Mental health group Missing Piece aim to help people with their wellbeing puzzle

A NEW Tameside-based mental health group is promising a friendlier and more welcoming approach to people’s problems and concerns. And with World Mental Health Day falling on Thursday, October 10, The Correspondent met the people behind it to talk more about it.


MENTAL health is something most people in their lifetime will struggle with, for a myriad of reasons.

Analysts have studied various focal groups and all came to the same conclusion – issues are increasing rapidly in the UK.

That is why the importance of a non-judgmental and peer-to-peer support group is so important for so many people.

In step Jamie Hallows and Aimee Wardle – two Tameside residents who have been helping the community they live in for the best part of five years, having started back in 2019 with a separate project.

“We made Dad Chat in 2019 and were going for about two years,” said Jamie.

Jay Hallows and Aimee Wardle of Missing Piece

“The group was specifically for dads, but when Covid-19 came I had to take a step back as it really took a toll on my mental health.

“It did damage a few people, so I had to focus on myself for a bit.”

Dad Chat helped many fathers in the area with their mental health, but personal reasons meant the team had to step back for a period.

Now, their newest venture aims to tackle mental health on an even grander scale.

“We both had a chat once I was better, as Aimee has a Masters degree in Neuropsychology and is a qualified counsellor,” Jamie added.

“We figured that it could help us and a wider audience, so we thought, ‘let’s relaunch and rebrand!’

“We wanted to broaden it to a wider audience rather than just dads this time around.”

The rebrand has revived the Dad Chat community group and renamed it Missing Pieces – which Jamie was on hand to explain.

“You look at life as like a jigsaw,” he told The Correspondent. “Sometimes you try and jam pieces into place that don’t necessarily belong there as you’re trying to get that full picture.

“But really what we need to do is slow down and everything will fall into place. The whole idea of the name is that it’s OK to have that missing piece.”

Since the recent relaunch, Missing Pieces has launched a WhatsApp chat for people to talk to each other, as well as being present on both Instagram and Facebook.

The duo was keen to talk about the group chat and brought home the point that the chat is designed to be as comfortable for people to use as possible.

“We made the support group on WhatsApp, you don’t even have to message on it – you can see if other people are feeling the same way and find reassurance or you can chat in it,” Jamie continued. “It’s there for anyone to talk in.”

“It’s not like a specific chat for any diagnosis,” Aimee said. “It’s more of a relaxed chat for anyone that might feel alone.”

Aside from the virtual chats, Missing Pieces are also planning in-person events.

And the loneliness aspect of mental health issues is a big problem they are eager to try and help with.

“The thing for me is the loneliness of mental health issues, you isolate yourself and become stuck inside,” Jamie conceded. “If I had something like that in place, I would have been a lot better.”

Many people suffering from mental health issues are at times afraid to reach out for help because of the stigma still surrounding the topic.

Another issue that Missing Pieces highlighted is that many will also be afraid to be pointed towards formal and professional help.

But the message from Aimee is: “We want it to be informal. Just to have a group of people that get it, a bunch of mates essentially.

“We can partner with people and point in the right direction, but at the same time just be there to be a shoulder.

“It is less daunting for people to go and get help from the local community, but it is difficult as a lot of people do not know these groups exist, they just know the bigger ones such as Mind.

“You might not want to go down that route of counselling and formal help, so this is a less daunting way to help.”

Jay and Aimee are also hoping to do fundraising for local charities and are already underway with their first event for the Anthony Seddon Fund.

“We are trying to fundraise for more local charities,” Aimee added. “We are doing a 5k run in fancy dress on October 20, a bungee jump in November and a 10k next March, which we have opened up for people to be part of team Missing Pieces.”

Missing Pieces, while a new group, comes equipped with a lot of expertise in the area and a desire to break the stigmas and taboos.

For anyone wanting to join but still feeling unsure about reaching out, the Missing Pieces guys offered advice, saying: “Just take the leap.

“It is amazing how many people have been in the same place. We are such a non-judgmental page and chat, so just take the step as it will be such a weight off your shoulders.

“If you say you’re not doing well, we are there for you. One piece at a time.”

To find out more about the group, head to the links below for their social media pages and WhatsApp group –

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/share/GCzNFsbVHzwNc5FC/

 

WhatsApp Community Support Group –

https://chat.whatsapp.com/CK02tRgEyV7JzbfifrxEYx

Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/missing_pieceuk/profilecard/?igsh=MWtweDQycTBhbGJzbQ==