Mental Health Awareness Week 2022

“I’ve been self-harming since I was 12. I have 10 hours of therapy a week, but Amber is by far the best self-harm support group I go to. The drama workshops are a lot of fun, we play games and have a good laugh together. We also explore serious issues through role-playing and acting. It’s a really good mix.

You can talk to the staff here about anything, they’re so supportive. You can tell they genuinely care about us. With the other young people, we’re not just in a group together – we’re friends. They’re going through the same things as I am, so I can be myself around them.

It’s good to get out and go to The Amber Project, rather than just lying in bed feeling depressed. It gives me something to look forward to. I know I can come here feeling rubbish and by the end of it I’ll be OK. The Amber Project is the one thing that always makes me feel better.”

The Amber Project is our Cardiff-based project for young people with experience of self-harm. We hear from some of the young people about their experiences of The Amber Project and how they’re getting on.

Read more here.

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Below is a poem, entitled Dear Mental Health Illness, written by Tia* who lives in Norris Green in Liverpool, one of the most deprived areas of the UK. Tia sees Cherith every week to explore the Bible and look at how she is managing her mental health. Supported by Cherith, Tia wrote the poem below in celebration of 10 weeks without self-harming.

*Name changed to maintain anonymity.

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Peter is a widower who lives alone but loves to have lots of social contact. He has had struggles with his mental health in the past and would be vulnerable to depression. When lockdown started in March it was a real struggle.

After a few weeks of lockdown Karen and Stephen(Evangelists at our North Belfast Centre of Mission) were able to open the centre so Peter started to call in each day and has been down virtually every day since and has said on numerous occasions that he doesn’t think he would have survived without having his visits to look forward to. He says it’s the highlight of his day!

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Stephen (CA Staff Member) was at our community garden unloading flag stones for the soon to be built shelter. George, a guy from the estate who Stephen had got to know over the last few months, came down for a chat. He had been struggling with lockdown isolation and shared how he was seriously considering suicide and had the rope ready in his garage.

George wasn’t emotional or dramatic at all just very matter of fact about it, two of his nephews died by suicide a few years ago and it is tragic just how normal a thing it can seem for people in this area.

After chatting, Stephen was able to pray for him and he brightened and said he felt a peace and a warmth as they prayed.

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The first part of Church Army’s vision is for “everyone everywhere to encounter God’s love”. One of the ways we can be bold within such a big vision is through the freedom our evangelists have to follow God’s call on their life to be the gospel in their own contexts.

One of those evangelists is Valerie Thom, who heads up the Zacchaeus Outreach Project (ZOP) in the Diocese of Armagh in Northern Ireland. The project was set up in 2011 with a vision to show God’s love to marching bands. The marching band sub-culture is one that is misunderstood and as a community, finds itself marginalised and on the fringes, even by churches. Valerie was a band member herself for many years and now serves bands in practical ways, supported by a group of faithful volunteers in efforts to bring together church groups and band members, building a real sense of community in the rural parts of Northern Ireland.

The Zacchaeus Outreach Project is able to be present at parades through the use of their bus serving tea, coffee and providing opportunities to talk, pray and make links with well-being services. Read more here.

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In November last year, during England’s second coronavirus lockdown, Church Army launched the Langley Centre of Mission; partnering with the Diocese of Birmingham to bring hope to the streets in one of the West Midland’s most industrial areas.

Lead Evangelist Val Legg has moved to Langley and has been joined by Simeon Jarvis, the centre’s new Pioneer Evangelist. Simeon grew up in Langley and is currently looking for a house in the area. Returning to where he grew up will be the fulfilment of a word from God for him to return to his roots.

“I know the area really well and from prayer walking recently, Val and me are getting a sense that there is a big problem with unemployment and mental health in Langley. For unemployment, I want to create a place that could be used to help people into work, and also come alongside them with the Gospel. And with mental health; it’s an issue everywhere at the moment, with loneliness and depression throughout COVID-19 but particularly in Langley, it has been a problem for a long time.”

Read more here.

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