World Mental Health Day: Sheffield man organises music festival to raise mental health awareness

The event will take place on Friday, October 11 at Corporation, on Milton Street - one of Sheffield’s major independent music venues.

Money raised will go towards Sheffield Flourish’s new mental health guide, which was commissioned by Sheffield City Council. It acts as a one-stop solution for people of all ages to find services and activities that are mental health friendly in the city.

For Rich, aged 58, this event comes as part of a promise he made to his late mother, Lynn Barnett, in December 2017.

“My mum died while I was at her side in hospital,” he told The Star. “I promised her I would make her proud, but I didn’t know how yet.”

Following his mother’s death, Rich’s mental health began to suffer.

The warehouse operative said: “Everything came at once in the weeks around Christmas. I lost my mum, my wife was being tested for cancer, my dad had a bad fall, and my brother was hurt on a night out.

“I was suffering with my mental health, and I thought about taking my life. I didn’t talk to my wife or my best friend about it, I just bottled it all up.”

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Thankfully, Rich bravely reached out to a therapist who also urged him to open up about his feelings with his loved ones.

Now he wants this event to encourage others to have conversations with their loved ones about their mental health, as well as raising money for Sheffield Flourish with fun and live music.

Rich said: “I don’t want people to pat me on the back and say well done, I just want to get the word out; I don’t want people to suffer like I did.

“There seems to be a stigma with mental health, especially with Yorkshire men. Guys think they can’t talk about it, but it’s OK to cry.”

He added: “I have good days and bad days. Most days my mental health is OK but I have days where I get really down. My wife, Doreen, is my rock, she’s always there for me.”

Bands announced for the event, which will take place from 6pm until 10.30pm, include: Ryan Lightfoot, the lead vocalist of indie Doncaster band, The 48Ks; Sheffield SKA and reggae cover band Jungle Lion; South Yorkshire rock n’ roll band Crackerbox Palace; Doncaster singer/songwriter Bri Ward; Sheffield singer Charlotte Branson; Manchester band Hollows; and Doncaster band Escape the Curfew.

Tickets for the age 14+ event cost £12, and can be purchased at: https://corporation.org.uk/event/flourish-festival/

Funds raised will go towards Sheffield Flourish, and their Sheffield Mental Health Guide. Every library in the city has been equipped with copies of the guide, which are free for anyone to take home and keep on their bookshelf.

Nathan Gordon, digital and communications manager at Sheffield Flourish, said: “One of the most fundamentally important things in life is mental health and it’s nice that as a society we’re really starting to get that.

“It’s been great to see such a talented bunch of humans come together to make this event possible. Personally, I can’t wait. I really hope this is the first of many.”

All the information in Sheffield Flourish’s booklet is available via: https://www.sheffieldmentalhealth.co.uk/