It’s the smile on your face as you complete the finishing touches on your plate.
It’s the excitement in the pit of your stomach when you see your plate make its first pass.
It’s the heartwarming gratitude you feel, knowing the plate YOU painted has made a difference in supporting mental health.
That is why we stress the importance of registering your ConvoPlate as soon as you receive it, and posting to social media. We understand that many of you live busy lives, and it tends to get put off until it is eventually forgotten. However, it’s important to remember that behind every ConvoPlate is a person who put their heart and soul into designing that plate. Behind every ConvoPlate is a message that was important to the plate designer that they wanted to share with the world. Behind every ConvoPlate is a person who is so excited to see their plate get passed around, knowing the plate they designed is sparking conversations about mental health all over the world.
“This plate surpassed any expectations!” said Harrison Wheeler, our communications associate, who designed a ConvoPlate for the Clipper Round the World Race. “All around the world, are you serious?? It’s incredible what can be accomplished – across borders and between complete strangers.”
We also recognize that it is possible some people may be hesitant to post their plate to social media, for fear that they are tying their name to the words “mental illness”. I’m sure we are all more than aware of the stigma that still exists surrounding mental illness. However, we like to think of this in a very different way. To us, posting your plate to social media and putting your name on it means that you are a supporter of mental health. It means that you are taking steps to try to keep the conversation going, and that it something to be proud of.
For those of you who are in possession of a ConvoPlate but have not yet registered it, we highly encourage you to do so by visiting this link: https://www.paulhansellfoundation.com/about-the-convoplate/register-a-convoplate/
If you have not yet posted your ConvoPlate to social media, it will only take a couple minutes of your time. Simply take a picture of your plate (you do not have to be in the picture if you are not comfortable), post it to the social media platform of your choice (Twitter is a great option!), and include in the caption #ConvoPlate, @PaulHansellFdn, and your plate number (located on the bottom of your plate). If you would also like to include a brief description of your plate and what it means to you, that is always wonderful to read about!
Left, Nancy Pisani-Robinson posted to social media after being passed ConvoPlate 184.
Lastly, you can keep track of where your ConvoPlate has travelled to around the world by following this link: https://www.paulhansellfoundation.com/about-the-convoplate/track-a-convoplate/. Simply type #ConvoPlate (your plate #) in the search bar!
Regardless of where you are on this journey, we would just like to express our utmost appreciation for choosing to take part in the ConvoPlate initiative. Thank you for keeping the conversation going about mental health!
Written by Kayleigh Clapperton
Social Media and Project Coordinator for the Paul Hansell Foundation