Darlington Hippodrome Shows Support for Mental Health Awareness

Darlington Hippodrome has been lit up in green to support Mental Health Awareness week, which this year focused on loneliness.

One in four adults feel lonely some or all of the time. There's no single cause and there's no one solution. But, the longer an individual feels lonely, the more they are at risk of mental health problems.

Senior House Manager Andrew Hutchinson-Clish is currently completing a Mental Health First Aider course to allow him a greater insight and to be able to assist staff and members of the public attending the theatre.

Andrew said "It is so important to understand and recognise the signs of mental health issues whether it be a member of staff or someone who has come to see a show. There are many ways to help people battle any issues such as exercise, meditation, reading and, of course, coming to the theatre."

"Theatre allows people to connect with other people in a group experience, it allows them to talk about how a show made them feel. It also helps people understand that it is OK to show raw emotions."

"I wanted to complete the mental health first aid qualification as I felt I had a duty of care as a Manager of staff at Darlington Hippodrome and also a responsibility to our customers. In the same way the Managers are trained in first aid in case of accident and emergency I felt that I wanted to be prepared to assist anyone experiencing a mental health crisis".

For information on all current productions call the Darlington Hippodrome box office on 01325 405405 or visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk.