A PROJECT to raise awareness on mental health uses comics as a platform to get people talking.

Betty Rose, 22, from Malvern, has developed a comic called Panda and Possum Adventures. Its purpose is to cover topics on self-care and compassion through a series of stories which are targeted at an audience of all ages.

Betty said: “I began this project two years ago. I first started creating the comic as a bit of fun and to make my friends smile. It had a good reaction from everybody, so this inspired me to continue my work.

“They love the idea of the comic involving humour, in addition to the healthy dynamics and how we should communicate with each other.

“People love these characters of an asexual panda and a pansexual possum. It is very digestible and not in your face. It covers relationships which are not usually recognised in society.

“With its gentle undertone of mental health, I thought it would be a fantastic way to spread awareness.

“Mental health affects everyone in life, whether that is you personally or someone you know. It is a huge symptom of the western lifestyle, yet the stigma is still a huge issue.

“We need to readjust our values in life and encourage people to speak out.”

To mark World Mental Health Day, Betty will be selling t-shirts which she has created based on the comic for £18.

Half of the money she makes will be donated to mental health charities, Mind and The Mental Health Foundation. All profits will go directly back into the comic for future projects.

Betty will also be announcing today and giving away care packages on social media which consist of Panda and Possum Adventures merchandise and donations from businesses, such as Waitrose, Wilko, Etsy and The Well-Bean Company.

“Everyone has been amazing and donated generously,” she added.

To try out your chances of winning a care package, follow Panda and Possum Adventures on social media and like, share and comment on the post about the project.

Ten care packages are available, and the winners will be selected at random and announced on October 17.

To follow Betty's work on social media, visit:

Instagram: @the_papa_artist

Twitter: @PandaPossum

Facebook and Tumblr: Panda and Possum Adventures