Worcester’s Big Parade of elephants gets underway next week and now you can bring home part of the action.
That is thanks to a new app, What’s the elephant in the room?.
Launched by St Richard’s Hospice, the app allows you to design your own big-eared friend and bring them to life through the magic of augmented reality, Dumbo in the dining room anyone?
You can get creative using a template or just choose a photo from your camera roll but the hospice is asking you to share the story behind your creation in a move to get people talking about mental health.
June Patel, chief executive of the hospice, said: “Mental health is often talked about as the ‘elephant in the room’; one of those enormous subjects that people don’t know quite know how to approach.
“We hope by bringing this topic out onto the streets of Worcester we can get people talking and raise awareness of the help and support that’s available to people locally.”
If you’re lucky your elephant could be one of 24 that will make up a one-of-a-kind, holographic, interactive art installation.
Each week during the parade three designs which will be on show at the exhibit at the Crowngate Shopping Centre.
The project is being run in partnership with Worcester-based communications agency DRPG and the charity Onside, who provide a wide range of support services across Worcestershire.
Richard Hingley, chief creative officer, DRPG, said: “The creative industries can be incredibly rewarding, but mentally challenging at the same time.
“The mental health of our entire team is as important as their physical wellbeing and often spotting any changes in a member of our team’s mental health and then saying something is the first step in avoiding such challenges becoming a problem in the future.
Kate Harvey, chief executive, Onside, added: “This is a fantastic opportunity, particularly after the challenging year we have all experienced, to raise awareness around mental health.
“We will be providing information about both how people can improve their own mental health and wellbeing, as well as support others.”
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