bronwen’s W;sh is Mooneerams Solicitors Charity of the Year for 2024. Mental health is a cause close to many of our hearts, and we’re delighted to have the opportunity to help promote the charity’s excellent work and raise much-needed funds to help them achieve their aims.
What is Bronwen’s W;sh?
Bronwen’s W;sh was established by the family and friends of 26-year-old Bronwen Grace Morgan, who tragically passed away by suicide in August 2020 after facing challenging mental health problems for many years.
Bronwen held a first-class honours degree in Primary Education and was in her second year of study to become a Mental Health Nurse when she passed. Described by those who loved her as ‘bright and beautiful’, Bronwen’s story is a poignant reminder of the vulnerability of our children and young people and their need for practical and compassionate mental health wellbeing support.
What does Bronwen’s W;sh do?
Bronwen’s W;sh advocates for meaningful changes to the mental health system so that shared decision making becomes a legal requirement. It also strives to ensure every young person feels accepted and supported. In this latter context, its main initiative is to provide compassionate support for children and young people by delivering wellbeing pods for schools.
The idea behind this innovative venture is that children facing mental health challenges can visit the pod when they need some time away from the bustle of daily life. In the pod, they can talk to the people they trust about their worries and concerns or simply spend some time alone with their thoughts in a quiet place where they feel safe.
The first pod, Ty Bronwen, was opened in July at Bronwen’s old primary school, Lakeside. Bronwen had also worked at the school as an adult, supporting children with emotional and behavioural difficulties and spreading a little of her ‘Bronny Magic’. The pod has been a huge success, and the charity has moved on to its second project, providing a pod for Rhydypenau Primary School.
What is World Mental Health Day?
World Mental Health Day puts mental health in the spotlight. It aims to remove the stigma sometimes associated with mental health problems and encourages people to talk openly about things that are affecting their mental health. This awareness day gives a voice to those affected by mental health issues and provides a platform for those organisations working to make effective mental health care a reality.
This year’s official World Mental Health Day theme is ‘mental health in the workplace’. In particular, organisers want to tackle one of the most prevalent issues in modern workplaces: burnout. Far more than feeling a little tired, burnout can cause a myriad of debilitating symptoms and is recognised by the World Health Organisation as an ‘occupational phenomenon’.
Some of the symptoms of burnout include:
- Reduced professional ability.
- Exhaustion.
- Insomnia.
World Mental Health Day 2024 calls on everyone in the workplace to take shared responsibility for their own and each other’s workplace mental health.
How common are mental health problems?
If you suffer from mental health issues, you are not alone. According to the mental health charity Mind, 1 in 4 people in England suffer from a mental health issue each year, and 1 in 6 experience a common mental health issue, such as anxiety, each week.
The Children’s Society reports that 1 in 6 children aged between 5 and 16 are likely to have a mental health problem and that the rate of children and young people living with mental health problems has risen by 50% over the last three years.
How can you help?
So far this year at Mooneerams Solicitors, we’ve organised regular fundraising events and participated in various challenges to raise funds for Bronwen’s W;sh. Your donations will help the charity provide more welfare pods in schools that need them and ensure it can carry on using its voice to champion the mental health of our young people everywhere.
Our most recent fundraising event saw seven of the Mooneerams team running the Cardiff Half Marathon, raising (so far) over £2600 for the charity. All of the team made it to the finishing line, too.
It’s not too late to sponsor Team Mooneerams efforts in the race! If you would like to do so, head to our JustGiving page dedicated to Bronwen’s W;sh by clicking here.
Any support you can give would mean the world to us and everyone at Bronwen’s W;sh.
Keep an eye too on our Facebook page, where we’ll be sharing our upcoming events, for details on how you can get involved.
