New mental health website launches for World Mental Health Day

Article date: 8 October

Created in St Helens, for St Helens - Sometimes.info has been developed with input from local services and people with lived experience to make it easier for residents to access mental health support and find help when they need it most.

The website has been designed to be simple, accessible and supportive, particularly for people who may be struggling during difficult moments. Bringing together local services, self-help resources and practical advice in one place, the site helps residents better understand their mental health, access appropriate support and find ways to cope with life's challenges.

Visitors to the site can explore information on issues including anxiety, stress, loneliness, low mood and suicidal thoughts, as well as access tools and techniques to support their wellbeing. The site also offers guidance for anyone concerned about a friend, family member or colleague, helping people recognise when someone may be struggling and signposting them to local sources of help.

Among its features, the site uses a darker colour scheme designed to be easier on the eyes for those accessing support late at night or in the early hours of the morning, recognising that many people seek help during quieter moments when they may be feeling most isolated.

To raise awareness of the new resource, partners have taken part in a roadshow across the borough, visiting a number of community locations, including council-owned Queens Park Health and Fitness and the borough's two community hubs at Kentmere Avenue and Chester Lane.

St Helens Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, Councillor Eileen Fleming, who was among those to take part in the roadshow event, said:

"Most of us know what it's like to have a hard time and keep it to ourselves, or to watch someone we love go quiet and not know what to say.

"Mental health challenges can affect any of us at any time, and it is vital that people know where to turn when they need support. I want people here to know they matter and that they're not a burden, and that there are kind people ready to listen.

"That's why Sometimes.info has been created by and for the people of St Helens, bringing together trusted information, practical advice and local support services in one easy-to-use place.

"Whether someone is struggling themselves, worried about a loved one, or simply looking for ways to improve their wellbeing, the website provides a range of resources to help them take the next step.

"If World Mental Health Day and the new Sometimes website gets even one person to reach out a bit sooner, or to check in on a neighbour, a friend or family member, it will have been worth it."

Nicola Doyle, Project Manager of Sometimes.info, said:

"The idea behind the name Sometimes is that you might not need the site all the time. It's there for when you do.

"Sometimes came from looking at how people could find mental health support in St Helens in a different way. As someone who has experienced low mood myself, I wanted to create one space where people could find help for themselves or someone else, while also offering something often missing from other mental health websites: Instant Help. Things you can try for yourself, before you need to contact a mental health crisis service.

"Co-production was also important to the project. I made the decision early on that the pages should be written with local services and by people with lived experience. This means the site brings together professional knowledge and real experience from people in St Helens."

The launch forms part of local activity to mark World Mental Health Day (10 October) and encourage open conversations about mental health, reduce stigma and ensure residents know where they can access help when they need it.

For more information, visit www.sometimes.info