The Mall Luton has released the second edition of their new podcast, Luton Life. With Mental Health Awareness Week starting, this episode shines the light on local support services and explores the stigma around mental health.
To understand more about how the issue is being tackled at a local level, Luton Life host Sophie Sulehria spoke to the Crisis Café team at Mind BLMK, as well as staff at The Mall Luton about their role in the community and the training they have undertaken to ensure they can provide the right assistance to visitors and colleagues.
Deputy General Manager, Laura McCluskey, explained her role in supporting colleagues and securing training for members of staff. The podcast also touches upon experiences from The Mall’s security team – identifying situations which require support and help to members of the public.
Lavinia Douglass, Marketing Manager at The Mall Luton, commented: “This episode is such an important topic and we are really proud to be able to provide a platform to talk about mental health in our community. As a centre we have been heavily involved with local initiatives for years working with numerous local stakeholders and charities to raise awareness, and the teamwork day in, day out to ensure they provide support where it is needed.
We hope that through this, and by hearing more about the services available from organisations like Mind BLMK and the haven they provide through the Crisis Café, more people will be aware of what is available to access in Luton when they need it the most.”
In the episode Sophie visited Mind BLMK to find out how they have supported the community over the past year and are continuing to provide essential services to a growing number of people.
Working across Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes to promote positive mental health and wellbeing, Mind BLMK is attached to the national charity Mind. The Crisis Cafe in Luton opened their doors in 2020 and offers an alternative approach to help empower people, offer face to face advice and have a safe space to go. Anyone can visit the Crisis The Mall Luton Mall Management 37 The Mall Luton Bedfordshire LU1 2LJ 01582 412 636
Café, making it easily accessible with no forms to complete, just instant support. The café has an open-door policy for anyone who is facing a mental health crisis and is in need of urgent help.
On the podcast, Crisis Café manager Beth talks about Mind BLMK’s ‘Carry the Burden’ campaign taking place throughout May, and how they will also be inviting everyone to share pictures when out in the nature for Mental Health Awareness week. Sophie also meets Tim, Luton Crisis Team Manager, who discusses his own mental health and what has led him to volunteer at the café.
Hayley Mattacks, Fundraising and Communications Manager at Mind BLMK, said, “We are so grateful to The Mall Luton, for the opportunity to be involved in the podcast and promote our work in this way.
Each year we support over 4,000 people locally; as a local charity, we are passionate about being there for the community and are here to support the mental health and wellbeing of those across Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes.
For anyone who may need urgent support in the evening, our Crisis Cafes are free to attend and there for people 365 days of the year, from 5-11pm each night, and can be contacted on 01525 722 225.”
Luton Life is a podcast focussing on life within the Luton community, covering a number of topics surrounding everyday life in the town, finding out about those within the community who make others’ lives easier, safer and happier. The Luton Life podcast aims to provide a voice for the Luton community covered through question-and-answer sessions with local journalist Sophie Sulehria.
An industry first which has been fully curated and funded by The Mall, all podcast sessions will be available to listen to for free through Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Listeners can expect to hear real-life stories straight from the community, with real-life answers to questions which many will be able to relate to. Access to community services such as Luton Foodbank and Mind BLMK are covered in an open and friendly way which those in need can benefit from.
Listen to the Luton Life Podcast here:
Take a look at The Mall’s article here.
