Okehampton's Community Links launched the new Okehampton and North Dartmoor Mental Health Charter on Wednesday (June 12) to help improve wellbeing and reduce mental health stigma.

The charter invites organisations from across the region to sign up to help create a supportive and understanding environment for employees and customers and provide help for anyone struggling with their mental health. Signatories will receive a sticker to display in workplaces and shopfronts to advertise their commitment to the charter, and staff members will receive mental health training.

The hope is that this will support people within organisations and encourage clients and customers to seek support from businesses that have signed the charter.

Director of Community Links, Mary Lovell, said: "I think it is a taboo subject and it affects everybody. I think it's important to think about the nature of mental health difficulties. So you may have a diverse mental health illness, but more commonly, something might have happened in your life, like a relationship breakdown, bereavement, children who are struggling at school or something like that. It still causes difficulties.

"From a business point of view, this is your colleagues, customers, or clients, everybody you come into contact with. We never know, either; we're very good at covering up and saying: 'No, I'm fine." But sometimes, the way we ask a question brings out a little bit more, and having short conversations can make a massive difference.

"I think there will be tangible benefits. If your colleagues feel supported at work, they may have less time off sick, or if you know that particular business is approachable, they might shop there instead of somewhere else. That's the whole point about having a logo: it makes it visible."

Currently, the charter is focused on providing information and training for businesses. However, Community Links, alongside the Devon Mental Health Alliance, North Dartmoor Primary Care Network and West Devon CVS, plans to extend the charter to include schools.

Working with the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust, plans are in place to rewrite the charter to make it more accessible to children and young people.

For more information or to sign the charter, click here.