The Laura Hyde Foundation: No Mask For Mental Health

The UK's only charity offering mental health support for first responders, The Laura Hyde Foundation, releases campaign made by Havas UK to warn of a looming crisis on the front line of the fight against Covid-19. The Laura Hyde Foundation has been inundated with calls from nurses, doctors, paramedics and other emergency service workers since the early days of the Coronavirus pandemic. In fact, compared to the same period in 2019, they have experienced an 88% increase in requests for help that require an acute, clinical response. This means that frontline NHS staff are not only experiencing increased rates of stress or anxiety, but they are presenting with serious mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder. This new, nationwide campaign aims to raise awareness and appreciation of the mental toll of the outbreak on medical professionals, instead of just the risks to their physical health. Destigmatising the mental health challenges faced by the ‘heroes’ we have built up in national dialogue, it calls for a consistent level of mental health provision for workers in NHS Trusts across the country, to avoid the very real possibility of a postcode lottery in the vital care and support they need. Titled ‘No Mask for Mental Health’, the campaign features those fighting against Covid-19, reminding the nation that once lockdown lifts, and the risks of catching the disease begin to fall, life doesn’t simply go back to normal for those who’ve worked tirelessly to care for others under the most difficult circumstances. Created pro bono by a collaborative of multiple Havas UK agencies, it includes film, digital, out of home, a major PR launch and a specially-built virtual mask for social. The film, produced in adherence to the APA’s recommendation as per government guidelines, features participants that have been selected to represent all kinds of healthcare professionals, not just doctors and nurses. They are seen in the middle of a busy shift, looking straight into the camera, caught in a moment in time. But all is not well behind the mask. The sounds of life around them gradually fade as the camera zooms in on their eyes and we hear their inner voice. It was directed by Kevin Thomas through Thomas Thomas, with grading by Electric Theatre Collective, audio by Factory Studios and editing by Quarry. Social media filters for both Instagram and Snapchat – which built the Snap Lens for free – have been created for selfie-mode, which places a virtual mask featuring an inverted ‘rainbow smile’ over the user’s face. These filters offer people a chance to show their support for ‘the carers who care for us’. The filter also connects them to The Laura Hyde Foundation website providing information about the charity, how to get involved with their work and where to donate.