Mark is a resident with a particular interest in mental health matters. He works as an Expert by Experience on the Oliver McGowan training programme and is also a political activist who has twice been interviewed for a place on the town council. With this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week focused on the theme of action, we asked Mark to share his thoughts.

One thing I would like to see happen is for politicians to take mental health seriously. I think they need to understand it more and do more about it. Mental health is important, and action means making sure people get the right support and are not ignored when they are struggling.

I think action is about giving people support and talking to people when they need help. Sometimes people need somebody to listen to them and take them seriously. Talking can help, and being able to get support can make a real difference.

I also want people to understand more about mental health and learning disabilities. People with learning disabilities can have mental health problems too, and that needs to be understood better. That is why awareness matters to me, because people should be listened to and supported properly.

Action can also be in the small things. It can be checking how somebody is, listening to them, helping them stay positive and making sure they know they are not on their own. Those things matter as well.

For Mental Health Awareness Week, when the theme is action, my message is that people should take mental health seriously, listen more and make sure support is there. That is the action I want to see.