This week [Monday 13th May – Sunday 19th May] is Mental Health Awareness Week and Absolute Radio – an ARIA award winner for its mental health programming – remains as committed as ever to making mental health and emotional wellbeing part of everyday conversations.

This year’s programming is themed around Kitchen Table Conversations and highlights from the week include a fantastic collaboration between Absolute Radio and Fun Kids on a Bedtime Story – a first for the station. The story called ‘Volcanoes and Rulers’ will be simultaneously broadcast at 6.50pm on Thursday 16th May and is designed to encourage younger children to talk to parents and grown-ups about their feelings.

Absolute Radio will also launch a pop-up station to help listeners find a moment of peace. Absolute Radio Calm is the vision of Hometime presenters Bush and Richie who have been asking listeners to share sounds they find relaxing. They’ll appear on the station alongside soundscapes from acclaimed sound designer Mark Nicholson which include walking along a beach and walking through a rainforest. Launching at 5pm on Monday April 13th, Absolute Radio Calm with Tesco Mobile, will be available for two weeks in the free Absolute Radio app and via Amazon Smart Speakers.

And having shared ways in which to talk to younger children about their mental health, parents with teenagers have not been forgotten. In a special programme, Time to Listen, Danielle Perry will talk to mental health campaigner Jeff Brazier, representatives from Young Minds and other guests about how to start what can potentially be tricky conversations with young adults. Expect an open and honest conversation about how they’ve done it and insights into the best way to get teenagers to open up. Time to Listen will broadcast at 7pm on Sunday 19th May

Paul Sylvester, Content Director for Absolute Radio said: ‘Mental Health Awareness Week is a hugely important part of the Absolute Radio calendar and this year’s theme of Kitchen Table Conversations is one I know will resonate with our listeners. We want families to have appropriate conversations about mental health, no matter what the age of their children, as we know that the earlier we start talking about this hugely important issue, the better it can be. I’m incredibly proud of the innovative collaboration with the Fun Kids team and our new Calm station will hopefully provide people with moments of peace and tranquility.’

Lloydie James Lloyd, Content Controller of Fun Kids, said: ‘At Fun Kids our mission is to put our young listeners in the driving seat, to help them think, create and play. We hope that by broadcasting this story on both stations, we can help start important conversations between parents and children. The collaboration with Absolute Radio is important to us because it helps the address the issue from both perspectives, helping adults raise mental health with their children and giving young people the message that they can raise these things with parents too.’

Throughout the week and across the whole Absolute Radio Network, the Absolute Radio family will share their own stories about opening up and talking honestly about mental health with listeners. The station will also be partnering with charity Cash for Kids to share the stories of community organisations and charities that work with young people in the mental health arena, all highlighting the importance of talking. Listeners will also be able to get extra help with a specially curated part of the Absolute Radio website which will house information for parents and families.