A CHARITY is launching a scheme as part of national Mental Health Awareness Week this week to award stars to Southampton businesses that show they are mental health friendly (May 12-18, 2025).
City Council-supported Southampton Mental Health Network is asking residents and workers to nominate companies they feel go above and beyond to create kind environments and to promote good mental health.
Spearheading the initiative is Southampton Mental Health Network co-founding member, and the first leader of its SMILE (Southampton Mental Illness Lived Experience) section, Saire Herschel-Clark. She says: “I first thought of the idea of awarding businesses and individuals in the city with stars when I needed help during an episode at Sainsbury’s in Portswood last year. Staff were so kind and accommodating.
“The experience was so reassuring I thought that if other businesses did the same, I’d feel more confident being out and about and I could also recommend them to friends and other members of SMILE and Southampton Mental Health Network too.
“After discussing it further with the Network’s Trustees, everyone thought it was a great idea to create an official scheme where people could nominate businesses, places and even individuals who they thought deserved praise for their positive and kind approach to mental health and were beacons for fostering good mental well-being in Southampton. To launch our Stars for Stars initiative, we’ve given our first award to the Make & Brew community café in Shirley. It was nominated by several of our members for creating a kind, accepting and welcoming space.”
Southampton Mental Health Network, which is on a mission to help the city become mental health friendly, is now asking people who live and work in the city to get in touch to put forward firms to see if they do deserve a star.
Chair of the charity’s Board of Trustees, Sue Hayward, who is also a Mental Health Educator and Trainer, explains: “We have Stars for Stars details on our website news area where people can fill in and submit a brief form, or people can get in touch to receive one, to explain why they have nominated a particular business or person for their star quality.
“Each awarded star lasts for a year and would need to be reassessed again 12 months after the initial allocation. Visits and star allocations are free and being a member of Southampton Mental Health Network is not a qualifying factor for being considered for the scheme. We will however provide brief Stars for Stars guidelines, which will be shared with recipients, on how stars can be displayed and mentioned in print, on websites and in social media. Our stars will be designed up to include the date when presented too.”
Southampton Mental Health Network aims to create welcoming spaces for discussion, be understanding and supportive of those living with mental health challenges, boost wellbeing and improve knowledge and awareness in the city.
It became publicly active in 2019 and, with more than 100 member organisations involved in its development, became a charity in September 2022.
Working together, these organisations want to make Southampton a mental wellbeing friendly city, ensuring equality, diversity and inclusion for all.
Southampton Mental Health Network aims to create welcoming spaces for discussion, be understanding and supportive of those living with mental health challenges, boost wellbeing and improve knowledge and awareness in the city.
Sue continues: “As an organisation we’re looking at ways we can collectively collaborate to help make our city a happier place where everyone can thrive. It’s all about how we work together, how we behave towards each other and what we value as residents and workers in our city.
“We’re always looking for more people to join our Network to help make Southampton a mental health friendly city, ensuring equality, diversity and inclusion for all. Individuals, aged 18 plus, living or working within postcodes SO14-19 and representatives of organisations supporting residents or those working in the city of Southampton can join for an annual membership* fee of just £2 per person.”
For further details about Southampton Mental Health Network and its Stars for Stars award scheme, please visit www.SMHN.org.uk.
