Mental Health Awareness Week: Message from Prince William and Kate Middleton is broadcast nationwide at 10.59am
Broadcast of radio message marks ‘the first time’ that all commercial, community, national BBC and local BBC stations have united
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Your support makes all the difference.The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have recorded a special radio message in honour of Mental Health Awareness Week, which takes place from Monday 18 May to Sunday 24 May.
The royals have recorded their radio message as part of the Mental Health Minute campaign alongside several other high profile individuals, including footballer Harry Kane, singer Dua Lipa, actor David Tennant and boxer Anthony Joshua.
Produced by Radiocentre and Heads Together, the Mental Health Minute was broadcast on Monday 18 May at 10.59am across all radio stations.
It marked the first time that all commercial, community, national BBC and local BBC stations have united to air a message at the same time, the press release states.
During the broadcast, Prince William spoke about the positive impact being open about your mental health can have.
“We’re all connected. And sometimes just talking about how you’re feeling can make a big difference,” the duke says in the recording.
“So right now, let’s join together across the UK and reach out to someone.”
The Duchess of Cambridge states that “if you’re struggling, it’s important to talk about it”.
“Or if someone you know is acting differently, it’s OK to ask how they are,” Catherine says. “Use this moment to send a message.”
Heads Together is a mental health initiative that was first launched by Prince William, Catherine and Prince Harry in 2016.
Today’s Mental Health Minute coincides with the launch of “Heads Together Wellbeing Guides”, a new global feature on Instagram.
Launching on the afternoon of Monday 18 May, the feature allows users to discover curated recommendations from individuals and organisations who they follow or admire on the social media platform.
In light of the coronavirus pandemic, the first Instagram Guides will centre on mental health and wellbeing.
Each of the Instagram Guides in the UK will be curated by Heads Together, including posts from a variety of charity partners, influencers and supporters.
The three UK guides being launched today will feature “A Guide to Talking”, “A Guide to Self-Care” and a “Guide to Kindness”.
Siobhan Kenny, chief executive of Radiocentre, said “it is so apt in this most extraordinary of times that the entire radio industry is united behind the Mental Health Minute”.
Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, added that the social media platform hopes its collaboration with Heads Together on its new Guides tool “will further open up the conversation around mental health and give people ways to discover wellbeing tips and recommendations from people they trust, admire and follow”.
Prince William and Catherine recently commemorated the one-year anniversary of Shout85258, the UK’s first 24/7 crisis text line.
Shout, which operates through the work of more than 1,800 trained volunteers, was launched in May 2019 by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex following a £3m investment by The Royal Foundation.
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