A NEW mental health campaign which aims to get people off their mobile phones and into the real world is being run this week.

#SeenNotScreen encourages people to enjoy a cuppa and a face-to-face chat with a friend, without their phone.

The campaign is being run by Scott Newby, MD of NewbyCore Consulting, who faced his own battle with depression.

With most of us now checking our phones approximately every 12 minutes and one in four people in the UK experiencing a mental health problem each year, Scott is on a mission to get the nation talking, face-to-face with no phones in sight.

Afterwards Scott is asking people to share a photo on social media using the hashtag #SeenNotScreen to help spread the word.

He said: “As a man in my 30’s, a husband, a dad and a businessman, who loves football and enjoys a beer in the local pub with my friends, it was very hard to show vulnerability and open up.

“That is why it took me 17 years from first being diagnosed, to now feeling comfortable sharing my story and openly talking about mental health.I decided to create this campaign to try and get more people to stop what they are doing and just have a chat.

“The aim is to help reduce the impact mobile phones are having on our lives, the stigma around mental health and also to help people feel comfortable talking and asking for help if they need it.”

Scott added: “I am not saying technological advancement is a bad thing, far from it, but I think we all need to be better educated on how we use it, and the importance of still interacting face-to-face.

“I know the benefits first-hand of opening up and talking about my situation, which has really helped me, in fact since I came out with my story in September last year, I’ve never felt happier.

“I want to help other people out there who may be struggling mentally to open up and talk - after all, you can’t hug a tablet."

Visit newbycore.co.uk/seennotscreen for more details.