Spotlight UK and Basingstoke Amateur Theatre Society team up to share message during Mental Health Awareness Week

TO mark Mental Health Awareness Month in May, Spotlight UK and Basingstoke Amateur Theatre Society (BATS) have teamed up to create a film to reflect the challenges of young people. The project was spearheaded by Spotlight's own Louisa Riley, founder of the Body Positivity Campaign for the charity.

After watching BATS lockdown fundraising cover of ‘You Will Be Found’ from ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ in December 2020, Louisa reached out asking if the team would help create a video to help her to tell her story.

She has struggled with her own mental health for years and said she often found it difficult to get the vital support that she needed. Now she wants to use the trauma from her own past to help others.

She said: “My campaign speaks for anyone and everyone who has or is experiencing mental health struggles. For anyone who is walking a terrifying lonely path.

"I want to reach out and remind them that no matter how far gone they believe they are or how lonely they feel that I am listening.

"This campaign pulled me out of that treacherous place, and I realised that I needed to use my hurt, my trauma, and my damage to make a difference.”

The charity says that by sharing this video, people will also raise much-needed funds as well as awareness of the mental health struggles faced by thousands of young people.

The money raised will go towards Spotlight UK services, which provide mental health support to young people by building confidence, self-esteem and resilience.

The charity's activities include mentoring, counselling, a sports academy, dance classes, Youth Social Action Support and mentoring in schools, as well as other services across Newbury and the surrounding areas.

For more information about Spotlight and its services, contact 01256 242330 or email admin@spotlightuk.org

To donate to the charity click here.