PR Contact

Louise Bruce

louise@sayhellosmile.com

0787 602 6432

25 February 2021

Press release for immediate release

Gloucestershire woman launches campaign to ‘Say Hello & Smile' our way back to happiness

A Gloucestershire woman has launched a campaign encouraging people to ‘Say Hello & Smile' to each other, to improve the nation's mental health, as we get back to some kind of normal following the pandemic.

54yr old Cheltenham resident Louise Bruce has launched ‘Say Hello & Smile', a campaign that asks people to greet each other in a friendly way, as the country looks forward to an easing of restrictions. Window stickers displaying the logo, are available to buy, with 15% of the profit from the sale of each sticker going to UK mental health charities.

Louise says,

‘For many, the few words they exchange with a stranger on the street as they walk to the shops, or out on their permitted daily exercise, could be the only interaction they have with another person all day.  Even though the end is in sight, we have all been locked away for a long time, our mental health is not what it was and we could all do with a bit of cheering up.  I'm hoping the ‘Say Hello & Smile' campaign will not only raise money for UK mental health charities, but also draw us all together via that most simple act of smiling and saying hello, something we Brits can be somewhat reticent to do if we're honest.'

She continued, 

‘For many of us, myself included, we've had limited social contact with other people for the past 12 months and we may need these ‘baby steps', breaking ourselves back in to the art of communicating with each other again. I would love to see the ‘Say Hello & Smile' window sticker displayed in cars,

vans, homes, shops, pubs, schools and businesses all over the country, as a sign of solidarity that we are determined to support each other, to come through this strangers, friends and neighbours, together.'

Louise, a PR professional by trade, has a history of anxiety and depression that began in 1995.  She spent the majority of the lockdown alone at home in Cheltenham with her two dogs, joining a support bubble with her 86yr old mother when rules allowed. She kept sane by running and building the ‘Say Hello & Smile' campaign.

Stickers are available to buy from www.etsy.com/uk/shop/sayhellosmile

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