Backtrack to Time to Talk Day one month ago, a national campaign run by Mind Charity in association with Rethink Mental Illness that aims to get people talking about mental health. It takes place annually on the 6th February. Put it in your diary for 2026.

Most of us find it easy to express appropriate and timely sympathy when someone has broken their leg or has a cold. It’s more difficult admittedly when an illness is serious. Mental health is just as important, sometimes more so, than physical health – the two are almost always entwined – yet approaching the topic continues to be a challenge for many.

It’s complicated, of course – there is stigma to deal with, a certain courage required in expressing oneself and/or one’s vulnerability, even sharing one’s feelings, especially if one is still trying to work these out, and particularly if they are shifting every day/minute, as can be the case with certain conditions. There are a multitude of other reasons too.

There is also an awareness, or anxiety, and a wealth of other issues from the other side, about timing, asking the right questions, responding in the right way and so much more. It’s all natural, to a multitude of degrees.

While these considerations are always important, indeed critical in some cases, starting the conversation and keeping it going is absolutely essential. There has been much progress in speaking about the subject, even in the relatively short time that this blog has been running, but we still need to achieve more, and together we can.

Focussed on resilience and positivity on Time To Talk day, The Fine Line Project ran a simple creative communication initiative. Armed with a basket full of kids’ scissors, a block of coloured paper and a rainbow of pens, we dropped into Mind Cambridge for an hour or so.

We then asked those who were willing to pick a colour, cut out a shape and write a few empowering words about mental health. The shop team, who posted their own notes too, alongside volunteers and shoppers, gave us permission to tape the sayings to the window.

It was heartening to see so many engage and how much care went into what they wrote. Amidst the notes there might have been a couple that could have sounded a touch negative to some, but in one case at least, that was prompted by a very recent loss.

The fact is we can never really know what is going on in other people’s minds, nor why, and so kindness, compassion and patience are key. The importance lies in both talking and creating an atmosphere of mindful, non-judgemental listening.

Here’s to sharing and caring and most of all, to keeping the mental health conversation going, not just on Time To Talk Day, but every day.

We’ve just set up a Fine Line Project account on BlueSky if you fancy connecting there. Our other social media account is on Instagram. Feel free to spread the word and thanks for acknowledging us in the process.

Thanks too for visiting and come back soon for more news.