New suicide prevention campaign launched by Herefordshire Mind
Beer mats distributed across Hereford to aid mental health awareness
Herefordshire Mind has launched a new suicide prevention initiative, supported by Herefordshire Council, aimed at improving mental health support visibility in Hereford.
The campaign involves distributing 20,000 specially designed beer mats and suicide prevention flowcharts to pubs, bars, cafés, and community venues, equipping staff to recognise signs of mental health emergencies.
The mats provide simple signposting to local support services, including Herefordshire Mind, We Are Farming Minds, Andy’s Man Club, SHOUT, and Men’s Mental Health Group, with a QR code for broader resource access.
In response to higher-than-average suicide rates among young people in Herefordshire, the initiative targets early intervention and community awareness by embedding support information in everyday settings.
To assist pub staff, the campaign includes a "Ask. Assess. Act." flowchart developed with Hereford Pubwatch, guiding them in how to support individuals showing signs of crisis or potential suicide risk.
Simon Willis Safe Haven Service Manager for Herefordshire Mind, said: “Here at Safe Haven we know how hard it can be for people to reach out for help and many people struggle in silence and don’t know where to turn for support.
"We hope that these beer mats will help people pick up the phone to us or another support organisation in Herefordshire. We want to get the message out there that it doesn’t matter who you reach out to so long as you do reach out.
"Mental health support shouldn’t be difficult to find. Whether someone scans the QR code, or starts a conversation with a friend, every interaction has the potential to make a difference. Ultimately, if this campaign helps just one person reach out for support or saves one life, it will have achieved its goal.”
Cllr Carole Gandy, Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing at Herefordshire Council, said: “We all have mental health, and how we feel at any one time depends on many different factors.
"It’s so important that we all look out for each other’s well being, and as a Council we are hugely committed to helping people with their mental health whatever their situation and circumstances.
“Those working in the hospitality sector can make a really positive impact on people’s lives as they see so many different customers day in, day out, and we are hugely grateful for their support with this initiative.
"Together we can all make a difference, and by getting the right information and interventions to people when they need it most, from beer mats to talking and listening, we can help everyone to get the right mental health support.”
Residents and businesses are encouraged to engage with the campaign and make use of the provided resources.