The aim is to get as many people as possible across England talking about mental health. By joining together on one day, we can break the silence that often surrounds mental health, and show that talking about this once-taboo issue doesn’t need to be difficult.

The aim of Time to Talk Day is to get as many people as possible across England talking about mental health. By joining together on one day, we can break the silence that often surrounds mental health, and show that talking about this once-taboo issue doesn’t need to be difficult. With tens of thousands of individuals and hundreds of organisations speaking out together at the same time, we can make a huge impact and show that it really is time to talk.

Those of you who know my story will know how important raising awareness for mental health issues is to me. (Make sure to check out my article Baking My Way Out Of Depression.)

When I first started baking and long before I started blogging, I was suffering very badly with depression and anxiety. I was on strong medication and I really couldn’t see a way out. I didn’t talk to anyone about my mental health. I didn’t want sympathy, I just wanted to ‘get on with it.’

But I was wrong.

Talking to someone is the most important thing. If it’s a friend, a loved one, a colleague, it doesn’t matter. You can’t keep things bottled up and expect them to go away. I wish I had known that sooner, then maybe I wouldn’t have gone through years of medicated heartbreak.

1 in 4 of us will have a mental health problem. That’s an awful lot. It isn’t something to shy away from. The more we talk about what’s going on in our heads the better. It’s time to break down any barrier, get rid of any stigma and just have a chat.

When I had depression, I can remember being in college and a friend of a friend telling people she had been diagnosed with bi-polar. This was over 10 years ago and it wasn’t spoken about very much at all then. No one knew what to do, what to say. But that’s the thing, you don’t have to say anything specific. I’ve had a few people approach me over the years who knew me when I was at my lowest and openly admit ‘we didn’t know what to say.’ Little did they know a simple ‘are you ok?’ and a good cup of tea would have been a great start.

Now, years later, I want to help change the way mental health is spoken about and break down any stigma attached to it. I’ve worked with Time to Change in a few campaigns now, such as their Small Things campaign last year and now Time To Talk Day 2016 with Good Morning Britain. I’m very proud to be doing stuff with this fantastic charity.

My partner, Tim, is the person I can talk to about anything. It doesn’t matter if it’s big and emotional or small and trivial, he listens. Sometimes, he knows there’s nothing he can say to help and that’s great too, just getting it out in the open is usually enough. But, we look at what’s going on and try to do something about it.

So, take the opportunity today to start a conversation. Sit down with a friend, send them a text, show up at their door with a pack of custard creams, it’s up to you. It all starts with those three little words:

“How are you?”

You’re not a burden, you’re not being awkward, you’re not alone. You are you and you are amazing.

Britt xo

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One of the biggest parts of my recovery was baking, and one of the first projects I did was making a cake for the Depressed Cake Shop promo back in 2013. You can read more about The Depressed Cake Shop and my involvement with them here.

Amazing bakers and volunteers all over the world run ‘pop up’ cake shops to raise awareness of mental health issues as well as raising money for mental health charities! Sharon Manship, who runs Depressed Cake Shop – Medway was putting on just such a treat extravaganza at Canterbury Christ Church University Medway Campus to raise money for the charity Mind. I really wanted to go along and help, chat to people about the project and show my support.

With cupcakes, cakes, cake pops and cookies all on offer, the stall looked amazing and it was so good chatting with the students and faculty at the university about mental health and how baking can help – it certainly helped me. It was such a fun day and I want to thank Sharon for organising such a great event and to Jacqueline, fellow Canadian who chatted with people and got them involved with the Mind Apples Tree! In total, the pop up raised over £80 for Mind.

Britt xo

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After being medicated for most of my adult life I’m thrilled to say that today marks two years being off any and all anti-depressants.

After mum died, I was told I would be on strong medication for the rest of my life, just to be stable and to be able to carry on.

I proved them all wrong.

Through my baking, my blogging and the love and support from my friends, loved ones and my darling Tim, I have never been happier. The last eleven years have been hard and I’ll be honest, I didn’t think I would make it out alive.

But here I am. Stronger than ever. I know my mum would be smiling today.

Thank you to everyone reading this for your constant belief and support in me.

Love, Britt xoxo

You can read my full story here – Baking My Way Out Of Depression.

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I am honoured to say I have been working with the Depressed Cake Shop since January 2013 and the hard work that each and every person puts into it both astounds and amazes me. Valerie, whom I am seeing in Los Angeles, is nothing short of amazing. This lady works tirelessly non-stop and has made the cause her mission and I am proud to be working alongside her.

I wanted to share my DCS journey with you all. Back in January 2013, I saw this tweet;

I hadn’t been baking long and it was only two years after my Pudsey cake, but I really wanted to help. I was on very strong anti-depressants and even tried to end my life. Baking was the only thing that made me happy so to combine the two to raise money for mental health charities was something I was desperate to get involved in.

I tweeted back saying I wanted to make a cake for the cause. The following day I donned my apron, kneaded some black and grey icing and created a torn and cracked cake that was rainbow sponge inside. I took a scribe and carved the words “I’m Fine” on the top. How many times had I said that and not meant it?

This cake was exactly how I felt on a bad day. Cracked, torn, broken and unable to tell anyone how I really felt. Making this cake gave me the confidence to talk about my own mental health.

I sent in my picture and was amazed to see it had been used as part of the campaign and a few months later was on the Daily Mail website –

What is the origin of the Depressed Cake Shop?

In the summer of 2012 Emma Thomas, a creative director and p.r. specialist in the United Kingdom, conceived a project called the Depressed Cake Shop. One in four people will suffer from mental health issues at some point in their lives. The Depressed Cake Shop was created as a unique (and delicious) platform to raise awareness and discuss these issues while raising money for local mental health charities.

Emma’s brief was very specific — the cakes had to be grey, but could have a pop of color to symbolise hope. Her astute intuition was that this would ensure that the concept stood out from the countless charity fundraisers that take place each year.

It was very successful and garnered attention throughout the United Kingdom. It also created an active community of bakers and organizers who joined a Facebook group and were inspired to create pop-ups of their own.

Then, something magical happened. The concept did not end with that first pop-up, the bakers and organizers kept going. Shops popped up in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Glasgow, Houston, Seattle, Kuala Lumpur, Atlanta, Australia and India (just to name a few).

Many of the cakes were designed and donated by bakers who had personal experience with depression, and they used their creations to express their struggles with and experiences of their illnesses. Others were compelled to join because they had seen friends and family members suffering and wanted to be part of a solution. The committed co-conspirators who have kept the Depressed Cake Shop movement alive are continually looking for new opportunities to change the conversation around mental health one grey cake at a time.

Last year, I was interviewed by Woman’s Own magazine (as above) and I told my story about depression, baking and how the Depressed Cake Shop came at such a perfect time. If I hadn’t picked up a mixing bowl and a wooden spoon, I doubt I would be here today writing these words. I am now 18 months clear of any and all anti-depressants and life couldn’t be better. To read more about my story and why I started baking in the first place, click here.

I am very proud to be part of this and I hope to continue to raise awareness of mental health issues. Every person I have met on this journey, everyone who has shared their story is a complete star and I am so grateful to know you all. I am in debt to all at the Depressed Cake Shop. I am amazed and thrilled just how far the concept has gone!

In honour of me going stateside to meet the DCS US family, I have created a Depressed Cake Shop Fudge recipe. With it’s trademark grey exterior and a pop of colour inside, these easy treats are perfect for your pop-up! You can find the recipe here.

I’d love to connect with you all, either on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Happy baking!

Britt. xo

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On Thursday 8 October, Time to Change launched their latest campaign to highlight the small things everyone can do to support someone who has a mental health problem. I’m very honoured to say that I was asked to take part in this campaign and feature in two videos raising awareness for mental health. No one should be ashamed of having a mental health problem, and no one should be ashamed of talking about mental health either.

As part of the campaign a brand new ad will be released that focuses on people sharing their first experience of talking about mental health and how that conversation has led to family and friends being able to give support.

There are lots of ways that you can get involved, whether it’s by sharing the campaign online using the hashtag #smallthings or ordering free materials to give out in your local community.

The campaign will run until late November so there’s plenty of time to get involved. Find out more here.

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