Julie Middleton uses Maiden Speech to address ‘devastating effects of mental ill health’ in Derry

Mrs. Middleton said she was speaking as both a representative of the Foyle constituency and as a community member.

The former Derry City & Strabane District Council DUP Alderman took her seat on Monday following the resignation of her predecessor and husband, Gary Middleton, who last week said he was stepping aside due to his own mental health struggles.

She said she had ‘long seen the devastating effects of mental ill health in Foyle and beyond, most recently in my home’.

"I offer hope, compassion and genuine care to those who are walking the complex journey that is mental illness. To anyone listening who is currently walking that journey, I say this: you are seen, you are valued, and your struggle does not define your worth.

"Poor mental health is a universal human experience. It does not discriminate. It does not care about your postcode, your politics or your profession.

"Whether you live in the Waterside or the Cityside and whether you are a business owner or a student at Magee university, the pain of depression or the grip of trauma can affect anyone,” she said.

Mrs. Middleton said people in Derry are resilient people but added that ‘resilience does not have to mean suffering alone’.

"It means being able to say, ‘I am not OK’, knowing that your community will rally around you. Saying that you need help is a brave step to take, not an easy one.

"We must be honest about the consequences of inaction. In Northern Ireland, we carry a unique legacy of trauma that continues to cast a long shadow on our citizens,” she added.

The new DUP MLA said warned that ‘when mental health support fails, the ripples are felt everywhere, most tragically in the home, where heartbreak is felt from suicide’.

"One life lost is one too many. We know that one in five adults here will face mental health challenges. Those people are not just statistics; they are our neighbours, friends, colleagues and family members. They are valued individuals,” said the new MLA.

She praised the ‘incredible organisations, therapists, the NHS, charities and churches’ offering hope in Derry.

"There is help out there. Those services are the heartbeat of our city's recovery, but they cannot do it alone. As an MLA, I am committed to doing my part, to listening, to learning and to being proactive on the issue. Let us replace the stigma of past attitudes towards mental health with compassion and the hope of a bright future, of help when it is required and of a deeper understanding by us all,” she said.

Stormont Speaker Edwin Poots welcomed Mrs. Middleton to the chamber.

"This is the first time that I have had the opportunity to do so in person in the Chamber. On behalf of everyone, I know, I also express our best wishes to Gary for a full and speedy recovery,” she said.

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