Tuesday, 8 October 2019
- EMR will be partnering with Network Rail to host the annual RUOK day on Thursday 10th October 2019
- Events helpd across the rail network
- The aim is to have a 30 second conversation with travellers to ask "Are you okay today?"
East Midlands Railway will be supporting the national RUOK Campaign on Thursday (10th October) this week, promoting additional help and support for mental health advice and services.
Supported by Network Rail, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust and mental health charities Mind, Teamwork and the Samaritans events will be taking place across the East Midlands.
Simply offering a friendly face, taking the time to listen and provide information about where people can get hold of additional support with regards to their mental wellbeing, if required.
Volunteers will be at Sheffield, Nottingham, Derby, Leicester and London St Pancras stations throughout from 0700 - 1900 handing out tea, biscuits and offering anyone passing through the station a chance to chat or encouraging them to take a card with further information and support if required.
The partnership campaign, which launched in 2015 at Leicester station and has since included events in Leicester city centre, has supported many people from the East Midlands by simply asking them “Are you okay?” and encouraging them to ask the question of friends, family and colleagues.
Neil Grabham, Customer Experience Director, East Midlands Railway said “The simple act of asking somebody if they are okay can have a huge impact on someone’s mental wellbeing.
“We have around 28 million passengers travel through our stations annually and by having volunteers offering support, we are creating more awareness and hopefully reaching out to hundreds of people who may need help.
“We want to let as many people know that any one of us can help a friend, colleague or a loved one just by asking them how they are feeling and offering them support”.
RUOK? event co-ordinator Matthew Wakely, a mental health team manager from Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, said: “This is our fifth annual RUOK? event on Leicester station and since we launched in 2015 it’s really gathered momentum, expanding outside Leicester for the first time last year.
“It’s fantastic to see the message rolled out across the whole of the East Midlands Main Line by Network Rail and East Midlands Railways. It’s a simple message but one that could potentially send positive ripples out to thousands more people.”
Roy Bassett, East Midlands Area Customer Service and Performance Manager for Network Rail said: “This event is a great way for the railway industry to help raise awareness of Mental Health in the community and hopefully supporting people before they have a need for any more urgent help.
“We will be urging people to have the same conversation with their friends and family in a genuine manner and leaving them with a phone number to call if they do feel they or their friends need to talk to someone else.
“This positive message is a great way to spend the day and leaves people feeling better about themselves and their lives”