Creative project highlights mental health (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Creative project highlights mental health

10:10am Sunday 17th June 2012 in Local

A NATIONAL initiative to spotlight mental health has the backing of Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust.

Rethink Your Mind is offering a free platform to mental health groups in a creative project that will culminate in a prize presentation at the House of Lords.

Other supporters include national charity Time to Change and Coronation Street and Full Monty star Steve Huison.

The project will combine a celebration of creativity with producing a mental health help guide that will link up support organisations with the people who need them most.

Launched by Midlands-based community interest company SISO (Safe Inside, Safe Outside) and Citizens Eye’s mental health news agency HowRU?, Rethink Your Mind will start a nationwide search for winning words and artwork on the theme of positivity towards mental health on World Mental Health Day in October.

The organisation’s website, rethinkyourmind.co.uk, has already gone live as it builds the information resource to offer support to anyone who logs on.

Acclaimed poets photographers and artists will assess the entries, which will be celebrated on the website and in a hard-back book with a foreword by Professor Lord Patel of Bradford, former chairman of the Mental Health Act Commission and currently Shadow Minister for Communities.

Selected words and illustrations will also feature on two music singles by Refuge and Hip Hop artist Colo Bond.