ITV / Mental Health Awareness Week: Voices Against Loneliness

Loneliness can strike anyone, anywhere. From young to old. From Friday nights in, to pub nights out. Alone in a waiting room, or surrounded on the tube. But no matter where, or when, or who loneliness strikes, there’s often one thing that can help — the power of a voice. To mark the theme of ‘Loneliness’ for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, ITV have launched the next iteration of the UK’s most recognised mental health campaign, Britain Get Talking, supported by Mind and YoungMinds. The new campaign titled ‘Voices Against Loneliness’, created with Uncommon Creative Studio, this time encourages the nation to send a voice note and help beat loneliness. Just hearing someone’s voice has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety. Voice notes are an easy way to reach out and let someone know you’re thinking of them. And you can record them just about anywhere. The broadcaster has flooded London this week — the loneliest city in the UK according to research commissioned by the Greater London Authority — with voice notes from ITV talent, showing that anyone can be affected by loneliness, and that anyone can help. From advice on how to reach out to struggling friends from Phillip Schofield to Laura Whitmore’s top tips on how to pull someone for a chat — the voice notes encourage us to stop and think about those in our lives who could do with a check-in from a familiar voice. Because loneliness can strike anywhere, ITV and Uncommon have placed the voice notes in locations that aim to disrupt people in moments where they may have the time to reach out to someone. From backseats in cabs, pizza boxes, beer mats in pubs, coffee shops and bus stops. Showing that no matter where you are, no matter who you are, there’s always a voice in your corner. The public can access the voice note by simply scanning the barcode on the sticker to listen via their mobile phone. Along with the voice notes the webpage also contains tips about reaching out to others and points to support from Mind and YoungMinds for those who need it. The voice notes featured on This Morning on Thursday 12th May with Phillip and Rochelle. In the suite there will be voice messages from celebrities such as Alex Beresford, The Vivienne, Laura Whitmore, Phillip Schofield, Charlene White, Liberty Poole, Maggie Alphonsi, Maura Higgins and Vick Hope.