Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is excited to mark Mental Health Awareness Week. This forms part of the Trust's commitment to amplify the voices of people who use services, as well as addressing stigma around mental health and signposting support.
From 14 to 16 May, the Trust is working with partners and service users to coordinate community mental health fairs at day resource centres and village halls in Camborne, Fraddon and Bodmin.
The fairs will bring together over 13 voluntary sector organisations. These include Pentreath, Sport in Mind, Music for Good, Healthy Cornwall and Cornwall Mind. Members of the Trust’s Talking Therapies, perinatal and complex emotional difficulties services will also have stalls.
Sarah-Lou Skitt, Head of Nursing and Allied Professionals for the community mental health team says,
“Admitting to and asking for support for mental health issues takes courage. In bringing together members of local mental health charity sector organisations and NHS specialists in one relaxed space, we hope that people can have informal discussions about the support they need.”
As well as signposting support, the fairs will be an opportunity to have fun. Sarah-Lou explains:
“These days are about celebrating. The journey to recovery can be hard when you have mental health challenges. We want to celebrate that hard work and the people and organisations that support the process.
“People who use our services have spent weeks preparing decorations. There is a real buzz around these events. Local organisations have donated raffle prizes. We are hoping the sun will be shining, we can be outside, and people can enjoy a Cornish cream team with us!”
To aid the celebrations, Music for Good are running music workshops and local artists are running art and gardening sessions.
Resource centre recovery worker Zannagh Hatton comments,
“We want to remind people that whilst mental health is bringing us together at these events, we are all so much more than our mental health. We can all benefit from creating art, making music, and spending time chatting over lunch or a cream tea."
The events will be taking place from 10am – 4pm on:
- Tuesday 14 May at Boundervean Day Resource centre, Camborne
- Wednesday 15 May at Fraddon Village Hall
- Thursday 16 May at Trelil Court, Bodmin
For more information, see the Trust website.
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