A Salford-grown mental health charity has been making waves across the world - by spreading the ‘love’ hand sign.
4mindzfoundation, which is in its infancy has already amassed nearly 8,000 followers on Instagram, has been encouraging people from all over to get involved.
Users are asked to take a picture of themselves holding up their hand using the sign for ‘love’, and to share it on social media.
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Since the creation of the campaign over three days ago, the pictures have been flooding in, with users from all over the world posing with the hand sign.
Founder, Rebecca Mcallister, 31, said since the creation of the #wegoagain campaign, people have been coming forward and talking more about their struggles.
“We had one person come to us last night who was saying they wanted to take their own life, but the fact the group was there for them to talk to, it helped them,” she said.
“People do have things going on in the background, when the sun goes down and the door shuts, you’ve only got yourself and your thoughts.
“That’s what most of us are going through.
“And that’s why we set up the group, so that people can chat one to one, 24 hours a day, as someone will always be awake.
“When people are feeling low then someone will be there to talk to."
Rebecca, Darren Booth, 29, Paige Leanne Kilvington, 24, and Adam Crawshaw, 35, all of Salford, set the group up after they all suffered with their mental health.
Rebecca said she attempted to take her own life a number of years ago, but came out the other side and now wants to help others do the same.
“I had nobody to support me, and I went through all this on my own,” she said.
“But to be able to help other people, it’s amazing.”
She said the charity has received ‘thousands’ of images of people using the hand sign.
“I woke up the morning after we first got this all going and checked my phone and I thought ‘wow’.
“I was absolutely gobsmacked with the amount of people who had got behind this.
“You don’t realise how many people suffer, it’s more than you think.
“Everybody can have a traumatic event in their life that could tip them.
“People are already suffering and people should be kind to others as you never know what's going on in someone’s life.”
The foundation has set up a charity event on November 14 this year, at St George’s Hall in Liverpool, where different local artists will come together to help raise money for a number of different mental health charities.
The artists include Dyna, Avon Kay, Dpart, B2, Chris Nichols, Shannon Mitchell and some surprise guests.
There will be free entry, but any donations from the event will go to other charities.
To get involved, take a selfie or a picture with a friend of you doing the hand sign for love, and send it to @4mindzfoundation.
To find out more about the event later this year, and the charity itself, head to their website .
