CPSL Mind launches ‘Side By Side’ Podcast on Time To Talk Day 2026

Local mental health charity Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and South Lincolnshire (CPSL) Mind is launching a new podcast in partnership with the Citizen Hub on Time To Talk Day 2026, Thursday 5^th February.

Time to Talk Day is the nation’s biggest mental health conversation. It’s a day for all of us to come together to talk, listen and change lives.

This new Side By Side podcast offers the opportunity to have conversations about mental health and wellbeing at a level local and to campaign against the stigma and discrimination faced by so many people experiencing mental health challenges.

The Citizen Hub’s values align closely with CPSL Mind’s own mission. Citizen Hubs are vital social infrastructure that drives positive, lasting change. The team create trusted, locally-led spaces that bring together citizens, local businesses and services under one roof. The Citizen Hub helps to create the right conditions for communities to thrive by providing support, guidance, opportunity, and a sense of belonging.

The first podcast episode released on Time To Talk Day covers the topic of Men’s Mental Health and welcomes guest speakers Gary Clarke and Allan Hughes to the Citizen Hub studio.

Gary worked as a Prison Officer for over 30 years and has become a highly respected mental health advocate in Cambridgeshire, having openly shared about his own mental health challenges. Over the years, he has helped to support the wellbeing of local people and opened the Andy’s Man Club group in Huntingdon. He now supports dads across Cambridgeshire in his Perinatal Project Dads Worker role at CPSL Mind.

Allan Hughes has worked closely with Gary in his role as Co-Production Lead at CPSL Mind to understand how CPSL Mind can create and deliver support for Dads in Cambridgeshire.

On the episode, Gary said: “Life’s tough – the cost-of-living and the way things are makes things really hard, but we’ve still got that old fashioned approach where the man must provide and we’re trying to break that taboo. It’s about being the best you can be and it’s not about the best that someone thinks you can be.”

You can watch the Men’s Mental Health Episode in full on CPSL Mind’s YouTube channel on Time To Talk Day.

The need for services like this is real and urgent. Over 39% of new fathers have actively wanted support for their mental health (Mental Health Foundation, 2018). At one time or another, half of men in the UK have experienced poor mental health, yet only 24% say they would talk to their friends about it (Bupa, 2019). These figures highlight how important it is to create safe, supportive spaces for dads to open up and access help when they need it.

CPSL Mind’s Perinatal Service now offers dedicated mental health and wellbeing support for fathers across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire, with group sessions and 1-to-1 support available. For more information about the service, visit: https://www.cpslmind.org.uk/dads-matter-new-support-group-for-fathers/

Ashley Bunn, Chief Executive of CPSL Mind, said: “We are delighted to have partnered with the Citizen Hub to raise awareness of mental health support in our local communities to ensure people can access timely support. Time To Talk Day is a reminder to check in with someone, ask if they’re ok, and ask again. We all have a role to play in starting important conversations, whether that’s in the workplace, in your local community, or at home. Thank you for supporting our campaign.”

Co-host Alex Hughes, Founder at the Citizen Hub, said: “These conversations are not only timely, but they are also important. Raw and real discussion about mental health. Thank you to CPSL Mind for all they are doing for our communities, and the Citizen Hub team are grateful for our collaboration.”

1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health challenge in any given year. It’s therefore really important to know where to seek help.

Co-host Olivia Hubbard, Communications and Engagement Manager at CPSL Mind, said: “Talking openly and honestly can be the first step towards better mental health for everyone. It can reduce stigma and help people feel comfortable enough to seek help when they need it. A huge thank you to The Citizen Hub and to everyone who has been involved in the Side By Side podcast we are really excited to share more content over the coming months.”

CPSL Mind runs a number of local services, such as its Good Life Service that includes peer support groups, Good Mood Cafes and Calm Spaces. The charity also has a dedicated perinatal service for new parents, and its Sanctuary referral service provides a safe space for people experiencing a mental health crisis.

During 2024/25, CPSL Mind supported more than 8,000 local people.

CPSL Mind Supports approximately 160 people per week in the community at its Good Mood Cafes and in the past year has engaged with 197 individuals through its perinatal services.

The CPSL Mind team will be at Cambridge United Football Club on 14^th February to raise awareness of its campaign and The Cambridge United Foundation has shown their support for the campaign.

Sam Carrington, Mental Health Officer at Cambridge United Foundation joins a future podcast episode sharing how the Foundation is supporting young people. He says, “Mind Your Head is an award-winning programme with two simple targets; we want to develop young people’s understanding of mental health, acknowledge changes with their own mental health and improve their confidence to have conversations around mental health.

Initially, the programme was focused on informing and educating young people on what mental health and wellbeing is, and what may impact their mental health. Now, we are moving the programme forward with a focus on recognising the signs, symptoms, and triggers of mental health, both individually and within their peer groups.

The target audience for the programme is Year 8 and 9 students, providing them with the knowledge of how to manage their mental wellbeing before they experience the increase in school pressure during their GCSE’s and growing outside influences.

The hope for the programme is to take pressure off the NHS and schools and support young people with their mental health.”

CPSL Mind is encouraging people to start a conversation in your community. If you donate to CPSL Mind today, you will be helping the charity facilitate more conversations in its communities.

From sharing a post on social media using #TimeToTalk to organising an activity in your workplace or simply checking in with a friend or family member. There are lots of ways to get involved this Time to Talk Day.

Here are 7 ideas to get started:

1. Text a friend to ask how they’re doing.

2.Go for a walk and talk with a neighbour.

While there’s no right or wrong way to talk about mental health, Mind’s talking tips can help you have those all-important conversations.

For more guidance, see Mind’s pages on helping someone else seek help and opening up about your mental health.

Drop in to our weekly Good Mood Cafes in local cafes, outdoors or online via Zoom to connect with like-minded people in your community.

Anybody can experience crisis, for many different reasons and in many different ways. You may be overwhelmed by your emotions, feeling gripped by anxiety, hearing or seeing things that are frightening you or experiencing suicidal thoughts. Whatever your experience, it is nothing to be ashamed of and talking to someone could be the first step to feeling better.

In an emergency dial 999.

You can access the NHS First Response Service to speak with a mental health crisis team by calling 111 and selecting the mental health option.

Visit our Get Help Now page for a list of organisations and helplines that can help you.