CELEBRATING WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY ACROSS SOUTH KIRKLEES
Mental health service users, carers and staff will be taking part in a variety of celebrations across South Kirklees to mark World Mental Health Day 2004
The day is being commemorated by the South West Yorkshire Mental Health Trust with the launch of a special poetry book, featuring poems by mental health service users. Three separate events are also being held across South Kirklees in the week leading up to World Mental Health Day, which takes place on 10th October.
Speaking about the poetry book, Heather Sansom, patient and public involvement manager, who is co-ordinating this year’s events said, ‘The poetry book will be on sale throughout the World Mental Health Day celebrations. These poems will give people a real insight into the thoughts, feelings and concerns of people with mental health problems, which will hopefully create a greater understanding amongst the wider community.’
This year’s events are being held in a variety of settings to ensure that the positive message of World Mental Health Day reaches as many people as possible.
On Monday 4th October, staff and service users will be on holding a stall in Huddersfield Market offering information and advice. Members of the public will be able to talk to service users and staff about the services that the Trust provides and find out more about how to look after their own mental well-being.
On Tuesday 5th October there will be a colourful stand in the foyer of St Lukes Hospital, Huddersfield. The stand will showcase artwork and poetry by people who use mental health services at St Lukes and by people who attend Depression, Anxiety, Self Help group, DASH. Staff members will be available to talk to people about the artwork, poetry and mental health issues.
On Friday 8th October there will be an information stand in the CO-OP supermarket in Holmirth providing information, advice and leaflets to take away. Staff will be manning the stand, talking to members of the public about Trust services and answering any questions that members of the public may have about mental health.
Heather continued, ‘World Mental Health Day is a great opportunity to get out in the community and promote a positive image of mental health. Staff and service users enjoy talking to the public, and this helps to remove the stigma that is often associated with mental health problems.
‘The emphasis of this year’s celebrations is the link between mental and physical well-being, emphasising that we must look after our physical health and mental health to maintain a balanced lifestyle. I’d encourage anybody to come along and find out some more information, mental health problems affect one in four people in the course of year so they are a lot more common than many people think.’