A number of mental health charities in Cornwall will be getting together to host a listening event this Thursday.

The Listening Lounge event, hosted by Georgia's Voice, will give local young people the chance to share their issues and problems with people who are there to listen to them.

The event will take place at the Palacio Lounge on The Moor in Falmouth and will be kicking off from 12pm until 4pm.

The charities and groups taking part in the event include: ManDown, Your Voice, Georgia’s Voice, Samaritans, Pentreath, Sea Sanctuary, Cornwall Mind and the LGBTQ+ foundation trust.

Sophie Alway, the founder of Georgia's Voice, said: "We've collaborated with Marie Hanson MBE who's based up in London and is the founder of a charity called S.T.O.R.M.

"We've come up with a campaign we'll be launching every year now on November 18 which is a national listening campaign.

"It's a day for promoting and encouraging listening.

"The emphasis is always on talking, let's talk about it, encouraging young people to talk, but talking is no good if there's no one there to listen.

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"So the idea is to put more of an emphasis on that really.

"We want to encourage people to take that time to listen because that's one of the most valuable things you can do for somebody that's suffering with their mental health.

"People don't necessarily always want to you to problem solve or give solutions, they just want you to sit there and listen to them and let hem get it out.

"Being heard gives validation to people's feelings, makes them feel more valued, it makes such a difference."

The event in Falmouth will coincide with an event being held in Mayfair in London by Marie Hanson MBE in the evening, who will also be launching their own annual listening day.

Sophie continued: "We've managed to get plenty of free food and drinks donated so we're going to have listening stations were young people cn come and talk to somebody if they want to, or they just come along and get information.

"A lot of young people don't actually know about the free help that is out there and available to them, so we're encouraging anybody who is suffering with their own mental health or knows somebody that is to come and get that information."

For more information on the event, visit: listeningday.co.uk