Last month at the November meeting we had the lovely visit from Rose Kane. Rose has been coordinating the monthly gathering News from Nowhere Club for over 20 years. These meet-ups normally comprise of a shared buffet and talk to bring sense of community and belonging. Currently taking place at the Epicentre, West Street E11 4LJ on the second Saturday of each month, Rose can be reached for info/enquiries by phone 0208 555 5248 and roskane@btinternet.com
We'd like to remember mental health campaigner, musician and poet Robert Dellar in occasion of the first anniversary since his unexpected passing last year. In September this year the RobertsFest was launched (some photos HERE) and the book Kiss of Life was published in Robert's memory. Copies of the book (cost £5.10 + p/p) can be ordered here www.lulu.com/shop/various-authors/kiss-of-life/paperback/product-23348291.html All proceeds from sales of this collection go the Mental Health Resistance Network, for which he was an advocate.
Sending the very best wishes for a legal challenge by a woman with mental distress against the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) rules that is being discussed today and tomorrow (12-13 December) at the Royal Courts of Justice. Winvisible, DPAC and MHRN are holding a vigil outside High Court today from 1 pm to support the PIP court case for claimants http://www.publiclawproject.org.uk/news/92/high-court-hears-pip-disability-discrimination-case
As we are approacing the end of the year we get ready for our last meeting of the year taking place next Monday the 18th Dec at LARC, taking the chance to thank all people that have contributed and/or supported FEEL's work this year. Holiday seasons are not always a festive occasion specially for people suffering from difficult health issues. Wishing you to cope well during the season and all the very best for the new year ahead.
Before leaving you with a list of other events and news (below) please find the "The 12 Days of Christmas My Psychiatrist Prescribed For Me" especially writted, directed and performed by the awesome Dolly Sen
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Together! 2012 Disability History Month Festival End of Festival Party
Friday 15 December 7-9pm, Vicarage Lane Community Centre, Govier Cl, London E15 4HW
A closing party to celebrate the year, the talents of Together! 2012 artists and the coming holiday.
Open Mike compered by Ju Gosling aka ju90 with BSL interpretation and a brand-new piece by punk goddess Penny Pepper (listen HERE Penny interview by Sky TV on 18 November about her work and the Together! 2017 Festival).
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Book Launch: Institutional Racism in Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology
17 January 2018, 4:45 -7pm, The Henry Thomas Room, 166-220 Holloway Road, London N7 8DB
Race On The Agenda and London Metropolitan University present the launch of Suman Fernando's latest book - Institutional Racism in Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology: Race Matters in Mental Health. About the Author: Dr Fernando is an Honorary Professor at London Metropolitan University and formerly consultant psychiatrist in the NHS. Chaired by John Gabriel: Senior Professor, London Metropolitan University. Speakers: Colin King: Mental health survivor researcher and practitioner, Football coach; Former teacher at Lambeth College for Further Education and Yvonne Christie: Activist in the field of Black mental health and race equality.
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Learn to Talk for a Fit Mind with Talk for Health: Peer Counselling Skills
In today's society it is all too easy to feel lonely and disconnected from others and this can have a negative impact on our mental health and the quality of our life. Here at Talk for Health we know that true connection happens when we let go of our social masks and start being who we really are and that this is why we run our 4.5 day wellbeing programme: to help you feel more connected to yourself and other people. We invite you to come and enjoy a two hour taster session of our programme, which is FREE to find out if it is right for you. The taster will give you a chance to experience some of the four key learning areas of our full programme: Open and truthful talking, Empathic listening, Basic counselling skills, Building supportive relationships.
Come join us and learn how to talk to for a fit mind! SIGN UP FOR FREE
HERE FOR JANUARY PROGRAMME (Islington and Camden): Taster on Fri 5 January 2018
HERE FOR FEBRUARY PROGRAMME (Open-to-All): Taster on Thu 22 February 2018
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Possible useful new resource https://advicelocal.u
A new resource to find help and advice in your area has been launched today. It’s by LASA, the charity which runs RightsNet and other services. The services it signposts you too are all vetted too. Just enter your postcode and ask it for the service you need. https://advicelocal.uk/
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Help fund design concepts that support wellbeing and recovery
Bidean has started a crowdfunding campaign to raise money to produce products for wellbeing that have been co-designed in their workshops. Bidean is a social enterprise that collaborates with people using mental health services to generate design concepts that support wellbeing and recovery. So far they have worked with clients from INUF, Islington Mind, Dragon Cafe, Homerton Hospital, Depression Alliance and Kensington and Chelsea Mind, and their network continues to grow. They are now raising money for the production of a few of these products for others to enjoy. https://youtu.be/8tjR3M0iOso video https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/
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Artful Measures - How to make art in unusual spaces
Daily Life Ltd launches Artful Measures, an interactive learning platform. Artful Measures is an innovative, interactive web platform sharing digital case studies about our projects. These case studies, packed full of illustrations, original material and videos, will be useful to anyone interested in art in unusual spaces.
This area of evaluation is poorly represented in research practices. Producing this type of work is not easy, and we’re passionate to share our knowledge to benefit the cultural sector artfulmeasures.dailylifeltd.co
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Mental health art on etsy
Rachel Rowan Olive makes provocative, topical, art. Rachel says 'I'm a member of Studio Upstairs, a community of artists in North London with experience of mental health problems. I started drawing three years ago after a breakdown - now it's how I make sense of the world. I draw about mental health, politics, and the intersection between the two. Also animals.' Visit her etsy shop here.
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Advice for Professionals re- exemptions for people facing social security assessments.
An advice guide has been produced by Winvisible and others.
If your GP or support worker etc don’t know they important role in helping you, this information should be passed onto them.
