PEEBLES has its very own mental health champion, thanks to the See Me campaign.

Bridget Dickson is training with the national programme to put an end to discrimination and change public perception.

She currently works in the Cancer Research UK shop in the town’s High Street and now wants to bring the community together to get people talking about mental illnesses.

She told the Peeblesshire News: “I have worked for Cancer Research UK for quite some time, motivated by the death of my dad several years ago from a particularly vicious form of this disease.

“CRUK do an amazing job raising funds and awareness, and over the last few years, enormous steps have been taken to not only combat cancer but also prevent occurrence in the first place.

“After all, as we all know, one in three of us will be affected by cancer in our life time – but did you know that one in four of us will be affected by a mental health issue during our lives?

“This statistic may surprise many people, simply because there is a reluctance to discuss such things. There is a fear of appearing weak or simply being dismissed as “a bit miserable”.

“The lack of conversation leads to so many misunderstandings,” she added.

“I’m training to be a See Me Community Champion, to be able to go out into the community, raise awareness of mental health issues and help to put an end to the stigma that is so often attached to it.

“We all need to learn to talk and to listen to each other, to be non-judgemental and supportive.

“An easy way in Peebles to get together and share our stories is to walk and talk together, and it is my intention to organise a See Me walk through our beautiful countryside during which we can raise awareness of the existence of See Me and the work it does.”

Anyone interested in taking part on the mental health walk or wants to help tackle stigma in the area, contact bridget.dickson@seemescotland.org