News reports located on this page = 3.

The UK's Press Regulator IMPRESS is heading to Southport!

IN our previous edition we announced a unique event for the North West of England, that is due to be run on Merseyside, in Southport's Bijou Cinema, on Post Office Ave (PR9 0US.) On 11 March 2020, IMPRESS, the UK's independent press regulator, will be holding an interactive talk, with question and answer session at the Bijou Cinema, Southport, followed by a showing of the film:- 'All the President's Men.'

Representatives of IMPRESS who will be attending the event will be talking about raising standards and trust levels in the UK media; and how you, the public, can have a say. The evening event is open to all members of the public, who have an interest in how the media is regulated within the UK and also what you can do, should you feel you have been misrepresented. They will also be looking at the impact of fake news on society and how we can all help to stop it. Tickets are just ₤5 and if not sold out, they will be available on the door on the night. As seats are limited, to avoid disappointment, you can buy tickets online via Ticket Source. Or in person, from the venue, at:- Bijou Cinema, 8 Post Office Ave, Southport, PR9 0US.

This is your chance to learn about the work that IMPRESS carries out to set out standards for the journalism industry, and how the public can benefit from their services and engage with them; as well as to see a cinema classic celebrating the best of investigative journalism.

The public event will start at 7:30 pm with doors opening at 6:00 pm. Some parts of the event will be recorded and used as an educational piece, both online and offline. The talk, along with question and answer session, will run until 8:45 pm. Finally, we will close with a screening of the 1976 Watergate classic:- 'All the President's Men' at 9:00 pm (run time: 2 hours 18 minutes). Age limit due to film, is 15. The bar will be available from 7:00 pm to 10:45 pm for drinks, including coffee and tea.

However, we can now announce that for educational establishments, students and also charities, like St John Ambulance, Southport Lifeboat, Samaritan's and other charities who have to deal with the press, can attend a free specially designed workshop and presentation event in the afternoon. Due to limited space, educational groups will be given priority for booking. To book, you must contact VAMPHire.com via email to:- info@vamphire.com. Those attending the day time event, must be in school uniform or have ID on them from the educational establishment or charity they are with. We only have 75 seats available, so do not delay in booking your places. This is a unique opportunity, and we are extremely grateful to IMPRESS for giving us this opportunity. This event will take place from 1 pm to 4 pm, at the Bijou Cinema, on 11 March 2020.

If you are unaware of who IMPRESS are and what they do, IMPRESS regulates more than 130 independent online and print publications in the UK, including a publication within Southport. They work with journalists and publishers to ensure that their journalism flourishes in the digital age, by providing them with the support and protection they need to publish accurate, high quality news. They also provide the public with effective processes to make complaints and get redress where needed. For more information about IMPRESS please visit:- IMPRESS.Press or follow them on Twitter.

The film... 'All the President's Men' is a fantastic film is based on the real life story of the 2 reporters, from the Washington Post, Woodward (played by Robert Redford) and Bernstein (played by Dustin Hoffman), who wouldn't give up on the story of the Watergate break in. As they investigate they soon discover a White House link that ends in the "Watergate affair." You will also find out what the connection to this film is and what is going on in the world of journalism today!

Both the afternoon event and the evening event are being hosted and run by VAMPHire.Com, a website that provides media and arts support services.

**Fear of 'awkward conversations' means people are losing out on mental health support from loved ones**

NEW figures released on:- 'Time to Talk Day,' 6 February 2020, reveal the impact of the nation's aversion to talking about mental health. Time to Change, the mental health anti stigma campaign, surveyed over 4,000 UK adults; just under 1 in 4 people in the North West said they would put off speaking to a friend who is struggling with their mental health to avoid an awkward conversation. When asked why people would put off having a conversation about mental health, the top reasons in the North West were: they didn't feel they knew enough about the topic to be any help, were worried about what they might hear and preferred to keep things light hearted' when chatting with friends and family. The data suggests that an individual's own worries and concerns could hold them back from being there for friends or loved ones. Time to Change is urging everyone to use 'Time to Talk Day' as an opportunity to stop avoiding or delaying important conversations that could change someone's life. Elsewhere, the survey further highlighted people's reluctance to talk about mental health in the North West. 46% said they would prefer not to tell anyone if they were struggling with their mental health; even if it would help to talk. And 37% people said keeping a stiff upper lip; not talking about mental health or emotions; is still important.

Jo Loughran, Director of Time to Change, said:- "It's not an overstatement to say that having a conversation about mental health could change someone's life. It's vital that we don't avoid or delay these important conversations because of our own worries. You don't need to have all the answers; if someone close to you is struggling, just being there will mean a lot. The more we all talk about mental health, the more we can remove the fear and awkwardness. This Time to Talk Day we're urging everyone to take action on 1 day when thousands of others will be doing the same and continue that conversation throughout the year."

To encourage open conversations about mental health and to address the concerns highlighted in the research, Time to Change has compiled some helpful tips for talking..

► Ask questions and listen:- "How does it affect you?" or "What does it feel like?"

► Think about the time and place; sometimes it's easier to talk side by side. Try chatting while doing something else, like walking.

► Don't try and fix it; resist the urge to offer quick fixes, often listening is enough.

Time to Talk Day was established 7 years ago to encourage more open conversations about the topic of mental health. 25% of people experience mental health problems and talking about the issue helps to break down the stigma and discrimination that many people still face; making it easier for everyone to benefit from the support of those around them. Across the nation, thousands of people, including:- celebrities; politicians; high street organisations and Schools are set to take part in'Time to Talk Day' on 6 February 2020. Many supporters are finding creative ways to get talking; from a bowling competition in Liverpool, to a:- 'chatty bus' tour of Blackpool. Nearly 4,000 more workplaces and thousands of Schools and community groups will take part. PG tips will help facilitate chats by donating free cups of tea to around ½ the offices in the UK via their hot drinks machines. This is in addition the donation of thousands of PG Tips tea bags made available as part of a:- 'chatter box' full of resources for supporters. Time to Talk Day was established by Time to Change, the mental health anti stigma campaign run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness. This year, the events spans the UK and Ireland as Time to Change partners with See Me Scotland, Change Your Mind Northern Ireland, Time to Change Wales and See Change in Ireland. Join in the conversation on Twitter via using the hashtag:- '#timetotalk' and for information and to get involved in:- 'Time to Talk Day' visit:- Time-To-Change.Org.UK.