This weekend Leicester’s Haymarket shopping centre will be the backdrop for the city’s sixth RUOK? event – a multi-agency campaign to boost mental wellbeing.
Volunteers from health, emergency services and third sector organisations will be in the centre on Saturday (10 March) from 10am until 4pm.
They will be asking shoppers: “RU OK?” and encouraging them to ask others the same. The aim is to show how small acts – a kind word, question or gesture – can help to lift the mood of a friend, family member, colleague or acquaintance.
The team will be handing out business cards, chatting to shoppers and encouraging them to sign an RUOK? ‘pledge wall’ with a supportive message of their own.
Trained advisers will also be on hand to provide one-to-one support for people who need it on the day.
Launched in 2015, the RUOK? partnership, which now includes the Haymarket, has already engaged with more than 7,000 people over the course of five events at Leicester railway station and in the city centre. More than 40 people have received one-to-one support on the day and scores have made a personal pledge on the pledge wall to help support mental wellbeing.
Matthew Wakely, a mental health team manager from Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust and RUOK? campaign co-ordinator, said: “ This weekend is a great opportunity for us to return to the centre of Leicester with the campaign and we’re really looking forward to working closely with the Haymarket, encouraging everyone to get behind the RUOK? message.”
You can find out more about RUOK? at http://ruoktoday.co.uk/