A TEAM of supporters of people battling mental health issues were due to be out in force across Southampton today.

To mark World Mental Health Day, members of the Creative Options Community Project have launched a series of events to help raise awareness and offer support to people across the city.

The voluntary organisation was set up three years ago by retired occupational therapist Frances Heather in a bid to offer people with mental health issues support, mentoring, training and provide a place where people can meet together and practice or learn new and socialise.

World Mental Health Day is an annual event which Creative Options Community Project have been marking for the past three years.

Today they were supporting various events including a park run on Southampton Common and Time for Change, combatting the stigma around mental health conditions.

There will also be a special forum theatre at the Civic Centre from 2pm with a play called Tales of the Heffalump, which explores mental health issues in the workplace.

For two weeks from today there will also be a host of information in the Civic Centre to raise awareness, including a life-size baby elephant to signify the “elephant in the room” of mental health.

Frances and her team will also be hosting a tea and talk event at Central Baptist Church on Thursday, October 15 from 2.30pm offering people the chance to come and enjoy afternoon tea and talk about any struggles they may have with mental health.

On Friday, October 16 there will also be a pop-up village in Guildhall Square run by people who have lived through a mental illness and will be offering their experience and advice.

Frances said: “We are trying to replace some of what has been lost in the closure of day centres and withdrawal of support for people with mental health issues living in the community. Our ethos is to become more and more service-user led and people with lived experience are our tutors and help to run our committee and run groups.”

To find out more about events battling mental health stigmas in Southampton, visit discoversouthampton.co.uk/mentalhealth2015.