The Duke and Duchess
of Cambridge interrupted all of the UK’s radio stations on Friday morning
to share an important message in honour of Mental Health Awareness Week.
William and Kate apologized for the interruption as they took to the airwaves
of more than 500 stations and called on the nation to “lift someone out
of loneliness”.
In the 60-second broadcast for
this year’s Mental Health Minute, the couple started by introducing themselves
before William said: “We can all feel lonely sometimes… we can feel it for
many different reasons.”
“But we can all help each
other feel less isolated and more connected,” Kate continued.
“If you think someone you
know might be feeling lonely, just give them a ring, send them a text or knock
on the door,” the Duchess suggested. “Maybe suggest meeting for a
coffee or a walk,” William added.
“Because these small acts
of kindness can make a big difference and help us all feel less lonely,”
Kate said. The future King then concluded: “So, apologies for interrupting
every radio station in the country.”
“But, if we interrupt the lives of those who are feeling alone…” Kate said, as William added: “We can help lift them out of loneliness.”
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| The royals called on the nation to “lift someone out of loneliness” |
The royal couple have long
campaigned on mental health issues and have featured in the Mental Health
Minute broadcast before. But this year, for the first time, they were the sole
speakers.
The theme of this year’s Mental
Health Awareness Week is loneliness, which is affecting more and more
people in the UK, and has had a huge impact on the nation’s physical and mental
wellbeing during the pandemic. New research coinciding with the message showed
that more than one in 10 young people feel lonely often or always, making them
the loneliest of all age groups, according to Community Life Survey data.
Earlier this week, William
and Kate travelled to Scotland where they visited the University of
Glasgow and spoke to students about their mental health and wellbeing during
the pandemic, including those whose studies include mental health research and
who are members of the University’s Society for Mental Health.
