Mental health problems can affect anyone, any day of the year, but this is a great day to talk about it and support each other.

Since last year’s event, we’ve done a lot to raise awareness of mental health issues here at Sellafield, and we’re keen to continue this work – recognising that we all need to do more.

Approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year. Talking to someone about these is often the first step to getting better.

As part of this, we’re sponsoring and attending the launch of the ‘This is Me’ campaign in Liverpool.The event and the campaign are designed to help raise awareness and change attitudes towards mental health in the north-west business community.

Sellafield Ltd’s Alan Rankin said:

We are delighted to be part of the north west group of companies in Liverpool supporting the ‘This Is Me’ campaign, focused on reducing stigma around mental health and making our work place a better place for everyone to be.

We are proud supporters of the campaign, and earlier this year, along with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority produced our own ‘This is Me’ video which raised awareness of mental health in the nuclear industry.

Sellafield Ltd materials engineers Jenny Robinson and Bethan Murray helped promote the expertise, progress and challenges that accompany the waste management and clean up of the UK’s nuclear sites, to an audience of young nuclear professionals.

They were volunteering at the 3 day Young Generation Network event at Energus in West Cumbria.

The event attracted workers from across the nuclear industry, who heard from leading scientists and engineers on the technical and socio-economical aspects of one of the most complex, long term environmental challenges in Britain – decommissioning 17 nuclear locations in the UK.

The network gives its 650 UK members regular opportunities to meet and share knowledge with young nuclear professionals from across the globe.

Jenny said:

Events like this offer a great opportunity to share experiences and meet likeminded professionals outside of the usual circles, while hearing from world class experts in their field, such as our own head of legacy ponds, Dorothy Gradden.

The event included over 40 delegates from around the UK, and Jenny said:

Events like these raise the profile of the challenges faced here at Sellafield, as well as the future opportunities of the world-wide decommissioning market.

Bethan added:

It was great to hear from attendees about opportunities across the nuclear industry both in the UK and abroad. This is a very exciting sector and I want to remain in this industry for many years to come.

As part of the event, the attendees visited the Sellafield and Low level waste repository sites, and Emily Janzen, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories said:

It’s been really useful to travel internationally to see different nuclear sites, how they compare and the different processes that they use.

Information sharing and knowledge transfer is essential in an industry like this, and I’m hoping that the future of nuclear involves more nuclear energy.

Please visit the Young Generation Network for further information.