WPA and Somerset County Cricket Club have joined forces to produce a series of videos on a range of mental health topics. The theme, ahead of Time to Talk day on February 3, is ‘talking’. The short videos, which include members of Somerset’s first team, Tom Abell, Tom Lammonby, Jack Leach and Ollie Sale, underline how everyone is susceptible to pressure and the value of friends, family and teammates to talk to when times are tough.
In one of the videos, Tom Lammonby goes into more detail about the pressures and mental challenges he has encountered so far in his career. He also discusses his personal coping mechanisms that have enabled him to excel at the highest level: “You’re not the only one to go through a bad patch or a tough time, it’s everyone that’s susceptible to them….Something that’s worked for me this year was working on my breathing … taking a couple of deep breaths …… and then focus on two or three key things that I want to do …. Keep it simple.”
The videos are part of WPA’s health and wellbeing strategy to raise awareness and help individuals and companies improve their mental wellbeing. As they are released over the next two months, they will be added to WPA’s Health and Wellbeing hub which is available for everyone to view. Mark Southern, WPA’s Sales and Marketing Director, said: “The adage of a problem shared is a problem halved is as true today as it was the day it was conceived.”
He added: “With the frenetic pace of modern life, taking time to talk has never been more important. It nurtures empathy and mutual understanding while removing stigmas. It costs nothing but a few minutes of our time and can make a life-changing difference. Whoever you are, a professional cricketer, colleague, friend or family member, talking helps everyone.”
WPA is celebrating Time to Talk Day by giving every colleague a KitKat and encouraging them to ‘take a break’.
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