Moonpig and Danilo are among those in the greeting card industry to have got behind Mental Health Awareness week with their own respective bouts of activity.
Yesterday (May 20) Moonpig launched an awareness campaign to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week (May 18-24), encouraging Brits to find their voice, to reach out to people who may be struggling, and to ‘see the hidden message’ when it comes to communicating with friends and family.
As part of this, the online card retailer and publisher is offering 25,000 free postcards – 5,000 per day for five days – to encourage people to say the things that matter. Using the APPFREEPC voucher code on the app, members of the public can send a free postcard to anyone they feel needs support. The code will be live until Sunday 24 May, limited to one per person. The free postcards, designed by Moonpig in-house designer Chloe Allum are available on the Moonpig app on this link here. The free postcards are part of a new Just to Say postcard range that has just been launched by Moonpig to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week.
As Sarah-Jane Porter, head of cards at Moonpig summed up: “Written messages allow us to pour our emotions onto paper without any pressure. It’s easier to express feelings, concerns and care – things that many might feel uncomfortable saying out loud in person.”
As she quite rightly reminds us: “They say a face can tell a thousand stories, but when we can’t see our loved ones in person it’s much harder to know what is going on with them, let alone in their heads. Many of us have grown quite used to video calls by now, but expressing how you feel can sometimes be difficult.” She adds that the free postcards will hopefully go some way to help people feel more comfortable to express the things that matter, and reach out to each other.
Danilo has also got behind promoting Mental Health Awareness Week by championing the work of Charlotte Reed, creator of May the Thoughts Be With You, which the publisher licences for greeting cards and calendars. Based on Charlotte’s hand-drawn illustrations coupled with uplifting philosophical messages which have been inspired by her own journey out of depression, what started as part of her own self-therapy has become a recognisable brand which offers help and hope to many.
Every day this week Charlotte is sharing an illustration on the theme of kindness. As she said: “In my opinion kindness is the most important personality trait to have. Being kind and helping others can actually save lives as your act of generosity can make someone feel less alone in a dark place. What’s more, helping others has a positive effect on your own mental health too – it improves our quality of life and helps bring communities together.”
With kindness being such a key message of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week activity, as well as spreading the love on social media, with so many retailers closed, Danilo is offering consumers a 20% discount on all its cards via the website by quoting the code ‘Kindness2020’.
The blog also includes kindness ideas as well as helpful links to mental health charities and advice lines.
As featured recently on PG Buzz, the Mental Health Collective has launched a #KindnessByPost initiative which saw thousands and thousands send and receive cards to complete strangers to stave off the feelings of loneliness and encourage a feeling of wellbeing (https://www.pgbuzz.net/kindness-by-post-movement-sees-secret-santa-card-sending-stave-off-loneliness-and-help-improve-mental-health/)
Such was the incredible response of this ‘everyday secret santa’ card sending to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week, registration for another #KindnessByPost card exchange has opened up which more people can share messages of encouragement across the UK during lockdown.
You can sign up on the website for free (https://www.kindnessbypost.org/) to send a card or letter with a message of encouragement to someone you don’t know, and have someone allocated to send a card or letter to you.
As Dr Amy Pollard, founder of the Mental Health Collective said: “We know that the cards and letters people have been receiving have made a huge difference. Over four thousand people have taken part so far. They’ve sent the most incredible messages and brought smiles, warmth and happy tears to doorsteps the length and breadth of the country. It’s Mental Health Awareness Week this week and the theme is ‘kindness’ – so what better time to reach out to others and spread some positive vibes.”
Watch the #KindnessByPost video to better understand how it works.
Top: Some of the postcard designs from Moonpig.
