A South Wales Police Federation member has told how he draws on his own lived experience to support colleagues with their mental health.

 

PC Jon Shorland, who is part of the Men’s Health SWP Network, said he has been surprised by the number of male colleagues who have spoken to him about their emotional and mental wellbeing.

 

Speaking as part of Men's Health Awareness Month, Jon said: “Through my own experiences I’ve learned that it’s good to talk.

 

"It’s good to be open and honest and transparent about the things I’ve dealt with.

 

“It allows other people to feel vulnerable and to feel there is someone they can speak to and somewhere they can air their concerns.

 

 

 

 

“It’s shocked me how many people I’ve spoken to that I’ve thought, on the surface, that everything was fine.

 

“They’ve spoken to me in a bit more privacy and said they felt the same as I have done. My experience has allowed me to have so much more empathy.

“I never understood how someone could walk into work at 9am smiling and then by 2.30pm they are in a corner crying and rocking back and forth – but that was literally me on 10 November 2021.”

 

Jon has been a serving police officer for 20 years. Work-related issues came to a head in November 2021 which resulted in him experiencing a mental health breakdown.

 

He was off work for six months with work-related stress and anxiety.

 

During that time he had counselling which, he says, ‘unboxed a lot of stuff I didn’t know I was storing’.

 

 

When he returned to work he wanted to use his experience to help others.

 

He said: “Although the organisation is going in a much better direction culturally, we’ve still got a long way to go to break down the stigma around mental health.

 

“That’s not just the Force, it’s in policing, and society in general.

 

“At the time I thought that, as a man and as a police officer, I’ve just got to crack on. It’s that toxicity.

“People are relying on me, and I came to realise if you’re not functioning properly you’re no good to anyone, so you’re doing them a disservice as well.”

 

He added: “When I share my story, people can see I’m coming from a place of support and empathy. Empathy is so strong because I’ve had those thoughts, those feelings, and those dark days, and I still have days when I’m struggling.

 

“I can use it to support people who are going through the same.”

 

The South Wales Police men’s group was set up three years ago by Chief Inspector Jay Davies and digital designer John Griffiths, with Jon joining them along with Jake McDonald, media and communications heritage officer earlier this year.

 

 

Jon said: “It’s recognising the fact every person has a male in their life.

 

“They didn’t want it to be a group that’s just blokes. Everyone has a man in their life, husband, father, brother, son, uncle, grandfather or just friends.

 

“We’re all invested in each other’s wellbeing and mental health.”

 

Jon, who is also a fitness instructor and had a background in training and coaching joined the group around four months ago.

 

“I’m passionate about it having experienced my own mental health issues,” he said.

 

“I wanted to be an advocate for it.”

 

He helped organise a series of activities for International Men’s Day on 19 November.

Jon explained: “Cold water therapy helped me through my situation, and a I still use it to manage my own thoughts and minds.

 

“We’ve had funding for two cold water pods, which we set up at Force headquarters and officers had a minute or two dip and talk through the experience.

 

“We have some welfare pods, where we put guided meditation and breathing apps running.

 

“We talked about the benefits of breathing, spoke about meditation and guided breathing, and hopefully broke down some barriers.”

 

The group now plans to take the cold water and welfare pods to frontline officers around the Force.

 

“There is a bit of a headquarters bubble,” Jon acknowledged. “Which is why, once a quarter, we’ll go into the Force area and, at crossover times, set up the pods for officers to get the benefits.”