How you can support mental health at summer music festival

A charity music festival is set to be held to raise awareness of mental health issues.
Caz Lamb who launched Break the Silence.Caz Lamb who launched Break the Silence.
Caz Lamb who launched Break the Silence.

Break the Silence is working with people in both South Tyneside and Gateshead to bring together the event on August 17.

Founder of Break The Silence, which carries out music events across the region to promote mental health issues, Caz Lamb, said lots of bands have already been lined up for the family friendly event.

Eddy Popescu as Elvis.Eddy Popescu as Elvis.
Eddy Popescu as Elvis.
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She said: “The Break the Silence Festival is about raising awareness and aiming to dispel stigma in mental health.

“A live music festival for all to enjoy.

“The message is that it is okay to speak out and share if you’re suffering from depression or any other mental health issue.

“We feel very strongly that we can save lives by encouraging people to speak out without being stigmatised.”

Mars - a Bruno Mars Tribute performer.Mars - a Bruno Mars Tribute performer.
Mars - a Bruno Mars Tribute performer.

Caz said there will be a section of the event called Young Break the Silence, where young singers from South Tyneside and Gateshead will be performing on the stage.

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She said: “We feel its most important to get the message across to our young people as well.

“We are dealing with an epidemic of young people struggling with their mental health. We try to encourage young people to share their experiences and try to help each

other by becoming involved in performing.”

Planet Abba who will be performing at the Break the Silence Festival.Planet Abba who will be performing at the Break the Silence Festival.
Planet Abba who will be performing at the Break the Silence Festival.

Acts lined up for the festival include Planet Abba, an Abba tribute act, Mars, a Bruno Mars tribute act, Elvis by Eddy Popescu, Blind Man B, Three Odd Shoes and This Ground Moves.

Caz said: “We have organised many events across the region and all of our musicians have donated their time and talent to our fundraisers.”

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Break the Silence, which is a Community Interest Company, is also running a crowdfunding event with the hope of raising £18,000.

As well as the live music, the festival will also have areas where people can talk about mental health, helping them to help others, quite areas, a number of mental health groups and holistic therapy.

Band This Ground Moves which will be taking part in the Break the Silence Festival.Band This Ground Moves which will be taking part in the Break the Silence Festival.
Band This Ground Moves which will be taking part in the Break the Silence Festival.

Caz said: “We know from the amount of people we talk to who struggle to get help – it’s now a postcode lottery whether people get the help they need.

“I have suffered with my mental health from being a teenager and struggled with little or no help until 18 years ago. It took me 25 years to get the help I needed and luckily have been well since.

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“My brother, who took his own life when he was 30, didn’t get that help and hid the fact that he was ill and had been hospitalised.”

The festival will take place at Quarry Stables Fields, Wardley Lane and for more information visit www.breakthesilencefestival.co.uk.