Selby Times - May 2026

There’s no getting away from it – it’s been a chaotic time down in Westminster with too much focus on politics and not enough on the things that really matter. That’s why I want to focus my column this month on something that I know means a huge amount to people right across Selby – mental health. This month brings about ‘Mental Health Awareness Week’, which shines a spotlight on the importance of looking after our mental wellbeing. My central view on this is that we should normalise these conversations all year round, so nobody suffers in silence and those who struggle get the support they need. Unfortunately, poor mental health has become all the more common in recent years, with millions of people and families affected right across the country. There’s a significant chance that either you, one of your friends, or a member of your family has struggled with mental health recently. I want everyone reading this to know that they do not have to suffer alone, and that support is available both locally and nationally.

For too long, society has failed to deal with poor mental health effectively. Thousands of people have been let down by a system which too often viewed mental health issues as less pressing than physical problems. Throughout my time as Selby’s MP, I’ve spoken about the need to change this and deliver a fundamental shift in how we think about mental health, building on the work of fantastic local community groups like Andy’s Man Club.

The Government recognises that things need to change too. We’ve launched a once-in-a-generation, cross-government mental health strategy, which aims to deliver a real shift towards prevention. As this strategy rolls out, people will notice that treatment will be available earlier and faster, helping those with mental health conditions to live full lives and remain active in education, work, family life and their communities.

The Government wants to hear from everyone with a stake in getting mental health treatment right, including frontline staff, service providers and people with lived experience of mental health conditions. If you would like to put your ideas forward for the strategy, please get in touch with me via email on keir.mather.mp@parliament.uk and I can make sure that the Department of Health and Social Care hears your views.

The strategy will see record investment in mental health services and more mental health workers in the NHS than ever before. But it will also radically reform how we perceive mental health, finally giving it the attention it deserves whilst setting us on a new path – one that’s focused on earlier intervention, faster access to support and a whole-system approach.

It is not only the national Government that’s taking action to improve mental health services. The North Yorkshire Mayor, David Skaith, is also doing important work on men’s mental health. I have enormous respect for David for being so open about his own experiences with poor mental health. When community leaders are willing to speak honestly and candidly about these issues, it helps break down stigma and encourages healthier conversations about mental wellbeing.

The Mayor is also putting his words into action. He has launched a Men’s Mental Health Investment Programme, including £715,000 to help support men in taking meaningful steps to improve their wellbeing by trying something new, getting active and connecting with others.

One of the best parts of being your local MP is working alongside organisations that are making a real difference in our community. Organisations like Big Communitea do incredible work every day supporting local people facing mental health challenges. I recently supported Big Communitea’s “Small Actions, Big Impact” campaign, where volunteers carried out random acts of kindness to brighten people’s days. From seeing the reaction to last week’s front page, I know that everyone in Selby is behind Craig from Big Communitea as he completes his walk from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise £10,000 for local mental health services.

I also recently took part in Selby Pulse Radio’s Big Broadcast with Lewis to support efforts to raise funds for the mental health charity Mind. Lewis and the Pulse team completed a mammoth 12-hour broadcast, and the support shown by the Selby community was incredible. It’s really important that we support local initiatives like Selby Pulse, so please do tune in whenever you get the chance!

Events like the Big Broadcast, and organisations like Big Communitea, demonstrate the strength of our community when we come together, look out for one another and support each other through difficult times.

I’ll finish by repeating what I said at the beginning of this column - we can never talk too much about mental health. If you are struggling, please know that support is out there. We have fantastic local organisations specialising in mental health support, alongside national organisations such as the Samaritans, Andy’s Man Club and CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), all working to ensure that nobody suffers in silence.

Samaritans: Call 116 123 Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): Call 0800 585858 Andy’s Man Club: https://andysmanclub.co.uk/groups/

I look forward to updating you in next month’s column on some of what’s been on going on in Westminster and on the work I’ve been doing here in Selby. Until then, please don’t hesitate to contact me should you ever require my support.