January Newsletter

Dear Friends

We hope you have had a good holiday season and have started the New Year in good health, happiness and peace of mind.

Personally not a big fan of the Christmas period, to celebrate that all the frenzy is over I wish to share Dolly Sen's "Madvent Calendar" for those that have not seen it yet.

It can be found in her blog, within the DAO website.
Next Monday the 19th we are returning to LARC for our first FEEL meeting of the year. Please join us between 6.30-8.30 pm at the LARC Centre 62, Fieldgate Street. Whitechapel E1 1ES, 6.30-8.30pm.

2015 is already buzzing with a rich programme of events and we wish you'll participate in contributing while shaping it.

Find to follow a list of forthcoming events:

Last night the much attended Mary Barnes exhibition opened at the Nunnery Gallery in Bow. A very kind and humorous Joe Berke offered a few recounts of those shared days back in the '60s, at Laing's community at the Kingsley Hall.

Dr Berke and playwright David Edgar will be back for "In Conversation: Mary Barnes" on Tuesday the 24th of February to discuss life and works of Mary Barnes. Tickets are limited and can be purchased HERE

The exhibition runs up to the 29th of March at the The Nunnery, 181 Bow Road, London E3 2SJ


The first Recovery College in Tower Hamlets was also launched yesterday.
Look Ahead Toward Recovery Project will be delivering a series of 10 open learning sessions (FREE).

The sessions developed collaboratively between service users and professionals will focus on coping strategies and self-management, in an environment in which everybody can learn & share their experiences together as equals.

Look Ahead Recovery Centre is located at 53a Barnsley St, London E1 5RB

For more information email or telephone 07522051124 Ross Robinson.

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BOOK TALK
'Capitalism is Bad for Your Mental Health' with Robert Dellar, Alistair Kemp, and the Association of Musical Marxists
Date: Wednesday 21st January, 7pm
Venue: Housmans Radical Booksellers 5 Caledonian Road, N1 9DX London

Entry £3, redeemable against any purchase

Robert Dellar's Splitting in Two: Mad Pride and Punk Rock Oblivion, a book of memories and fantasy by one of the founders of Mad Pride has opened the door on a new kind of politics. Being published by Unkant, publishing wing of the Association of Musical Marxists - a group set up by rebel SWP members - is a sign of the left's regroupment, since Mad Pride was heavily associated with Hackney anarchism.

The AMM persuaded Dellar to read Psycho-Politics by Peter Sedgwick, doyen of the early, libertarian SWP, and this meeting will allow Dellar to talk about what he found. We have invited Alastair Kemp, editor of The Newhaven Journeyman ("where music, politics and madness meet") to speak as well. There will also be musical interludes by the AMM All Stars. This will be an unusual night of genuinely unpredictable conversation and laughs. ammarxists.org/ben-watson-sedgwick-psycho-politics-and-poiesis-via-daleks-dialectics-and-the-swp/

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West London Mental Health NHS Trust are holding a co-produced Conference:
Shared Decision Making in Medication - Evidence, Efficacy and Alternative Paradigms

Date: 28 January, 9am - 5:30pm
Venue: Double Tree Hilton, 2-8 Hanger Lane, Ealing, London, W5 3HN
Question Time style debate with:
Dr Pat Bracken
Dr Joanna Moncrieff
Dr Michael Maier
Prof David Taylor
Prof Mike Slade
Dr Suman Fernando
Dr Florian Birkmayer
Eleanor Longden
Pete Bullimore
Hosted by Lord Nigel Crisp
To book a place please email alma.hector@wlmht.nhs.uk

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NSUN (National Survivors User Network) are having their annual general meeting and Members event
Date: 29th January, 10 am -5.30 pm
Venue: Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, Holborn
Places are limited and need to be book in advance here.

"We want to look at the future of mental health from the direct lived experience - no organisational agenda! It will also provide an important opportunity for members to have direct input into how they want the network to progress and develop".

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“Spirituality and Hearing Voices”
Date: 12th February 2015, 2 pm -4 pm
Venue: Essex Unitarian Church, 112 Palace Gardens Terrace, London, W8 4RT
Presenters/Facilitators: Professor Simon Dein & Dolly Sen - Chair: Satyin Taylor

Professor Simon Dein is a consultant psychiatrist with long-standing interests in psychiatry and religion. He holds academic appointments in Durham University, University College London and Goldsmith's College and his research and publications include several books and many academic articles. His recent work includes study of the experiences of Christians hearing G-d's voice. He is in demand as a speaker both nationally and internationally.

Dolly Sen is a writer, artist, film-maker, health consultant and trainer, with lived experience of psychosis, mood disorder and PTSD.

She is an engaging and inspiring speaker: "I have no religion, but I do see voices as the soul's story told in metaphor and that if you take a holistic approach to voices and listen to the soul, it will tell you your road home."

Chaired by Satyin Taylor, NHS mental health professional, member of the Triratna Buddhist Order, founder of the London Group of www.SpiritualCrisisNetwork.org.uk, lived experience of psychosis.
Booking HERE
spiritualitymentalhealth.org.uk/whatson.html

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Obviously sad about what happened in Paris, instead of blaming anyone or any religion I would say that weapons makers are the first to be blamed.

EAST LONDON AGAINST ARMS FAIRS (ELAAF) presents a Musical Protest tomorrow, the 17th of January outside the ExCeL Centre, which threatens to hold another "DSEI" Arms Fair in 2015.

ELAAF Musical Protests aim to raise awareness of the arms trade and campaign for the cancellation of all arms fairs at ExCeL or anywhere else.
More supporters are needed. Just turn up and be welcome, More singers, musicians, also jugglers, dancers, mime artists... Even if you are not musical you will still be welcome.
From Custom House DLR station or Victoria Dock Road just follow the signs to ExCeL. We will be at the end of the walkway just before you get to the entrance to the exhibition centre www.elaaf.org/#events

December Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Another year it's coming to an end and we would like to thank all of you that have helped and supported us, contributing to FEEL's activities throughout the year.
Meetings have been steadily well attended and engaging and we have shared some interesting times during our events.

Our last monthly meeting is next Monday 15th December at LARC 62, Fieldgate Street, Whitechapel E1 1ES, 6.30- 8.30pm. It will be good to hear the feedback after last month 'Sanity for Beginners' event and discuss plans for 2015.

The most recently circulated BPS document "Understanding Psychosis and Schizophrenia" is a sign that changes are in motion in the mental health system and public engagement is crucial in speeding up the process. Read and share the document widely, please. It is brilliant that initiatives as the New Paradigm Alliance and Open Dialogue are taking shape more readily. The first British conference on Peer-supported Open Dialogue is happening in central London, next year. Set for March 11th from 9.30am-5pm, tickets are free and can be reserved here: www.peersopendialogue.com

Recommendation for this weekend is the closing of the Schizo-Culture: Cracks In The Street exhibition at Space Studios with a series of events and discussions 12–14 Dec 2014 SPACE, 129–131 Mare Street, Hackney, E8 3RH

To conclude we leave you to enjoy the latest beautifully edited copy of the Survivors Poetry Express Newsletter wishing you a safe, relaxed and sober season.

Best wishes & Happy 2015!

Post-event updates

Dear Friends,

We wish to thank all of you that came along to the Kingsley Hall last Friday, nevertheless the rain and cold.

Thank you to Liam Kirk for chairing the event, Dr Kevin Zdaniecki and David Amery for their talks, Steve Woodhams for the updates about the LifeHouse Centre, The Mudlarks for their live music, David Kessel, Sarah Barratt and Madeline Kenley for their poetry reading, David Baker for overseeing all audio and visual and letting us access to a warm hall, Georgina Sullivan for facilitating access for the hearing impaired via live captions, and the brilliant team of helpers Miriam, Claudio, Myra. Thank you to all!

A transcript will be available in the next few days. Please, send us an email if you wish to receive a copy: f.e.e.l.campaign@gmail.com. Next meeting at LARC will be on Monday the 15th of December.

The William Blake Congregation warmly invite you to William Blake's 257th Birthday gathering on Friday 28th November at 1pm in the Blake room at Tate Britain. Bring poetry,music,song,cake. We will repair to the Morpeth Arms nearby afterwards. Free.

Blake Birthday Celebration are also taking place later today Monday 24th Nov at the Dragon Cafe. From 7-8.30pm. Poetry,music & dance to celebrate Blake's Birthday with The Children, John Constable, Grassy Noel, Micalef & more.



Save Our Surgeries (SOS) campaigners promise new wave of action to defend practices threatened by MPIG cuts. A new meeting is planned for Wednesday 26 November at 7.30pm, taking place at Lauriston Primary School, 55 Rutland Road, E9 7JS Hackney. Speakers will include Meg Hillier MP (Lab, Hackney South & Shoreditch), Dr Louise Irvine from the Save Lewisham Hospital campaign, retired Hackney GP Dr Mike Fitzpatrick, Tower Hamlets GP Dr Sally Hull and Virginia Patania from the Jubilee Street Practice, which ignited the campaign when it announced it would be forced to close if MPIG cuts went ahead. SOS is calling for all changes to GP funding to be put on hold, pending the review of GP funding that is due to start in 2015. The campaigners say any new funding formula must take factors like deprivation into account, and that all practices should receive fair funding to meet the needs of their patients, whichever contract they are working to.


Fight Back! Feel Better! Campaigns against a political and economical system which causes sickness. They are having a launching event with discussions, performances and stalls on Thursday, December 4 at 7:00pm Unite the Union, London Regional Office, 33-37 Moreland Street, London, EC1V

Latest updates

Dear Friends

Returning from the WHFS AGM today, I felt very inspired by the amazing work that is carried out by several remarkable women in our borough of Tower Hamlets, along them is Myra Garrett, co-chair of the charity. Do please have a look at their website and consider sending out a donation to support their work www.whfs.org.uk/

We would like to reach you with one more reminder about our public event "Sanity for Beginners" at the Kingsley Hall tomorrow evening, Friday the 21st. We also wish to send our best wishes for a prompt recovery to Denise McKenna that, due to ill health won't be able to join us for the event.

Alongside Dr Kevin Zdaniecki, other speakers for the evening will be David Amery, talking about "Homelessness and mental heath" and we are going to have a little update in regards to the Lifehouse project carried out by some of our members.

The William Blake Congregation warmly invite you to William Blake's 257th Birthday gathering on Friday 28th November at 1pm in the Blake room at Tate Britain. Bring poetry, music, song, cake.We will repair to the Morpeth Arms nearby afterwards. Free. All are Welcome.

We would also like to wish a very happy first anniversary to our cousins at Eastbeat that will be celebrating on Tuesday the 2nd of December from 7pm with some fine musicians presented by the extraordinary Jazzman John Clarke. Part of the evening will also have a tribute paid to Isaac Rosenberg, local First World War poet & visual artist. The 'Three Bees' cafe' will be serving nutritious reasonably-priced food from 4pm.

Looking forward to see many of you tomorrow.

Simon Hughes MP Q&A at CoolTan Arts, SE17

Thursday 13th November 2014
 

Dear F.E.E.L.,                          

This afternoon at CoolTan Arts, SE17 Simon Hughes MP attended a Q&A meeting with the clients. Below are my two questions to Simon Hughes MP: 

 (i) The Care Quality Commission have recorded that 16.2 per cent of Community Treatment Orders in England are made against black people. Contrast that with the number of black people in English society and tell me that the psychiatric wing of the National Health Service is not institutionally racist. What can be done to eradicate the conscious and unconscious racial bias among doctors?

 (ii) I have a personal question. Could you ask Nick Clegg if he remembers ‘Sookie’? For your benefit Sookie at prep school was Nick’s best friend. Sookie in later life was my best friend and he passed away this year at the age of 48. At death he was on 17 different types of medication each costing the taxpayer several hundred pounds a month and it is clear that twenty-five years of being on numerous psychotropic drugs caused the early demise of my friend. 

As a consequence of my questions I have been invited to meet with The Rt Hon. Nick Clegg DPM to discuss Open Dialogue and the issues raised in my questions. This meeting could be as early as next week. I would advise in relation to the first question the MP challenged the statistics quoting that 11 per cent of the British population are from BME groups however, he did say the figure was unacceptably high. It should be noted although BME groups may be at the level of 11 per cent in society, the proportion of black people I believe is around 4 per cent, and that black people are 7 (seven) times more likely to be diagnosed as being 'psychotic' than their white counterparts. Simon Hughes MP intimated that I and others would be invited to put our views forward at a series of meetings within government.

By Liam Kirk

November Newsletter

Dear Friends,

We are celebrating F.E.E.L. 7th Anniversary this month and we would like to invite you to join us next week for our November meeting at LARC on Monday 17th and our event at the Kingsley Hall on Friday 21st.

We would also like to congratulate with Myra Garrett for receiving a well deserved Community Champion Award in Tower Hamlets for her outstanding contributions in remarkable projects such as the Friends of St Clements, the WHFS (Women’s Health & Family Services), the service users run centre Bow Haven, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and the more recent Save Our Surgeries, to name a few.

November is also William Blake month and celebration and activities dedicate to him organised by Helen and Micalef will take place at the Dragon Cafe each Monday this month.

There will be a closing event at Tate Britain on Friday the 28th at 1pm for Blake's 357th birthday itself.

INSIDER - An art exhibition on mental wellbeing by artist Sidsel Meineche Hansen at the Cubitt Gallery, 8 Angel Mews, N1 9HH, Tuesday - Sunday, 12­.00 - 6.00pm or by appointment. The exhibition deals with mental wellbeing and features an 8-minute animation film, prints and sculpture. During the week the gallery is able to welcome visitors (individually or as a group) and offer a small talk and answer any questions. Runs until Sunday 16 November. You are invited to join a FREE TOUR of the exhibition with the curator Fatima Hellberg on MONDAY 10th NOVEMBER at 4.00pm. For more information please call Fatima on 020 7278 8226

The National Involvement Partnership have publicised The Language of Mental Wellbeing document: this can be accessed here

Next Survivors History Group is on Wednesday 26.11.2014, 12 Old St, London EC1V 9BE at 1pm.

October Newsletter

Dear Friends,

At FEEL monthly meeting this week details for the forthcoming public event were discussed and finalised.

Sanity for Beginners - Keeping Sane in a Money Mad World will take place at the Kingsley Hall on Friday the 21st of November 7-9 PM (Details at the bottom of the page). There will be two main speakers, Denise McKenna and Dr Kevin Zdaniecki, and there will be time dedicated to Q&A and contributions from the floor.

To follow, a list of relevant events and information:



Tomorrow Thursday 23rd October MAD PRIDE in association with SURVIVOR’S POETRY are hosting ‘A Celebration of Creative Lunacy’ For World Mental Health Week @TOTTENHAM CHANCES, 399 Tottenham High Road Tottenham N17 6QN 8pm – Midnight - ADMISSION FREE -

SWAN - The Social Work Action Network are hosting the event 'The Crisis in Mental Health Services' in London on Saturday 8th November. It will feature speakers including Peter Beresford (Professor of Social Policy and Chair of Shaping Our Lives), June Sadd (Survivor Trainer and Researcher), and Disabled People Against Cuts, among others. It will take place at the John Barnes Library, N7 0JN; the nearest tube station is Caledonian Road Link
The BPS Division of Clinical Psychology are officially launching a new report ‘Understanding Psychosis and Schizophrenia’ 27th November 2104, Friends Meeting House, London Link
The King's Found has produced a report following stakeholders involvement to help develop a vision for London’s mental health over the next 5–10 years. The report can be read and downloaded here

For those already suffering the S.A.D. there is some hope: Bobby Baker's "The Expert View" light-box installation opens this week in Dalston Square and Library 24th October - 16th December Link




“Sanity for Beginners”
Date: Friday 21st November 2014
Time: 7.00 – 9.00 PM (doors open 6.30 PM)
Speakers:
Denise McKenna (Mental Health Resistance Network)
“Implications and limitations of the medical model”

Dr Kevin Zdaniecki (Chartered Psychologist AFBPsS (Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society); DCP Member)
“Finding a New Focus in Current State of Psychiatry”

Venue: Kingsley Hall, corner Powis and Bruce Roads, BOW, London E3 3HJ
(Nearest tube stations: Bow Church and Bromley-By-Bow)
There will be an interval with music and refreshments.
No entrance fee but donations will be welcome to cover costs.