July Newsletter

Dear Friends,

The Loonies Fest is seven weeks away; lots of prep work in the way. We are still recruiting helping hands and minds that can ease the unfolding of the event; do get in touch if you wish to get involved.

The call for submissions for artists and stall holders has now been extended to 5pm on 15 August. More details can be found here bit.ly/2uf9AUr also attached if you wish to print it out.

Before sharing news and updates for this month, we wish to congratulate Sarah Yiannoullou, Managing Director of the National Survivor User Network (NSUN), for her recent honorary degree awarded by the Middlesex University, wishing Sarah all the best for a further successful career.

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Stuart Low Trust Annual Celebration 
Friday 21 July, 6.30-9.00pm, St Mary's Neighbourhood Centre, Upper Street, Islington N1 2TX

The Annual Celebration and Outstanding Volunteer Awards, hosted for the final time by retiring Chair of Trustees Virginia Low, takes place this Friday. The evening will feature a performance by magician and psychological entertainer Gareth Foreman.

Refreshments will be served from 6.30pm. AGM 7.15-7.30pm; performance by Gareth Foreman 7.30-8.30pm.

Details here www.slt.org.uk/event/stuart-low-trust-annual-celebration/

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Talk for Health Special - Express Yourself
Voice workshop Thu 27 July 2017 18-20 PM
St Luke's Community Centre 90 Central Street London EC1V 8AJ

Do you want to feel more confident and expressive in your communication? Do you want to more more dynamic in getting your message across? If yes, join Cat and Helen for this engaging, free workshop.

Drawing on techniques from the Fedenkrais Method and Linklater Voice Work, they will help you focus on body awareness, movement, breathing, and how it relates to your voice. They guide you to explore the habitual patterns of tension in the body that can limit your expression and hope to offer you an insight into how to free your body and your voice.

Wear loose, comfortable clothing and bring a willingness to unwind in a warm & supportive environment! This workshop is open to all so please feel free to bring a friend (or two). Do please just make sure you register so that we can make sure there are enough refreshments for everyone. ​Free registration here​

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​Kingsley Hall: An Island? Exploring Archival Accounts of Life at the Hall - Mon 31 July 18:00-19:30PM

UCL SELCS Common Room, Foster Court (ground floor, G24), Malet Place Malet Place London WC1E

Dr. Adrian Chapman (Florida State University) Kingsley Hall was radical therapeutic community established by R. D. Laing in 1965 (and that ran until 1970) in the East End of London. Here I turn to archival accounts of life at the Hall by residents and visitors. These accounts are from a book (never published) about Kingsley Hall and other communities established by the Laing network in the 70s. In his introduction to the book (the most stable title of which was Asylum: To Dwell in Strangeness), Laing engages in a debate with his former collaborator, David Cooper, who had spoken derisively of the Hall and other communities as “happy islands”, isolated zones of pseudo-freedom. Following a consideration of the aims, scope, history and marketability of the book project, I take the island metaphor as my starting point for exploring archival materials. This route allows me to trace significant connections and dissonances among several contributors to Asylum: To Dwell in Strangeness, and offers rich possibilities for interrogating the nature of the Hall and the radical psychiatry associated with R. D. Laing. In particular, I want to examine debates around the politics of the Kingsley Hall project; the relation of the Hall to its surrounding area in the East End; as well as the relation of Laing and his project to mainstream psychiatry, and to 1960s counterculture.

Book seat here www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/kingsley-hall-an-island-exploring-archival-accounts-of-life-at-the-hall-tickets-36362870324

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In the News:

The mental health first aid programme is a pet project – if the NHS services were properly funded in the first place, it wouldn't be needed.
Article by Jay Watts www.independent.co.uk/voices/mental-health-first-aid-theresa-may-depression-anxiety-nhs-underfunded-services-turned-away-a7842571.html

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Thrive London engagement events

Thrive LDN is a citywide movement for mental health, supported by the Mayor of London and the London Health Board. Thrive will host a community conversation aimed at encouraging people to work together to improve health and happiness in the borough. At this community conversation people will hear about the aims of Thrive LDN and then discuss how we can all work together to make them happen in the borough. The organisers hope to see broad representation across the borough including from the council, NHS providers and commissioners, businesses, local people, service users and carers, voluntary and community sector, faith groups, schools and social landlords. The events are in the boroughs of Barking & Dagenham and Tower Hamlets.

Tower Hamlets Tues 25 July 6-8pm PDC - book here

Barking & Dagenham Weds 26th July 3:30-6pm - book here

Consultation: the London Mayor's vision for a Diverse and Inclusive city

Have your say on the Mayor's vision for Diversity and Inclusion online consultation is now open till 11 September 2017

The Mayor wants to hear from individuals and organisations that can help him and the GLA group make London a more inclusive city.
www.london.gov.uk/get-involved/have-your-say/all-consultations/consultation-mayors-vision-diverse-and-inclusive-city

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PIP ROLL OUT BEHIND SCHEDULE

The roll out of PIP is running far behind schedule, the DWP have confirmed. All existing DLA claimants should have been ‘invited’ to claim PIP by April of this year. But a poster on the Rightsnet forum has confirmed that this target is now history. Instead the aim is now that all working age DLA claimants will have received their invitation letters by late 2018, with the final assessments and transfers not being completed until mid-2019. However, we reported last month that there had been a huge fall in the number of DLA to PIP cases being sent to Atos and Capita since January of this year. So, whether the DWP will stick to this new target remains to be seen.

UC ROLL OUT MASSIVELY BEHIND SCHEDULE

Instead, the total number of people in receipt of UC is just 540,000 according to the latest DWP figures. The UC roll out is more than 90% behind schedule and is not now expected to be completed until 2022. Though even that target seems massively optimistic, given that the vast majority of claimants so far have been the simplest claims, and there is no indication that the DWP’s software systems will cope with a huge increase in complex cases. Citizens Advice published a report earlier this month asking the government to pause the roll out of UC because of the major problems it is causing even the most straightforward claimants, including 57% having to borrow money while waiting for their first payment. The DWP, however, have dismissed the concerns of Citizens Advice and confirmed that the roll out of full service UC will increase from 5 areas a month to 50 areas a month from October.

Source: Benefits and Work

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NOTICE OF HEALTHWATCH TOWER HAMLETS AGM

Please note that the formal Healthwatch Tower Hamlets AGM will be conducte prior to the Your Voice Counts event at 11:00 am 9 August at The Hub, Victoria Park next to the Park Café, Rothbury Rd, London E9 5HD. You are invited to attend.
Email: info@healthwatchtowerhamlets.co.uk
Web: www.healthwatchtowerhamlets.co.uk
Tweet us: @HWTowerhamlets

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NSUN AGM to take place this September
This year, the AGM will take place in Sheffield on 27 September. Put this date in your calendars!
We're looking forwards to seeing you there.
NSUN MANIFESTO can be read here

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​Launch of Revised Understanding Psychosis Document​ Friday 13 October 2017 11am- 4pm
BPS London Office, 30 Tabernacle Street, London, EC2A 4UE
Find info here: shop.bps.org.uk/cpd-workshops/launch-of-revised-understanding-psychosis-document.html