The mental health charity Norfolk and Waveney Mind spoke to the club during Mental Health Awareness Week.
The Norfolk and Waveney branch wants to raise awareness and reduce stigma surrounding mental health, with their aims and vision ensuring that nobody faces a mental health problem alone.
The charity wants those in the area to know that they are here to serve and be the voice of mental health.
Sonja Chilvers, chief operating officer of the independent organisation, said: “It’s important as an organisation that we recognise we are not the experts in everything – we know where the gaps are for individuals and our mission is to make sure those gaps are no longer there.”
The COO has also been involved in organising a drop-in session for staff at Carrow Road, saying: “\[the drop-in session\] is about having an avenue for the staff base and creating the opportunity for people to come along to access support that they need.”
Director of strategy and business development Ashley Bunn is also keen to spread awareness of the work the organisation is doing, saying: “There are so many statistics that people are unaware of.
“One that resonates with me is that 84% of people suffer with mental health in their lifetime. There are so many arms to what we’re doing, and we want people to know that we’re here always at any stage in your journey.”
The theme of this week’s activation is loneliness, something that affects more people than most people realise. Sonja said: “Loneliness isn’t a physical thing – it can still be felt by those surrounded by others.
“We want people to know that you are not alone, and we have plenty of services available, such as telephone support or a walk-in hub open to anybody who may need help.”
Sonja added: “We’ve had a 47% increase on services we provide since COVID, so we are more than overdue the time to be breaking down barriers. It’s okay not to be okay.”
To find out more about Norfolk and Waveney Mind, visit their website here or call their support services on 0300 330 5488.