Our collaboration with MHS (Mental Health and Support) Training and Consultancy Limited (a CITB approved trainer) launched our mental health and suicide prevention programme. We provide a valuable opportunity to enhance the wellbeing of all those we support. Our psychologist conducts one-to-one sessions to assess your mental wellbeing, as a problem shared is a problem halved, and we are here to listen. We provide all support and sign-posting.
Our mental health and suicide prevention programme is available to our service leavers and veterans and all those in industry. We can provide support to family members and all those affected by their mental health and by suicide.
Our mental health and suicide prevention programme is led by Bernie Graham.
Click here to hear Bernie speak about mental health at our recent Insight Day at RAF Cosford.
As part of your induction with BuildForce, we encourage you to attend our Transition Wellbeing Workshops (which are currently running virtually).
This interactive seminar discuses the stress associated with transitioning from the Armed Forces to life is civvy street. It explores the relationship between stress and mental health, enabling participants to recognise the signs/symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression and how this can affect their safety on site and at home. The session also provides evidence-based information and practical approaches for addressing these often difficult life issues, focusing on the following key areas:
You can access further support here.
This year, the 10th October 2024 is World Mental Health Day, the overall objective and theme this year is work place mental health. Each one of us can make a contribution to ensure that people living with mental illness can live better lives and with dignity.
On 9th October, BuildForce hosted the BuildForce Nationwide Insight Day sponsored by Morgan Sindall, in Harrogate where we provided a Wellbeing Hub, for our service leavers, veterans and employers, to give them time to focus on their mental health and wellbeing throughout the event. Our guest speaker was veteran Sally Orange MBE, who shared her own transition and mental health journey.
It is important to shine a light on mental health, to ensure every day is a good mental health day.
You can watch Bernie chat about the event, click here.
This year on 10 September we observe World Suicide Prevention Day, with a theme of rethinking how we talk about suicide to create a kinder society.
The majority of people who feel suicidal do not actually want to die – they just want the situation they’re in or the way they’re feeling to stop. Getting the right kind of support at the right time is so important.
Bernie Graham our Psychologist at BuildForce and Mental Health Lead shares his advice, to both those in need and those supporting.
To watch the full chat please click here.
13th May 2024 is the start of Mental Health Awareness Week. This annual event provides an ability to discuss mental health, with this year’s theme of movement. The BuildForce team are taking time to prioritise this.
Our chat, led by Bernie Graham and Angela Forbes speak with Sally Orange MBE, a Veteran, an endurance runner, adventure athlete and mental health campaigner, to understand the benefits of movement. The evidence shows that keeping physically fit can promote good mental health, however sometimes it is hard to find the motivation. Sally discusses her own journey with running, having completed over 80 marathons. A truly inspirational chat #mentalhealthawarenessweek
To watch the full chat, please click here.
Time to Talk Day on 1 February 2024. It’s the nation’s biggest mental health conversation. This year’s theme is to encourage people to really talk about how they feel. Sometimes it’s easier to tell people we’re ‘fine’ than it is to tell them what is actually going on. By talking about it, we can bust myths and break down barriers so everyone can feel comfortable talking about mental health, whenever they feel the need.
Bernie Graham and Angela Forbes chat with Gavin Bolger, Site Manager with Morgan Sindall, who shares his remarkable experience being injured whilst serving in the Armed Forces and his advice and coping strategies.
To watch the chat, please click here.
This year, the 10th October 2023 is World Mental Health Day, the overall objective and theme this year is Mental Health being a universal human right for everyone. Each one of us can make a contribution to ensure that people living with mental illness can live better lives and with dignity.
Earlier this year BuildForce proudly became an LGTB+ Committed employer, with a large number of the LGTB+ Veteran community suffering with their mental health, it’s a day which is important to observe to help find ways this can be addressed. To enlighten us, and to share their journey, we are joined by Fighting With Pride, military spouse Alex Meyrick, Veterans Community Worker for Greater London with the charity, and veteran Dougie Morgan, Veterans Community Worker.
To watch the full chat please click here.
This year, World Suicide Prevention Day, with a theme of creating hope through action, teaches us our actions, no matter how big or small, may provide hope to those who are struggling.
We are 20 years into this event, things have improved during that time, one such improvement is our own awareness and knowledge of mental health, how debilitating it can be, and through kindness and patience, the difference we can make to each other. Our chat, led by Angela Forbes, BuildForce Chief Exec, with Bernie Graham our Psychologist at BuildForce and Ryan Reese, Health & Safety Manager of VGC Group, who previously served with the Royal Navy. Bernie and Ryan share their own personal experiences with suicide prevention and what it means to them.
To watch the full chat please click here.
12th May 2023 is the start of Mental Health Awareness Week. This annual event provides a platform to share conversations around mental health, with this year’s theme of anxiety. The team at BuildForce are taking steps of raising awareness of the impact of anxiety, how to identify it and practical steps we can take to address it.
Our chat, led by Bernie Graham and Angela Forbes speak with military spouses Kathleen Cargill and Helen Bridle, to understand how anxiety affects our spousal community. Joined also by Caroline Logan and Alex Forbes, discussing their experience of being working professionals, balancing motherhood, stresses of life and the anxieties this raises. A fascinating conversation and incredible insight on how to identify and address anxiety #mentalhealthawarenessweek
To watch the full chat, please click here.
2nd February 2023 is #TimeToTalkDay. It is a day that friends, families, communities, and workplaces come together to have the nation’s biggest mental health conversation.
The theme this year is about making space in your day, to have a conversation about mental health. Bernie Graham and Angela Forbes chat to Veteran Andy Hill about his life experiences and the impact it took on his mental health. A remarkable journey, devastating losses and the power of talking #mentalhealth
Click here to watch the chat.
This year, World Mental Health Day theme is for mental health & well-being becoming a global priority for all. Sadly, Stigma and discrimination continue to be a barrier, however we can all play our part in increasing awareness about which interventions and good practice works. World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to do that collectively, to be vocal about what we do, to safeguard and protect our mental health and wellbeing.
Our chat led by Bernie Graham and Angela Forbes, with the BuildForce team for the Bath half-marathon: Caroline Logan, Moamen Al-Gawwam, Neil Dalton, Adam Hill and Ben Nickels, share their own personal experiences with mental health and what it means to them.
To watch the full chat please click here.
9th May 2022 is the start of Mental Health Awareness Week. This annual event provides a platform to share conversations around mental health, with this year’s theme being loneliness. The team at BuildForce are taking steps of raising awareness of the impact of loneliness, how to identify it and practical steps we can take to address it.
Our chat, led by Bernie Graham and Angela Forbes speak with Rebecca Brisley and Anthony Brisley. Rebecca recently penned an incredible note on LinkedIn, sharing the experience of her husband, ex-Royal Marine, Anthony and his experience with loneliness. A fascinating conversation and incredibly insightful on how to identify and address loneliness #mentalhealthawarenessweek
To watch the full chat, please click here.
This year, the World Mental Health Day theme is mental health in an unequal world. Although, we have all been impacted by the pandemic, we have not been affected equally. COVID-19 has highlighted how inequalities in our society can have real consequences for people’s health. Those from deprived areas, those unemployed, those from minorities can have lower access to the support services for common mental health issues. Our chat, led by Angela Forbes, BuildForce Chief Exec, with Bernie Graham our Psychologist at BuildForce and Ben Nickels, now a reservist, who previously served with the Parachute Regiment. Bernie and Ben share their own personal experiences with mental health and what it means to them.
To watch the full chat please click here.
On 10th September each year we observe World Suicide Prevention Day. It’s a growing problem and the numbers tell a shocking story. Every year organisations and communities around the world come together to raise awareness of how we can create a world where fewer people die by suicide. Each year has a different theme and focus to bring to light a specific aspect of suicide prevention with this years’ theme Creating Hope Through Action. The aim is to instil light in those who have been touched by the darkness of suicide and self-harm. To highlight that our actions no matter how big or small, may provide hope to those who are struggling. And that we can overcome feelings of hopelessness, and it is possible not only to survive but also to thrive in life.
The discussion, led by Angela Forbes, who welcomes Bernie Graham, our Psychologist at BuildForce and Roger Morton, Group Change Director at Vistry with a 25 year career in the Armed Forces including Commanding Officer at Sandhurst, to share their experiences.
Please click here to watch the video.
