Jean Breese stage name Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze was born in Jamaica and came to England in the 1980s. She is an internationally renowned poet and playwright and has shaped a voice that demands attention and response.
She writes in many forms and is highly acclaimed for her artistry with the Jamaican ‘Dub’ artform.
Her words carry resonant political and personal messages and audiences around the world relate to and are inspired by her work. She is the author of six books; the latest Third World Girl was published in the UK in 2011, followed by a national tour.
Her first book of poetry, Ryddim Ravings, was published in 1988; she went on to write the screenplay for Hallelujah Anyhow, a co-production of the British Film Institute and BBC 2. She has recorded with Dennis Bovell’s Dub Band.
She has been the recipient of a National Endowment of Science and the Arts (NESTA) Award for her poetry and in 2011, she became an Honorary Fellow in Creative Writing at the University of Leicester.
She suffers from schizophrenia and has written poetry about what she herself calls “madness.” In 2006, on the BBC Radio program “The Interview,” Breeze gave her perspective on mental illness and advocated increased attention to the needs of schizophrenics.
Lydia Towsey is the chair of the rethinkyourmind poetry assesor panel. She is a poet and performer with a Masters in Creative Writing.
Her previous commissions include: Poet in the City’s, Spoken Word All Stars Tour; Beyond Words — U.K. tour of four South African poets (Apples and Snakes) and Sole2Soul (University of Leicester.)
In 2012 she was shortlisted for the Bridport Poetry Prize. In 2013 she performed at London’s 100 Club and was featured by The London Magazine.
In 2014 she UK toured ‘Three the Hard Way’ alongside Jean Binta Breeze and Alison Dunne.
She is forthcoming in Bloodaxe Books’, Raving Beauties anthology & Candlestick Press’ ‘10 Poems about Knitting’. Her full length collection, ‘The Venus Papers’ will be published by Burning Eye Books in 2015.
Lydia is Arts in Health Coordinator at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust; Chair/Compere of WORD! – the longest running poetry night in the Midlands (www.wordpoetry.eu) and Chair of Brightsparks (www.brightsparks.wordpress.com).
Gary Hodges is the UK’s best selling and most collectable pencil artist. He has sold over 106,000 personally signed and numbered prints from 124 limited editions. Only 11 of these editions are still available, the other 113 having sold out.
The huge demand for Gary’s prints has led to a lucrative secondary market rewarding collectors with more than just the sheer beauty of his drawings. Greenpeace published his first print in 1987 in an edition of 850 copies which sold for £8.50 each. In recent years that same print “Green Turtle” has changed hands for up to an incredible £3,500.00!
The many accolades given during his 32 year career include the “Oscars” of the published art world, the “Best selling Artist of the Year” and also “Best selling images by a living artist” (twice) all awarded by the Fine Art Trade Guild. Other previous winners include Rolf Harris, Jack Vettriano and David Shepherd.
His many thousands of admirers include Virginia McKenna, Martina Navratilova, Pam St Clement and Rula Lenska.
Gary’s massive popularity has enabled him to follow his heart and support charities dear to him. Through his art well over half a million pounds has been given back via many charities to protect the wildlife he feels so passionate towards.
Georgina delivers presentations to a wide variety of audiences. Her work has led to her being awarded honorary lecturer status within the Institute’s Section of Mental Health Nursing. She also works for various Universities and NHS Trusts.
Georgina has said: “For many years I felt afraid to say ‘my son suffers from Schizophrenia’ due to the negative perception all too often portrayed by the media. We will continue to campaign for all those who have been unlucky enough to develop a mental illness something that is no more than a tragic life event.”
Georgina is an accomplished public speaker and has spoken at many conferences nationally. She is an Honorary Lecturer at the Institute of Psychiatry where she has delivered “The Carers Perspective” through three short courses for the past 10 years.
FREE DVD
To the left is the front cover of the DVD “Schizophrenia The Whole Picture”. This DVD is now available as a free resource (only the postage and packaging is payable) to mental health carers and professionals in fact anyone who would like to learn more about Schizophrenia. To obtain a copy send a SAE padded envelope with 2 first class stamps to:
WellHappy is an innovative health & wellbeing app designed by and for young people in London.
The app gives young people access to key information around Mental Health, Sex, Relationships and Substance Misuse.
The result of collaboration between the NHS, mental health charity YoungMinds and LivingWell CIC, WellHappy responds to the State of Mind manifesto, in which young people said “tell us where we can go when we need help”.
Since the app’s launch at the Healthcare Innovation Expo & City Hall in March 2013 it has received glowing reviews and support from professionals and young people alike and has also received celebrity endorsement.
Student Minds is the UK’s student mental health charity. We believe that peer interventions can change the state of student mental health.
We deliver research – driven training and support to equip students to bring about positive change on their campuses through campaigning and facilitating peer support programs.
Our vision is for students to be at the centre of all interventions to improve student mental health.
We want students to take action to foster an environment where everyone has the confidence to talk and listen to each other, the skills to support one another and the knowledge to look after their own mental health.
Reading Well Books on Prescription is the new national scheme for England delivered by The Reading Agency in partnership with the Society of Chief Librarians, local library services and health partners.
The scheme provides self-help reading for adults based on cognitive behavioural therapy for a range of common mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, phobias and some eating disorders.
Reading Well Books on Prescription is supported by the Department of Health (IAPT), Royal College of General Practitioners, Royal College of Psychiatrists, Royal College of Nursing, British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, National Association for Primary Care, The British Psychological Society and Mind.
The other strand of the Reading Well programme is Reading Well Mood-boosting Books – a national promotion of uplifting novels, non-fiction and poetry, selected by readers and reading groups around the country.
Widening Horizons is a new approach to drug & alcohol recovery servicing. Aiming to involve service users as much as possible.
Onsite they have Peer mentors who can offer support and help if needed. Members can become Peer mentors after some training.
There is a café to buy affordable food and drink and sit down and chill amongst other members and staff.
We have many groups; Mindfulness , hypnotherapy, Auricular Acupuncture, Arts & Crafts, Poetry & Creative writing, Fathers group, Women’s group, Media Arts & Culture , Job club, Music groups, a Gym, football, and mutual aid groups ( AA-Smart group etc)
Open 6 days a week , it is a comfort to people seeking recovery knowing there is somewhere they can go to be amongst positive friends in a family like surrounding.
The Leicestershire Culture, Health and Wellbeing Partnership
The Leicestershire Culture, Health and Wellbeing Partnership formed in 2011 to highlight the ways in which culture contributes to wellbeing.
The partnership encourages providers and commissioners of helath, education and social care services to use cultural activity to deliver against their health and wellbeing agendas.
The partnership aims to champion culture, build partnerships, and support the health community in using culture as a means to improve health and wellbeing.
Using the ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ as our framework, we demonstrate that taking part in cultural activity improves health and wellbeing through: Connecting, Being Active, Learning, Giving and Taking Notice.
Each October we celebrate the positive effect participation in cultural activities has on the wellbeing of people in LeicesterShire through our Wellbeing Hi-5 events programme.
The Leicestershire Culture, Health and Wellbeing Partnership
The Leicestershire Culture, Health and Wellbeing Partnership formed in 2011 to highlight the ways in which culture contributes to wellbeing.
The partnership encourages providers and commissioners of helath, education and social care services to use cultural activity to deliver against their health and wellbeing agendas.
The partnership aims to champion culture, build partnerships, and support the health community in using culture as a means to improve health and wellbeing.
Using the ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ as our framework, we demonstrate that taking part in cultural activity improves health and wellbeing through: Connecting, Being Active, Learning, Giving and Taking Notice.
Each October we celebrate the positive effect participation in cultural activities has on the wellbeing of people in LeicesterShire through our Wellbeing Hi-5 events programme.
Leicestershire Recovery College is a pilot project being developed by Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT) to provide a variety of recovery focussed and educational courses and resources for people with lived mental health experience, for their friends, family and LPT staff.
Courses are delivered by a range of organisations and are designed to contribute to wellbeing and recovery, supporting people to recognise their own resourcefulness and talents in order to become experts in their own self-care, make informed choices and achieve the things they want to in life.
• Courses are available on a range of topics • Understanding/ experience of mental health conditions • Building Your Life • Developing Skills and Knowledge • Physical Health and Wellbeing • Getting Involved
Leicestershire Recovery College is a pilot project being developed by Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT) to provide a variety of recovery focussed and educational courses and resources for people with lived mental health experience, for their friends, family and LPT staff.
Courses are delivered by a range of organisations and are designed to contribute to wellbeing and recovery, supporting people to recognise their own resourcefulness and talents in order to become experts in their own self-care, make informed choices and achieve the things they want to in life.
·Courses are available on a range of topics
·Understanding/ experience of mental health conditions
