Remember - ‘it’s good to talk’!

That’s the message from TADA Rural Support Network vice-chair Kyle Savage who this week said he was concerned about the long term mental health of people who are currently feeling isolated, particularly in rural areas.

He is urging anyone with issues to get in touch with TADA which has now partnered with Action Mental Health.

Donacloney based Kyle explained how the TADA Rural Support network, which aims to tackle isolation in the rural community, quickly realised there was going to be an issue due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said: “The government is telling people to isolate and we know first hand the issues that can create in terms of ill mental health and all that isolation.

“We have partnered with Action Mental Health and they are referring people to us and we are getting referrals too through the community network that we have built up.

“We have delivered almost 700 food boxes in the ABC Council area within the last few weeks and we are also doing a wellness pack for families and young children. Some of the houses we are going to, the people are waiting on you.

The wellness pack just contains simple stuff - maybe a jigsaw puzzle, colouring books or art books - that type of thing, creative things, and that is actually going down really well,” he said.

From left: Colin Loughran, Action Mental Health, Kyle Savage, vice chair TADA Rural Support Network, Geraldine Lawlor, chair TADA, and Terri Carvillle, community development officers TADA

“Whenever you go out, it’s nearly more about the rap on the door than anything else in some cases. People are just so thankful to be talking to someone. One lady last week that I visited - she was a lady in her 80s and she was terrified to go into Dromore town in case the police arrested her - so there are mixed messages there as well that are going round.

“We are solely working on the rural end of things and other agencies are working in the towns and urban areas. We want to highlight that there is help and support out there for those that need it.

“We can help if anyone needs a food box or even with a phone call. Sometimes people don’t actually realise that there is support out there and we want to get that message out to people,” added Kyle.

Kyle says he is starting to see an increase in problems in the rural end of things.

A food box - almost 700 have been distributed in the ABC area

“There seems to be a lot of people in difficulty with their finances because when you think of it even if they are furloughed on 80%, they are still missing 20% of their salary which may have been spent on groceries. Whatever wee bit we can do to help to relieve the burden then that will help to take the pressure off.”

Kyle says he is concerned about the long term impact of Covid-19 and isolation on the mental health of those living in rural areas.

“I would be very concerned about the long term mental health in rural communities and indeed right across all areas. That is one thing that I have been shouting about for the last number of years. I would be concerned for the wellbeing of people in the community. The added pressure caused by isolation is not helping the situation at all. That is why we have teamed up with Action Mental Health. We are going to give extra training to the staff.

“It is a major concern and the mental health within the farming community is already not great.

“A lot of people think that farmers are immune to mental health issues but a survey carried out by the Farmers Guardian last September showed that 45% of farmers under the age of 40 in the UK are suffering from depression and mental ill health.

“So how do we fix this? We have got to let people know that there is help out there. There is many a slogan out there but ‘it is good to talk’. It is really important to get that message out there that there is help available through TADA or whatever. This is a big concern of ours in TADA.

“If you would like to avail of some help from TADA then you can contact the office on 028 38398888 and staff there will be able to signpost you to the service you require.

It is understood that an exit strategy for the distribution of the boxes is likely to be considered for the end of June, but Kyle feels strongly that this is too soon.

“I suppose we are all driven by government policy on this but I would appeal to Stormont, to the Department of Communities, to continue this on. I would like to thank the generosity of local companies who have been able to assist us with the food boxes.

“But again the message would be to the department of communities to seriously look at continuing this on because it is a vital link to people in so many ways,” added Kyle.