Spend less time indoors and more time connecting to nature - these were amongst the messages sent out in this year's Mental Health Awareness Week.

Many organisations and businesses in Pembrokeshire followed this advice given by the Mental Health Awareness Foundation.

During the week - which concludes today, Sunday May 16 - Puffin Produce and Pembrokeshire County Council shared ways to look after an individual's mental health, with a focus on what we can do to make the most of what we have on our doorsteps - the National Park and beaches.

Pembrokeshire County Council's interim chief executive, Richard Brown, said: “I would like to thank everyone for their contribution to keeping services going during the pandemic. It’s been a huge effort by everybody."

He added:

“As an organisation, we believe in the importance and value of looking after the wellbeing of the workforce.

“We welcome and encourage conversations around mental health."

The Puffin Produce company echoed the message, and said: "Recognising the need to look after our colleagues has never been more important and it is imperative that our employees prioritize their mental health.

"The post-pandemic landscape presents us with an opportunity to implement good mental health wellbeing strategies. We continually want to emphasise that wellbeing is a priority and are trying to normalise conversations about mental health amongst our colleagues."

Meanwhile community pharmacy staff from across Carmarthenshire Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire have taken part in ‘mental health first aid’ training to support their patients and own mental health, as well as that of their colleagues.

One participant said that the training was helpful in "putting the issue of mental health into context and making us appreciate that we can make a difference without being an expert by just listening and signposting."

Another added: “I found the course really helpful and made me feel much more confident in how to have conversations with patients and staff going forward about mental health and practical advice to give them to help them now instead of just referring onwards.”