A campaign to raise awareness about mental health issues kicked off in St Albans and Harpenden today.

Commuters will be able to pick up tips on managing stress at information stands at St Albans City and Harpenden train stations from Monday.

Information on mental health will also be available at a Mental Health Awareness Fair at St Albans Town Hall on Wednesday, where will be on hand to provide help and support between 10am and 2pm.

Elsewhere across the district there will be information displays aimed at students at Oaklands College and shoppers at supermarkets in St Albans, London Colney and Harpenden.

The week culminates with the book launch of Tell Me on a Monday, an anthology of creative writing about mental health. The launch will take place at Waterstones in St Albans on Saturday at 7pm.

The events are organised by the St Albans District Health and Wellbeing Partnership to help promote positive mental health.

Project Support Officer for the Health and Wellbeing Partnership at St Albans City and District Council, Siobhan Osgood, said: “Good mental health is an essential part of wellbeing, and supports better physical health.

“These informative events will raise awareness of the services available throughout the district to improve mental health and wellbeing across our community.”

More than 11 per cent of adults in Hertfordshire suffer from depression.

In the UK, one in four people will experience some kind of a mental health problem in the course of a year.