Overwhelming demand crashes charity website after millions see mental health TV advert

Posted Friday 23 January 2009

Overwhelming demand crashes charity website after millions see mental health TV advert

Thousands visited the Time to Change campaign website last night (Wednesday 21 January) after the first screening of a new TV advert about mental health stigma [1].  Thousands broke off from viewing the nation’s favourite soap – Coronation Street - to find out about the campaign. After the massive spike in demand the site crashed.

The site was quickly restored, but campaigners are expecting another big surge when the TV ad goes out again today. This morning newspaper readers also woke up to find full page celebrity Time to Change ads in all the major nationals. The campaign, which has a string of celebrity supporters and endorsement from all of the political party leaders, launched yesterday and will run for several weeks.

Time to Change Director Sue Baker said:

“The response to the ad was incredible – it goes to show that the country has been waiting a long time for a campaign like this, and now it has finally come along tens of thousands want to get involved. The level of interest isn’t really surprising, after all 1 in 4 people will be affected by mental health problems at some point and most of them will experience prejudice because of it. Think of all those thousands of people – silenced all these years. But not for much longer; we are witnessing the start of a mass social movement to change attitudes and smash one of our last taboos”.

Time to Change is run by leading mental health charities Mental Health Media, Mind and Rethink, and backed by £16 million from the Big Lottery Fund [2] and £2 million from Comic Relief [3].

A parliamentary launch event yesterday saw around 50 members of parliament pledge support, signing an Early Day Motion calling for government to speak out to endorse the campaign. Among those pledging support were Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Conservative leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg.[4]

The straight-talking campaign runs for 4 weeks from 21st January and includes:

• a hard-hitting TV ad
• celebrity press ads featuring Stephen Fry, Ruby Wax and Alastair Campbell
• bold stunts to grab public attention
• a string of high-profile supporters, from celebs to politicians [5]
• powerful real life ‘case studies’ available for interview.[6]

To watch the TV ad visit www.time-to-change.org.uk

Notes to editors

1. Time to Change is England’s most ambitious programme to end the discrimination faced by people with mental health problems, and improve the nation’s wellbeing.  Mental Health Media, Mind, and Rethink are leading the programme, funded with £16m from the Big Lottery Fund and £2m from Comic Relief, and evaluated by the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College, London. For further information go to www.time-to-change.org.uk

2. The Big Lottery Fund’s support for Time to Change comes from its £165m Well-being programme.  The Big Lottery Fund has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since its inception

3. in June 2004.  It was established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.  Full details of the work of the Big Lottery Fund, its programmes and awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888  / Out of hours: 07867 500 572 Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030 / Textphone: 08456 021 659

4. Comic Relief is committed to supporting people living with mental health problems. The projects Comic Relief funds ensure people with mental health problems get their voices heard in the decisions that affect their lives and to get the help they need to recover. Comic Relief also helps people to promote their rights and reduce the stigma and discrimination they face so that they feel more included in society.  The £2 million grant to Time to Change is part of Comic Relief's long standing commitment to this issue. For more information go to www.comicrelief.com

5. Professional still photographs of the parliamentary events, party leaders and other ministers are available on request.

6. Case studies – people with direct experience of mental health problems and stigma are available for interview.

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