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Issue TenSummer 2020

Back to workStaying well in the workplace

A platform for mental and physical health awareness

DISCRIMINATIONYour right to equality at work

APPLYING FOR JOBSQuestions employers shouldn’t ask about your health

VOLUNTEERINGA step back on the work ladder

JUST ABOUT COPINGCelebrities explore mental health

“The greatest wealth is health.”Virgil

Summer 2020 | Issue Ten | 3

ExerciseMindmappingA method of managing our thoughtsP32

GuidanceApplying for jobsWhat employers can ask about you in an interviewP20

CommentWhat do you do for a living?Why there’s more to a person than their jobP31

FeatureDiscrimination at workYour rights as someone with health challengesP14

FeatureA volunteer’s story The health and social benefits of volunteeringP26

InterviewJust About Coping podcastCelebrities explore mental health in the futureP28

Personal storyIPS Employment Service: a personal taleA journey from avoiding work to supporting others in workP22

Feature Staying well at workManaging your mental health while workingP10

4 Editor’s letter: our special focus on the workplace 5 Lockdown stories: tell us your tales 6 COVID-19: the importance of kindness 7 Post-lockdown anxiety: getting back to “normal” life 8 Self-care: tips on looking after yourself at home 13 Artwork: Walk in nature and breathe,

by Karen Lee 18 Wellness tool: the benefits of being outdoors at the Huntingdon allotment 21 Poem: Find your Joy by Nichole Nichole 25 Artwork: photography by Karen Hinkins 34 Send a card project: making cards for people on mental health wards 35 Coffee and a chat: success stories of the Good Mood Cafes 36 Activity page 37 Directory

contents

also in this issue

It seems a bit of a strange time to be talking about potentially getting back on the work ladder, given that so many people have not been able to work during the coronavirus pandemic, or are working from home. However, the information and advice we’ve covered this issue is timeless and will apply whenever you end up back in the workplace or looking for work.

We decided to place a special focus on mental health and the workplace this summer issue because it’s such a broad matter and plays a huge part in the recovery process and keeping well in the future. Having work to do and feeling useful can be key in helping people with mental health challenges

feel that they are achieving something positive and are needed as part of a team. However, if you are working with existing mental health challenges or returning to work after a period of sick leave, it’s still important that those challenges aren’t overlooked and form part of a regular review with your employer. Employers have a key role to play but there are also several steps you can take as the employee to maintain your mental health – see the Richmond Fellowship’s advice on page 10.

Mental health can also be defined as a disability, if it meets certain criteria. Whether you are in an existing role or starting something new, this means that an employer cannot treat you less favourably than other employees, for example if you were applying for a promotion. If your employer knows about your disability, they are also required to make changes to the work environment/work methods in order to enable you to carry out your work sufficiently. This might include changing hours, reallocation of duties or working from home. Read law firm Loch Associates’ in-depth guidance on discrimination on page 14.

Finally, the thought of going through the application process for a new job can be absolutely terrifying, especially if you have been out of work for some time and are a bit out of practice! However, if you are worried about what the prospective employer will think of you and your mental health challenges, be assured that they cannot ask about your health at interview stage or before they make you an offer of a job. Mental health charity Mind provides some more information about the job application process from page 20.

There’s heaps of non-work-related stuff to read this issue too, including a brand new mental health podcast featuring interviews with the likes of Ruby Wax and Dr Ranj (p28); a look at how an allotment is helping people on their road to recovery (p18); and a project designed to send get well cards to those on mental health wards (p34).

Sadly, Recovery College East lost a much-loved and valued member of the team recently. Jenny Esson, Training and Development Manager at the college, passed away in April following a battle with Coronavirus. Jen was such a massive part of the landscape of the Recovery College; a massive part of moving us forward and taking us to new places, and she will be sadly missed by us all.

Stay well during these uncertain times.

Kelly Mansfield, Editor

4 | Issue Ten | Summer 2020

contributorsEditor Kelly [email protected]

Deputy EditorDanny Bowyer

Contributors Jodie Smee, Richmond FellowshipKaren LeePam Loch, Loch AssociatesAngie Rea, Huntingdon Adult Locality TeamMindDouglas Pederson James Ayres, CPFTKaren HinkinsGareth Thomas Simon Blake, MHFAIir PrihatinawatiNichole NicholeLorna EvansKathy JonesAnna FreudAnxiety UKMark Rowland

Designer David [email protected]

Published by Recovery College East 128-130 Tenison Road, Cambridge, CB1 2DP01223 227510

Gloucester Centre, Morpeth Close, Orton Longueville, Peterborough, PE2 7JU 01733 746660/2

[email protected]

www.cpft.nhs.uk/about-us/recovery-college-east.htm

Cover image Shutterstock

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be produced, stored in a retrievable system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical or otherwise without the prior permission in writing from the publishers.

Although great care has been taken in the compilation and preparation of Speak Your Mind magazine to ensure accuracy, neither the publishers nor any of the contributors can in any circumstances accept responsibility for errors, omissions or advice given in this publication.

Furthermore, this publication is intended for general information purposes only and professional advice should be sought before applying this information to specific circumstances.

The views expressed in Speak Your Mind magazine are the contributors’ own, not necessarily those of the publishers.

editor’s letter

We’ve all been through some extreme circumstances in the last few months, the effects which are likely to be felt for many months to come. But it’s affected us all differently and we’d like to hear what the experience has been like for you.

Perhaps lockdown has given you the opportunity to take a step back a focus on you? A chance to relax that you wouldn’t ordinarily get? Maybe you’ve learnt something new about yourself given the time to learn new skills?

Or maybe, ironically, you’ve spoken to friends and family more often than you would ordinarily, with the help of video chat?

On the other hand, maybe this time in lockdown has been an uphill battle for you, with the inability to see other people and being stuck at home alone with your mental health challenges? If so, how did you cope?

Either way, we’d like to hear your stories, so if you’d like to share email us at [email protected]

24 | Issue Eight | Autumn 2019

One On a furrowed and troubled brow, the weight of shift work

shows. Sitting with papers spread before him on the table,

he added, subtracted and multiplied, over and over and I

think he was hoping that his calculations were wrong. That

some rogue number had ambushed his equations and that

the outcome might not really be the outcome, but it was. His

wages stagnated on his payslips, whilst all the bills crept higher.

He still smiled, although it was the sweet smile worn by the

burdened. The corners of his mouth raised in defiance and

spoof but smiling that smile wore him out. It was especially

tiresome when I’d chance to ask for some treat or treasure.

Did he plead with his desperate sums, “Are you sure we can’t

spare £5?” And when that inevitable nod of no came back he

was subdued. Breaking bad news to my hopeful eyes, I was

snuffed out. Dressed up in disappointment, an aching shared,

so I stopped asking. He would go for months without a haircut;

it was how I could tell that we were harder up than usual. His

clothes were discount or second hand, though he wore them

calmly. He never seemed to mind his hardship, but I bet he did.

How could he not? I know this is not the first slum on earth, and

context will come when it’s time, but young hopes aren’t biased

by threats of extinction; I just wanted to quell my desires. In lieu

of sleep, I hear you come home with the sun rising and I still

see the downstairs light illuminate your worries. Fair tired eyes,

I wish I could take it back, those little gifts mean so much more.

Everyday despairLife as a have-not, the desperation of hunger and the pain of missing

out. The three vignettes below depict moments from my life of everyday

despair, they are not uncommon experiences and I hope by writing about

these everyday traumatic experiences it may lead others to consider the

legitimate trauma caused by financial hardship and begin to realise the

damage of living in a society of inequality. By Danny Bowyer.

“I am awake with a hunger. I have stalked the cupboards time and again, each time believing I may have

somehow missed the fact that they are empty.”

personal story

24 | Issue Three | May 2018

I carry a rare cancer gene called CDH1. Unfortunately, the only way to

find out if you have this gene is to lose

a family member to stomach or breast

cancer. I have known about this gene

since I was 13 when my mum died of

stomach cancer. Since the age of 18 I

knew I carried the gene and since the

age of 25, I have been living with no stomach. Having this gene puts me at

80% risk of getting stomach cancer and the only way to eliminate this is to

perform a Total Gastrectomy (TG), full

stomach removal. At the age of 18 I wasn’t ready to go

through a life-changing operation, so I

opted for six-monthly screenings. 2013

was when they told me that cancerous

cells had been found in my stomach.

Something that I had put off for so long

now had to be dealt with! I took a further

two years to sort myself out, mentally

and physically. I saw various medical professionals

and was put in touch with people who

carry the gene/had a TG. The operation

was booked for September 2015 and

I couldn’t be any more prepared, but

nothing whatsoever could have prepared

me for what was to happen. I went from a healthy 24-year-old

to being extremely poorly overnight. The eight days in hospital dealing with

excruciating pain was easy compared

to the months after grieving the life I

used to live. I have always lived a busy

lifestyle, so it became very hard doing

nothing. I was weak; I slept for 20 hours

out of a 24-hour period. I needed help

doing the simplest of things! I cried every

single day. I became so low that I started

thinking what if I never do get better?Not being able to eat a lot in one

sitting and due to the fact I had to regain

energy, I had to eat every hour. This became a huge chore and I hated food.

All I wanted to do was sleep but I knew if

I slept I would miss my eating window. It

became a vicious cycle! I cannot explain

how amazing my family and friends were,

but four months down the line I felt I was

being a burden on them and even though

they never said it, they missed the old

Amy too.

It was hard on my family and friends

to see me the way I was. The positive Amy with a stomach had become a very

negative stomachless Amy! At my lowest point I visited my local

GP, someone who knew nothing about

my condition. “Do you want some anti-

depressants,” he said. Am I depressed?

I thought I was feeling this way because

I was poorly and weak but it made me

doubt myself. I wanted help getting better

physically, building my strength back up! I didn’t believe anti-depressants would

help me at that time. I started getting

angry. I regretted having the surgery!

Christmas 2015 came, four months after

surgery, a season of events. My husband

was missing out on doing things because

he felt bad leaving me so I pushed myself. Pushing myself too much left

me in bed for days, but pushing myself

slightly is what helped me. I was still

exhausted at these events but I was with

loved ones. Spending time out of the house and

with family and friends really made me

My storyBy Amy Harper

“Spending time out of the house and with

family and friends really made me feel better.

It was these events which reminded me how

lucky I am to be surrounded by these people

and I was not going to let something like having

no stomach stop me from enjoying my life!”

personal story

feel better. It was these events which

reminded me how lucky I am to be surrounded by these people and I was

not going to let something like having no

stomach stop me from enjoying my life!

Positivity was back! Six months down the line and I still had little energy, but things were

definitely starting to improve! I went back to work part time, I started light

exercise, I was socialising more and

my new stomachless life didn’t seem all

that bad! I was keeping busy while still

making time to rest. I had various issues,

however all these problems seemed

small compared to the fact that I was

able to do things again.Two years post-surgery and I couldn’t

be happier. I absolutely love life! My poor

mum wasn’t given the option to live, I know

for a fact she wouldn’t of let the fact she

didn’t have a stomach stop her from living

her life so I sure aren’t. I’m glad I had the operation, I took life for granted before surgery but going

through all this has made me realise how

lucky I am. My life is phenomenal and you

wouldn’t even know I didn’t have a stomach

unless I told you. I will not let this stop me

from doing anything! It was a very dark and painful time

in my life but I appreciate the fact I went through it to become the person

I am today. n

20 | Issue One

I first got drunk when I was 11 at a neighbour’s New Year’s Eve party, given

alcohol by the ‘fun’ brother that was heavily

disguised with coke, tonic and cherry juice.

“Never again,” I slurred.I planned to join the army after school

and took a job at McDonald’s as a stop

gap to pay board and treats. Two failed

medicals and nine years later I was still

cooking burgers.

I was a manager there for a while but

did not like the responsibility and telling

people what to do. The best way to join

the “in crowd” and get the jobs I liked doing was drinking with the beer-loving

managers. I forgot that little 11-year-old’s

“Never again” pledge and instead vowed

to get good at this drinking lark. To the joy

of my colleagues and the total dismay and

fear of my mother I excelled. With alcohol and anger taking a

stronger grip on me and discovering

a passion for cross-dressing, I went through relationships, employment, and

addresses like they were going out of

fashion. I woke up many times in hospital

or police custody. My family was getting more and more dismayed and so the brother I could most relate to took me under his wing and got me a job where he worked. As the alcoholic haze began to

lift I started noticing the depression and

anxiety and sought medical treatment.

This consisted of a prescription and being put on a long waiting list for anger

management.

When I lost my driving license for drink

driving/no insurance my brother would not

pick me up from home. The shop where he

picked me up was where I met my second

wife. She liked to drink too unfortunately

but, nonetheless, we did have three beautiful daughters. The job and my brother relocated

up north so I had six months of unemployment/agency work before

starting work on a catalogue. The drinking got worse and I was suspended

for coming in to work drunk. That was

the first time I said out loud that I am an

alcoholic. I kept my job on the condition that

I sought medical help. I agreed to see

my GP to get a liver function test, see

the company nurse on a regular basis,

and go to Drinksense and Alcoholics

Anonymous. I did not see my GP

and only managed one Drinksense appointment as I had confidentiality concerns.

I have been a member of Alcoholics

Anonymous for nearly 13 years and my

life has changed unrecognisably since that

first meeting. I have had a few hiccups

My storyBy Dennis John Wright

I strive for the serenity to accept what

I cannot change, the courage to change

the things I can, and the wisdom to know

the difference.

I have been a member of Alcoholics

Anonymous for nearly 13 years and my

life has changed unrecognisably since that

first meeting.

personal story

along the way but have been dry for nearly

nine years now. I came in to AA with a loving wife, four

children, a mortgage and a car. I now have

an ex-wife who is one of my best friends,

three beautiful daughters and a son who

unfortunately wants nothing to do with me,

to the extent that he stops me seeing my

young granddaughter. When my wife and I separated I fought for custody of my daughters on the basis of my wife’s alcohol consumption and health concerns. I was

so offended by what was said against me

in court that I finally started doing the AA

recovery program honestly. When I did I

came to the painful realisation that about

90% of what they had said in court was

actually true. My daughters stay with me regularly

now. Alcoholics Anonymous has restored

me to my factory settings, taught to me

by my loving family. It has also given me

the confidence to speak in front of large

groups with passion, compassion, honesty

and sincerity.While I was drinking I did not mature,

so while I can cook, clean and sew I lack

the ability and confidence to deal with

authorities like government departments

and local authorities. I would not open

letters or answer unnamed phone calls leading to various debt and organisational difficulties. Near daily suicidal thoughts of my

“final solution” led me to my GP whose

actions and commitment saved my life by

24 | Issue Six | April 2019

A shock is an understatement. After all,

I have worked with bodies as a remedial

masseuse for over 25 years, I know how

memories and stresses get locked in. But

I was watching a TV programme when the

subject of unexpressed grief came up. This

was in relation to parting with a child for

adoption – just what had happened to me.

My marriage had broken and I

was pregnant, which at that time was

unacceptable. A private adoption was

arranged. I already had two small children

and the divorce meant the children had

lost all the relatives from their father’s side.

That’s how things were back then. I was

rented a terrace house for myself and the

children. When the baby came the children went

into care until all was over. I was supposed

to just get on with life, which I did, no

space to grieve.

I started to suffer from migraines and

was referred to in detrimental terms when

I couldn’t work because my vision was

blurred, let alone the pain. Things did

not improve, by now the house had been

My storyBy Rosemary Steel

“People cross the road because they don’t

know what to say to a young widowed mum.”

personal story

sold and I was living and working in my

parents’ house, in their office, which was

the downstairs front room. The doctor said

I would not be free of the migraine until I

was out of my parents’ environment.

I bought The Lady magazine and took

a residential post as a cook general.

Life went on and after a few years doing

various residential posts I met and married

Mike, a gift from God. But after two and a

half years of a happy marriage, Mike died.

28 | Issue Five | January 2019

Looking back, I suffered from depression

all through my school years. As a young

child I was bullied – I wore glasses and

had undiagnosed dyslexia.

At around 18 years of age, after getting

just a five in my CSE English, I took a basic

skills literature course that identified my

dyslexia, but life in general was not easy. I

fell out with my parents and moved out into

what can only be described as a run-down

bedsit with a crowd of people who weren’t

positive for me to be around

At 20 years old, I was estranged from

my family, feeling alone and without a job.

There didn’t seem to be any help available

to me at that time, and it was not a great

life. So, I took my first overdose, then

went out to the hairdressers where I was

violently sick and was very unwell.

However, I returned to studying, passing

GCSE and A Level English Literature and

City and Guilds Computing. Life moved

on and I found myself working for a

cleaning company and married with a baby

daughter. However, this relationship broke

down and I became depressed again.

Life was tough for me, as my physical

health was not

good either.

Having half of

my prostate

removed resulted

in side effects

that prevented me

from sleeping at

night. The stress

aggravated my

back pain and

mental health

and over the next

few years I took

another couple of

overdoses, one

of which resulted

in an A&E

admission.

I believe my health issues, including

fibromyalgia, sleep apnoea and overactive

prostate, contributed to a full breakdown,.

On discharge from a mental health unit

I felt I was unable to leave my house

anymore.

Around this time, diagnosed with EUPD

(emotionally unstable personality disorder),

I was referred for cognitive behavioural

and ‘mentalisation’ based therapies, which

helped me get a better understanding

of my own and other people’s emotions.

Here I learnt a lot about my own emotional

responses to things and the cues that I

take from other people’s behaviour, which

affects my own. These are often based on

my own assumptions, not the facts. For

My storyBy Andrew Turner

“My photography has definitely given me

a new focus as well as somewhere to go,

and something to do. Over the years I have

developed my skills and enjoy sharing my

knowledge with others.”

personal story

instance, if someone is snappy with me it

might actually have been someone else

who annoyed them, and I may have done

nothing wrong.

I joined Cambridgeshire charity

Red2Green’s Support Service for people

living with mental health challenges.

Going to their regular weekly drop-ins

and walking group sessions all helped

me develop a better routine and give

me something to get out of bed for. The

opportunity to meet and spend time

with others living with similar conditions

has certainly helped me to deal with my

depression and to avoid the isolation that

so commonly accompanies it. The support

group has definitely helped me build up my

confidence and

self-esteem, and

also given me the

reassurance of

knowing that they

are always there

for me to fall back

on if I need it.

I then stumbled

across a leaflet

about Cambridge

Community

Arts and the

photography course

appealed to me.

Years later I am still

involved and am

currently studying

digital editing.

22 | Issue Four | September 2018

The numbers were so important. In fact,

they were more than that. They were

crucial to my very existence.I couldn’t remember a life where

the numbers were not my number one

priority. Every day, when I woke, the

numbers beckoned to me. On wakening, I would check on the

biggest (and most important) number

of all: my weight. I must ensure that it

was executed on a particular spot in the

room. A slightly wonky floorboard by the

bathroom door gave the best results.

If I adjusted myself correctly, it would

provide the most advantageous reading.

This daily ritual was a torment, but an

absolutely necessary one. If the needle had

moved to the left, I’d be happy and elated. A

swing to the right would ruin my day. Going out into the world would be a

constant exercise in comparison. Am I

bigger or smaller than her, or her, or her?

This is what life was like. My reason

for living was to be and look like everyone else. In my case, this became

a nought, a size zero. Once I’d achieved

this, there would be nothing I couldn’t do,

be or have. Logically, I knew this was ridiculous,

but this wasn’t driven by a logical mind

set. This was an oxymoronic existence.

One that was extremely well known to an

anorexic 20-year-old who had been living

this way for years. It had not started like this. The young

me was pretty, clever, popular. Then,

at age 11, I moved to grammar school.

Suddenly, I was no longer top of the class. For my mother, at least, this just was not good enough. I was from

a working-class background and she

wanted me to show the rich kids that I

was just as good as they were. As her disappointment and frustration

in me began to manifest, I started to

notice how much larger I was than my

peers. At 5ft 4, I was already one of the

tallest, but I was also one of the ‘fattest’

– or at least that’s how I saw it. In my

not yet mature, extremely hormonal,

pubescent brain, being thin would mean

I would gain the praise of my mother, the

top space on the honours board and be

part of the gang. Looking like everyone

else was the key to my plan. I could not

control the world around me, but I could

control what I put into my mouth. This was the first step of my self-

imposed exile from the world.It worked – to a certain degree. I

achieved firsts all round and no-one seemed to notice, or comment on, my

disappearing ‘puppy fat’. It was only at

university, where I managed to avoid the cafeteria for an entire term, that I got

recognition for my efforts. The ‘powers

that be’ threatened to section me. So, I did

what anyone would have done. I left. The

number, my lowest to date: 70lbs – 5 stone!

My storyBy Sue Donnelly

“My reason for living was to be and look

like everyone else. In my case, this

became a nought, a size zero. Once I’d

achieved this, there would be nothing I

couldn’t do, be or have.”

personal story

Successful anorexia can only lead to

one outcome – death. So, for the next few

years, I yo-yoed between anorexia and

bulimia, both of them harmful, secretive

and isolating. Starve, eat, purge. Starve,

eat, purge. The numbers increased and

became greater than when I’d begun my

statistical journey. To curb my desire to eat,

I smoked, about 40 a day. Guilt, shame,

blame. Guilt, shame, blame. If I hadn’t met my first husband when

I did, I’m not sure where (or what) I’d be.

He nurtured me back to a semblance of

normality, showed me that numbers are

just that – numbers – and that love, for

each other and for yourself, are far more

valuable measurements to monitor. He

took over my meals entirely. The food

shopping, the preparation, the cooking,

the washing up. We took it step by step.

The only rule was that I ate something

at each meal. Paradoxically, I actually

lost weight and, through the years, have

The importance of recognising and celebrating our own, unique and individual beauty, whatever our shape or size, has proved to be Sue’s life purpose. She is now an Image Coach who presents and trains ‘the diversity of image’ all over the

world to her peers, fashion students and anyone who cares to listen!

24 | Issue Two | January 2018

Some people grow up with a love of

nature, and have an instinctive love

and respect for Mother Earth and all

her creatures. For others, it might be

their first garden that leads them to an

appreciation of the incredible beauty of

wildlife. For me, it was being cooped up

on the top floor of my house with nothing

else to look at that did it.

Depression is different for everyone

and comes with an amazing variety of

symptoms, kind of like a rainbow except

one where all the colours are shades of

grey and there’s a rubbish bin full of soggy

tissues at the end instead of a pot of gold.

My main symptom was severe, relentless

fatigue, and my bedroom was my whole

world. I was spending several hours a

day staring at the radiator opposite my

bed. It looked as bland and monotonous

as I felt. The highlight of my day, the most

I could manage, was shuffling from my

bedroom to the back bedroom to look out

the window.

It offered a glimpse into another world,

when I was well enough to see it – an

emerald green world of overgrown trees

and bushes, inhabited by blackbirds and

sparrows. They looked busy and bright and

active and like they probably had never

spent a minute staring at a radiator, let

alone a fortnight.

Unsurprisingly, I soon ended up in

hospital, where kind people persuaded

me to do things I hadn’t done for a while,

like eating food and getting dressed. The

day before I was discharged, a giant crow

swooped down and landed in the grounds.

It had a black beak and glossy feathers

and spent the day strutting around

screaming “ARK!” and eyeballing people.

Crows have been my favourite birds

ever since.

My recovery has been slow, uneven

and turbulent. Having a small avian army

hopping, flapping and squawking along

the journey beside me has helped to make

things bearable. The excitement I felt when

I saw a flock of redwings for the first time

helped my depressed, misery-sodden brain

see that it might be possible for me to feel

joy again. Assembling a collection of bird

feeders in my garden and tending to an

ever-growing flock of dunnocks, robins,

tits and finches made me feel useful and

helped me begin to reconnect with the world.

Learning to notice birds, to understand their

behaviour, habits and life cycle, takes a lot

of time and patience as you train your eye to

notice tiny movements and your ear to hear

the difference between the flutey twitter of a

goldfinch and the bold song of a wren.

One year ago, I

managed to walk the

20 minutes from my

My storyBy Rachel Childs

Depression is different for everyone and comes

with an amazing variety of symptoms, kind of

like a rainbow except one where all the colours

are shades of grey

The excitement I felt when I saw a flock

of redwings for the first time helped my

depressed, misery-sodden brain see that it

might be possible for me to feel joy again

personal story

house to Parker’s Piece for the first time in

months. As I sat on a bench racked with

anxiety, watching a nearby crow attempt to

eat a stolen Dorito, I felt sure I would never

be well again. Three months later I made

it to Milton Country Park with the help of

some kind friends, and by the following

spring I was able to drive all the way to

Paxton Pits near St Neots to take part in a

‘nightingale walk’, where we saw gangling

black cormorants roosting in trees, a

blackcap, a green woodpecker, a garden

warbler and zero nightingales.

I don’t know where my journey will take

me next. But whatever happens, I can’t give

up or turn back now – not until I’ve seen my

first raven, soaring across the sky... n

16 | Issue Three | May 2018

At 21 I heard voices for the first time. Some

utterance out of the blue that seemed no

different to the occasional chatter I had

experienced before in the haze between

wake and sleep. I thought little of it to

begin with, but gradually it began to occur

more frequently and more emphatically.

Occasionally I would see things that others

couldn’t as well, but I responded at first

by trying to ignore these experiences.

And I believed that this meant I was being

stoic and resolute but really I wasn’t ready

to acknowledge and explore what was

happening to me.

At this time, I felt I was at a crossroads. I

had taken up boxing on the unlicensed circuit

at 18 and this had been a constant fixture

of my life since then, fighting with frequency

and often success at small halls, converted

night clubs and the like around England. In

addition to this I had worked from the age of

16 stacking shelves in a supermarket and

had done so alongside my fighting ambitions

until the age of 20.

I had always been seen as unruly in my

work, hardly a revolutionary but a small-

time rebel at least, scrappy uniform, late for

work (or not turning up at all), aggressive

towards authority etc. and at 20 I was

‘offered’ the chance to resign or be sacked.

So, I resigned and told myself I would

focus on my boxing. The dream from the

beginning had been to turn professional,

to do it for a living, to never work in an

environment that didn’t inspire me again.

But within a year tragedy struck both on a

personal level and on my dreams as both my

coaches and my friend and principle sparring

The night I quit and won

Danny Bowyer tells how hearing one compassionate voice while

boxing finally brought him peace.

recovery story

ring, I threw out a couple of jabs that had

little impact and my opponent came back

with a three-punch combination. Going

through the motions I covered up, stepped

back against the ropes and turned into the

punches to diminish their impact, but as my

body moved on muscle memory my head

became suddenly alert when above the

roaring cacophony of a boozy and raucous

fight crowd my voices rose to join the din; a

soft voice whispered as though close to my

ear, “It’s over, you can sleep now.”

As the third punch landed I was stunned

not by the punch but by these words.

Improvising, I held my glove up to my ear

and motioned the referee. He called over the

doctor, I told him I thought my eardrum had

perforated (something which had happened

to me in the past) and he called off the fight.

I believe this was the first time that I was

able to hear a positive voice. Maybe they had

been there throughout and I was only hearing

the challenging ones. Yet here, for the first time,

spoke a voice of compassion. Deep from within

me a kindness had reached up to speak to

my tired soul and gave me permission to walk

away, and most importantly to be peaceful.

This also heralded a possibility for how life

with voices could be and this is how my life is

now, I still hear voices every day, but I know

that whether they are cruel or kind that they

are in their own way keeping me safe and I

possess all of the power in that relationship.

I felt calm that evening, I went out as was

customary after a fight and just felt contented

and relieved, that I had made a brave and

partner had passed away. With my head

still spinning I limped on, I was committed to

the dream even if I didn’t really feel able to

accomplish it on my own.

I boxed in October, winning by

knockout but due to my drop in motivation

and significant drop in support and

encouragement I had gone up a weight

division and I relied on brute strength as

I didn’t have the stamina to muster any

grace or style. The voices were with me

here, echoing around the venue, lost

amongst the crowd but I did what I had

always done, bit down on my gum shield

and came out swinging.

Partially in response to the rhetoric

of my voices and absolutely down to my

choice to do so, I soon began to harm

myself. I was expressing myself at least,

but I still couldn’t open my mouth.

I was scheduled to fight again in

February. I trained myself and again went

up a weight division but I felt I was in a

different world now, one where peace was

at a premium. All of my waking hours were

alive with the voices I heard. I was tired,

right through my soul I felt tired.

I recall that final fight with clarity (partly

because it was so brief). We met at centre

“Deep from within me a kindness had reached

up to speak to my tired soul and gave me

permission to walk away, and most importantly

to be peaceful.”

“Though the old dreams are full of romanticism

and sentiment, the here and now is full of

peace and happiness.”

Tell us your lockdown stories


Last week, I waited in a socially distanced queue outside the supermarket as the rain started to fall.

One of the staff noticed we were getting wet. He scurried away to find a pile of umbrellas, carefully disinfected the handles and passed them out with a smile. To my surprise, my eyes started to well up. At a time when I felt alone, I suddenly felt connected.

If I asked you the last time you gave or experienced kindness, you would tell me stories of when you felt moved, protected, held, seen, loved.

[Mental Health Awareness Week kicked off in May], focusing on the power and potential of kindness. We think it could be the most important week we’ve hosted, not least because our own research shows that protecting our mental health is going to be central to us coping with and recovering from the coronavirus pandemic – with the psychological and social impacts likely to outlast the physical symptoms of the virus.

Why kindness? We chose kindness because of its singular ability to unlock our shared humanity. Kindness strengthens relationships, develops community and deepens solidarity. It is a cornerstone of our individual and collective mental health. Wisdom from every culture across history recognises that kindness is something that all human beings need to experience and practise to be fully alive.

Celebrate kindnessBut we also want to shine a light on the ways that kindness is already flowering at this time. We have seen it in the dancing eyes of 100-year-old Captain Tom Moore, as he walked his garden to raise money for the NHS and in the mutual aid groups

responding to local needs. We want that kindness to spread further in every community in the UK.

Finally, we wanted to use the week to explore the sort of society we would like to emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.

Kindness and mental health Kindness is defined by doing something towards yourself and others, motivated by genuine desire to make a positive difference. We know from the research that kindness and our mental health are deeply connected. The research shows that kindness is an antidote to isolation and creates a sense of belonging. It helps reduce stress, brings a fresh perspective and deepens friendships. Kindness to ourselves can prevent shame from corroding our sense of identity and help boost our self-esteem. Kindness can even improve feelings of confidence and optimism.

Kindness is an act of courageBut kindness is an intrinsically risky endeavour. It can risk us looking foolish or being taken advantage of, which is why we

sometimes retreat. To receive or to give kindness is an act of courage. We wanted to use Mental Health Awareness Week to support each other to take that brave step and harness the benefits for both giver and receiver.

A kinder society? We have a once in a generation opportunity not only during but also following this pandemic for a reset and re-think about what kind of society we want to emerge from this crisis.

Our own reports and others such as Sir Michael Marmot’s 10 years On report reveal how inequality is rising in our society and its harmful effects on our health. Life expectancy is falling for the poorest for the first time in 100 years. As child poverty rises, children and young people in the poorest parts of our country are two to three times more likely to experience poor mental health than those in the richest. After the 2008 credit crunch it was the most vulnerable in our communities who experienced the severest consequences of austerity, with devastating effects on their mental and physical health. This not the hallmark of a kind society. We must not make the same mistakes after this pandemic.

Applied kindness could have a transformative impact on our schools, places of work, communities and families. As the former Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney has said, now is a time to put values above valuations. We must seize this time to shape a society that tips the balance in favour of good mental health, for all of us, but especially for those who are most vulnerable.

Mental Health Foundation www.mentalhealth.org.uk 020 7803 1100

COVID-19: the importance of kindness

news

This year’s Mental Health Awareness week took place in May, and organisers the Mental Health Foundation chose kindness as its theme. Here Chief Executive Mark Rowland tells us why he thinks it could have been the most important week they’ve ever run.


With lockdown ongoing for several weeks and months, those of us that deal with anxiety on a daily basis begun to become used to living our lives in this way. For many, this has been a much slower pace of life – something we have adjusted to having previously been used to spinning plates and living life at 100 miles per hour.

There is an argument that lockdown has indeed brought about a welcome relief and escape in some ways for those of us who were so used to facing multiple anxiety-inducing activities on a daily basis and battling with the panic and stress that this created. The human species is known for its ability to adapt, acclimatise and habituate to different circumstances – doing this ensures our survival. So, whilst many of us felt a sense of terror and experienced fears of entrapment and heightened anxiety when lockdown was announced, a good number of the very same people became quite comfortable with the new ‘norm’ and begun thinking (and worrying) about what comes next.

The return to normalityIndeed, some of us may be worried about the return to whatever normality might look like post lockdown and are likely to already

be having thoughts about whether they will be able to readjust to life, when the easing of lockdown has commenced. But just as it was OK to be worried about coping with and in lockdown, it’s equally OK to worry about the next ‘adjustment’ phase and whatever this may bring – this is in fact evidence of your brain having detected a potential threat and alerting you to this.

It’s important to remember that it will take time for you to get used to the new version of life and that things like being outside again and getting used to increased noise levels and everywhere being generally busier is, understandably, going to take time. Remember though what was said earlier about the human species and our ability to adapt – and adapt we will.

It’s also important to remember that as a result of the pandemic, our former pattern of living is likely to have changed and that we might not go back to what we used to know. This situation has forced many companies and workplaces to adapt and become more flexible in how they operate, and there is a chance that those of us who can work from home may well see the workplace become more flexible; reducing the hours that

we spend in the office. For those that struggle with public transport and rush hour, this could be just the thing that is needed to make travelling to work easier.

As with all things, it’s about taking one step at a time. We will need to become used to outside stimulation and, quite frankly, what might initially feel like sensory overload. Gradually becoming accustomed to this by not expecting too much of yourself too soon is critically important. Being kind and patient with ourselves is key as we learn to adjust again.

So, if you are one of those people that are worrying already that you’re not going to be able to go back to how things were before, or you are worried about the effects of things returning to how they were, then remember to be gentle and kind to yourself and to show yourself some compassion. Understand that it’s going to take some time to readjust to life following lockdown, just as it took time to adjust to lockdown, and that doing this in a slow, step-by-step manner, just like a phased return to work adjustment in the workplace, might be just what you need in your personal life too.

Visit Anxiety UK at www.anxietyuk.org.uk

Post-lockdown anxiety

guidance

With lockdown eased, many people may be beginning to think – and worry – about a return to ‘normality’ and whether they will be able to adapt to that once more. Anxiety UK gives some guidance on managing those feelings.

Self-care at home

self-care

Time away from technologySometimes technology and social media can be a lifeline but sometimes they can be completely overwhelming and it feels like notifications and messages are never ending.

When we feel like we are constantly attached to everyone and all that is happening in the wider world it can become exhausting. That’s one of the reasons why lots of people find time away from social media a really important part of their daily self-care (even if it does feel weird at first!).

Letting off steamIt is natural that sometimes our emotions build, and can create pressure internally that needs to be released.

It’s also natural to feel frustrated from time to time, whether that’s because you missed your bus, had an argument with someone, lost something important, or have been having difficulty with your mental health. There are lots of different ways of letting off steam, and while some people find that physical activity such as dancing or boxing helps, others would rather scream into a pillow!

Daydreaming and visualisationLots of people find visualising scenes, such as a calming and safe place or a really lovely memory, a helpful coping tool when they are feeling particularly anxious or distressed. It can be really helpful to start practicing it when you’re not feeling at your worst so that it will come more naturally and easily when you do need it in a time of crisis.

CryingIf you feel like you need to cry, that’s perfectly okay – expressing your emotions through crying can be very soothing and feels much better than hiding them away or pretending you’re okay when you’re not. There is nothing wrong with crying; it’s a natural human response to a wide range of emotions, including happiness and sadness.

Online chat or peer group supportEveryone communicates in different ways, and sometimes it can feel easier to talk about what’s on your mind via an online chat.

If you’d like to give it a try, you could try setting up a WhatsApp or Facebook group with your peers so you can support each other.

DanceDance is often thought of as a great way to change how you feel, but you don’t have to follow the rules or learn a specific type of dance – you can just find a space to move (with or without music) in a way that feels natural or intuitive to you.

Dance therapists think that mental and emotional difficulties can be held in the body in the form of muscle tension and constrained movement patterns. Releasing those tensions can have a relieving effect for both the body and the mind.

WalkingThere’s lots of different types of walking, and most often we do it to get ourselves somewhere we need to go.Taking some time to walk, just for the sake of walking,

and without thinking too much about where you’re going or why, can be an act of self-care. If you go alone, it’s a type of walking that is just for you and time spent only on yourself.

MindfulnessMindfulness can help us enjoy life more and pay better attention to the world around us. Mindfulness techniques and meditations are designed to awaken us to the sensations of the present moment, such as the sound of the birds or the feel of an object. The goal is that we are not caught up in the constant workings of our thoughts and have more time to see the present moment clearly.

Relaxation techniquesThere are lots of different kinds of relaxation techniques that you can try out. Lots of people find these helpful particularly when they are feeling overwhelmed, stressed or anxious. A few different types of relaxation techniques are:• Slowing down your breathing• Progressive muscle relaxation• Guided visualisation • Repeating mantras to yourself (e.g. I can handle whatever comes my way)


During these times of uncertainty, when we are perhaps out of routine and having to rely more heavily on keeping ourselves well, Anna Freud has published an extensive range of strategies people can use in order to look after themselves. Here’s just a snippet!

Physical exercisePhysical exercise can mean lots of different things. It doesn’t have to be running a marathon or being a part of a large sports team. In fact, it’s really important to make sure you choose an activity that you feel comfortable and safe doing.

The benefits of exercise include a lower resting heart rate and the release of endorphins, which have a positive impact on mood; so regular exercise can improve your mood and wellbeing.

Self-talkWe all have an inner dialogue with ourselves. Sometimes the things we say or think about ourselves can be very negative or critical. Practicing positive self-talk can help increase our self-confidence and curb the negative or harmful thought patterns that bring us down. It can be done by saying affirming things to yourself out loud, possibly in the mirror, or simply by rewording some of your thoughts so that they exhibit more self-compassion.

Writing things downWriting things down, by using a journal or a diary, can help you to defuse a situation that you have kept inside you. Some people use journals as a way of sharing difficult feelings, expressing words that they would not be able to say out loud. Others use journals to track their mental health, highlighting the good days and the bad so that they learn more about themselves and their mental health.

Baking and cookingBaking or cooking can be a relaxing activity. It’s not everyone’s favourite thing to do, but, for those who enjoy it, spending some time making a nutritious meal or sweet treat from scratch is a satisfying and rewarding experience. Lots of people report that it allows their mind to switch off as they become absorbed in the task of preparing food.

Learning a languageLearning a new language can be a useful distraction technique when you’re feeling low or anxious. Learning something new requires concentration so it can allow you to take your mind off unwanted thoughts. As well as being a great distraction, learning a new language can be very satisfying and give you a sense of accomplishment, which can help to boost your mood.

SleepBalanced sleep is really important for good mental health, but it can also be a really useful self-care tool for when you just need a break and to get away from your thoughts and situation for a bit.

The Mental Health Foundation have created ten top tips to getting good sleep.

Goal-settingGoal-setting can give you some extra motivation and encouragement. It may also help with your daily routine, giving you something to work towards to get you through the day.

You can set ‘big’ goals, such as travelling abroad or getting a job, or they can be more manageable things like learning to cook a new meal or spending 10 minutes cleaning your room.

Listening to podcastsListening to podcasts can be helpful for self-care in a number of different ways. Like listening to music, they can provide a distraction from difficult thoughts or feelings. You can just put on your headphones and take some time out listening to something that you enjoy or that interests you.

Organise your dayOrganising your day can give you a sense of satisfaction, as well as keeping you feeling grounded and structured. Breaking things down into smaller steps can help things seem less intimidating, and possibly build a routine that can help you manage symptoms, such as from depression or anxiety.

CraftingMany report that making something yourself, whether it’s a greetings card, a cushion or something as small as a bookmark, gives a sense of satisfaction, and the process of making helps to distract from everyday worries and events. Some people compare crafting to mindfulness, in that focussing on a repeated motion such as sewing or colouring can have meditative effects.

Laughter/humourHaving a laugh can help people feel better. Whether it’s because of a funny story, memory, TV show, video or something completely random, laughing is known to lower blood pressure and release endorphins that help make you happy.

If you can, try to laugh or have a chuckle regularly, even if it’s just watching an animal video online, as this can give you a little boost you didn’t know you needed.

To read the full list of self-care suggestions, go to

Anna Freud at www.annafreud.org/selfcare



Work isn’t just about earning money. We can also make friends, learn things about ourselves, develop new skills and get a sense of fulfilment, which can have a positive impact on our mental health and wellbeing.

However, we all have busy lives and at some points our mental health isn’t always positive. This can be work related, something in our personal life or a period of poor mental health that can or can’t be explained.

So, how do we maintain positive mental health in work, how can employers support staff and what support is out there for you should you need it?

Steps to managing mental health at workFirstly, let’s look at what is suggested by the NHS for maintaining positive mental health in general.

They say that these five things will help maintain and improve your wellbeing: Connect with people: having good healthy relationships will give you a sense of belonging and self worth. Keep in contact with family and friends. Perhaps join a club or enrol on a course.Be physically active: keeping active has been proven to improve our mental health; it causes chemical changes in your brain which can help to positively change your mood. Not only that but it will give you a sense of satisfaction and raise your self esteem. Learn new skills: learning something new will boost your confidence and self esteem, give you a sense of purpose and give you

Staying well at workWork can be a big part of our lives; we spend a lot of time there and we can be dependant on it to earn an income. But when our mental health isn’t 100% this can make going to work and doing our job effectively, very challenging. Jodie Smee, Employment Advisor with Richmond Fellowship Employment Service, discusses how to manage mental health at work.

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an opportunity to meet new people and develop relationships. Perhaps join a club or enrol on a course. It doesn’t have to be something linked to your job. It can be something you have always wanted to do or try. Give to others: small acts of kindness towards other people, or larger ones like volunteering in your local community. This can create positive feelings, a sense of reward and give you a feeling of purpose. Be mindful of how much you give of yourself though; don’t forget to make time for yourself. Mindfulness: a form of meditation that involves paying deliberate attention to what is happening, as it happens. By paying more attention to the present moment we can learn how to understand ourselves better, give ourselves a chance to process our thoughts and feelings and helps us to change the way we feel about life and how we deal with life’s challenges.

There are more specific things we can do in the workplace to maintain positive mental health:Take regular breaks: it is your right to one uninterrupted 20-minute rest break during the working day, if you work six hours or

more a day. This should be away from where you are normally working and at a time that’s not the very start or end of the working day.Speak out: ask for help or tell someone you’re struggling. Talking to someone can ease the pressure and stress you are feeling and can help you come up with solutions and ideas. The person you talk to can be your manager or someone at

“We all have busy lives and at some points our mental health isn’t always positive. This can be work related, something in our personal life or a period of poor mental health that can or can’t be explained.”

Jodie Smee

work you trust, or it can be a professional such as your GP, mental health worker or employment support, for example from an Employment Advisor at Richmond Fellowship. Get it out of your head: whether you like to make a list, put it down in a worry diary, create a mind map or specify time to do each task in your diary, whatever is best for you, getting the negative thoughts, worries, tasks, etc. out of your head will help you have a much clearer mind. You can revisit your thoughts during ‘worry time’ you have allocated to yourself. Prioritise: tackle tasks that have a deadline. Those tasks you keep putting off as they aren’t nice to do… get them done and then you won’t have to worry and it won’t be playing on your mind. If you aren’t sure what tasks have priority, ask. Setting

goals and deadlines for pieces of work will give you that sense of achievement whilst giving you a set timeline to get it done in. Don’t sweat the small stuff: worrying over who didn’t fill the photocopier or who isn’t washing up after themselves isn’t going to help maintain positive mental health. Use supervisions or team meetings to discuss this.Look at the positives: don’t ignore your positive qualities and what you did well.

Write them down the same way you do your worries. Give yourself a balanced view of yourself.

The role of employers in maintaining mental health There are many legal rights to protect people and their mental health at work.

There are basic human rights such as the right to freedom of expression and freedom of association, to the health and


“Look at the positives: don’t ignore your positive qualities and what you did well. Write them down the same way you do your worries. Give yourself a balanced view of yourself.”


safety legislation that keeps us safe from hazards, including psychological hazards.

There are many ways in which employers can support staff to not only deal with an episode of poor mental health but to maintain positive mental health and wellbeing:Having an open-door policy: employers should ensure they are available to talk at any time, not only when they give staff something to do or tell them off.Encourage breaks: if your employer has their lunch in the staff canteen or away from their workspace this might encourage employees to take their break. Organising a lunchtime rota might help.Ask: you might be more inclined to speak to your employer about your mental health if they are generally good to talk to. For example, if they ask about your weekend and encourage conversations that aren’t just about work, this will develop your working relationship and earn trust.

SMART goals: setting clear goals with your employer that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound, helps you and your employer agree what is expected, and gives you a sense of achievement when the goal has been achieved.

Getting to know each other: employers should learn how to spot when somebody is struggling. The easiest way to spot it is in changes in behaviour. Is “Mild Margaret” snapping? “Chatty Cathy” becoming withdrawn and quiet? If this is the case, the employer should check in on them.

Reasonable adjustments: employers are required to make adjustments intended to help you do your job as well as someone without health challenges. Adjustments can be temporary or permanent.

A reasonable adjustment could be:• Changing a person’s working pattern to enable them to start later or finish earlier because of the side effects of medication.• Providing a person with a laptop, remote access software and permission to work at home or flexibly according to the severity of their symptoms (within a monthly limit).• Providing a phased return after a period of absence to support them back in to work.• Supporting them to claim for an Access to Work grant which is a government-funded scheme that can help to fund equipment, software, and other support if cost is a barrier to making reasonable adjustments

See also our article on discrimination in the workplace on page 14. n

Richmond Fellowship is a national mental health charity making recovery reality for over 60 years.

We support over 9,000 people on their recovery journeys every year.

Richmond Fellowship offers a range of support for people with mental health challenges, including supported housing, residential care, employment support, social enterprises and community based support, working with the NHS and local authorities to deliver services.

Find out more on our website at www.richmondfellowship.org.uk or @rfmentalhealth on social media.

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“Reasonable adjustments: employers are required to make adjustments intended to help you do your job as well as someone without health challenges. Adjustments can be temporary or permanent.”

Further informationAccess to Work is a Government funded scheme to support employers to make reasonable adjustments to work www.gov.uk/access-to-work

ACAS Conciliation service provides briefings, training and support on conflict at work, discrimination and dispute www.acas.org.uk

Fit for Work - Government supported occupational health service for small businesses www.gov.uk/government/collections/fit-for-workguidance

Equality Act and Disability Discrimination www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-andguidance/disability-discrimination


This is a picture of a 20-foot mural I recently did at my local Dr’s surgery.

The piece is called ‘walk in nature and breathe’. It is designed to bring a sense of calmness when visiting the surgery, especially for those suffering with depression and anxiety. Being a sufferer of anxiety myself, I find painting a great way to reduce levels of anxiety. It gives me a sense of purpose and a sense of accomplishment, especially when a mural like the one pictured has had such a positive impact on the local community, with all ages coming into the surgery.

I like to put meaning into my murals so that people can associate with what they

are looking at. This particular mural was done over the course of a week. Whilst painting the mural I was able to include requests, such as those of someone losing a loved one to suicide. I was able to include meaningful images to bring comfort at a painful time.

I am now working on a similar project for the spring, this time an open-air mural, which I hope will have the same positive impact on the local community once the design has been approved.

I was inspired by the Arts in Minds programme because I could see how art had a positive impact on mental health, inclusive of my own.

art

Walk in nature and breathe By Karen Lee

Arts and MindsArts and Minds uses the arts to support the positive mental health of individuals and communities.

They run artist-led workshops across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and beyond.

For more information go to www.artsandminds.org.uk, email [email protected] or call 01223 403485


Although a very personal matter, mental health in the workplace is primarily a health and safety issue and there are a number of laws which are designed to place obligations on employers to look after their staff’s health and safety. These include the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Working Time Regulations 1998 and the Equality Act 2010.

The Equality Act doesn’t just place responsibilities on employers to take positive steps but it also makes employers liable for unlawful discrimination if an individual is treated less favourably than other employees due to their mental health. However, unlike the other pieces of legislation, the Equality Act only applies to individuals who have mental health challenges that have a substantial and long-term impact on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

In order to assess the impact of these challenges, an employer has to consider how they affect the person without the medication or treatment. For example, with the help of anti-depressants an individual might be able to carry out their normal day-to-day activities, but they would not be able to go to work without taking the medication. Their individual challenges must also meet the other requirements under the Act before they can be regarded as a disability. Therefore, some types of mental health challenges may not meet all

Discrimination at workAwareness of mental health in the workplace is on the increase but discrimination still happens. Pam Loch, employment law solicitor, looks at what legal protection there is for people experiencing mental health challenges at work.

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the requirements, for example a one-off episode of reactive depression.

If an individual does have a disability, the Equality Act is designed to protect the person from discrimination and remove barriers which could prevent them from getting a job in the first place.

Under the Equality Act, it is unlawful to discriminate against a person with a disability in the following ways:• Direct discrimination – treating someone with a disability less favourably than others.• Indirect discrimination – putting rules or arrangements in place which apply to everyone, but put someone with a disability at a disadvantage.• Harassment – unwanted behaviour linked to a disability that violates someone’s dignity or creates an offensive environment for them.• Victimisation – treating someone unfairly because they have complained about discrimination or harassment.

It is also unlawful to discriminate against someone by association. For example, if an employee cares for a dependant with mental health challenges which meet the definition under the Act, they may feel that they were discriminated against by not being promoted because they require more flexibility in their hours to care for the individual.

Obligation to make reasonable adjustmentsOnce an employer knows about a disability under the Equality Act, they have a duty to consider and make reasonable adjustments to the working environment/practices. This duty arises even before the person is employed. If an employer knows about a disability during the recruitment process, then they need to consider their obligations and the candidate is protected by law – but only if the employer had “knowledge” of the disability.

So, when does knowledge exist? If the employer has been told by the applicant or an employee about their mental health

“If an employee cares for a dependant with mental health challenges which meet the definition under the Act, they may feel that they were discriminated against by not being promoted.”

Pam Loch

A person has a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment, and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities

Section 6, Equality Act 2010


challenges, then this is knowledge. The same would apply to symptoms on a fit note or a medical certificate where the employer ought to have known from the information disclosed that it could be evidence of a disability or potentially taken further steps to investigate further.

In the case of Government Legal

Once an employer has knowledge of a potential disability they must consider and make reasonable adjustments. Examples of reasonable adjustments:

• changing hours or more frequent breaks• adjustments to workspace• temporary reallocation of duties• altering working hours• working from home• having a window desk• allowing time off for counselling


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Service v Brookes in 2016, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) found the employer had failed to make reasonable adjustments by not allowing a job applicant with Asperger’s syndrome to answer a multiple-choice test in an alternative format of short written answers.

In another case, Sherbourne v N Power Ltd (2018), an autistic employee was required to work in an open-plan setting with a busy walkway behind him. This caused him to feel overwhelmed and distracted and he later had a breakdown at work. When this went to court, the Employment Tribunal found that there had been a “continuous management failure” to understand his disability, and a failure to implement reasonable adjustments, including those recommended by the employer’s own occupational health team. Within three weeks of the occupational health assessment, his manager started a

capability procedure and Mr Sherbourne was eventually dismissed. The employer was found to have unlawfully discriminated against Mr Sherbourne and had failed to make reasonable adjustments.

What is reasonable though varies and has to be considered on a case-by-case basis.

If an employer is a large organisation making significant profits, it would not be unreasonable to expect it to make adjustments which may have a cost impact as well as an impact on the team by reallocating duties. However, if the

employer is a small company with very limited financial resources it could be unreasonable.

What is important is that an employer

knows about the mental health challenges and that they do give serious consideration to what adjustments can be made to enable the individual to

It is the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees

Section 2, Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

Further informationLoch AssociatesFor advice on dealing with mental health challenges at work including discrimination, please contact Pam Loch at [email protected] or call 0203 667 5400.

Acaswww.acas.org.uk/ 0300 123 1100

Health and Safety Executivewww.hse.gov.uk

“If an employer is a large organisation making significant profits, it would not be unreasonable to expect it to make adjustments which may have a cost impact as well as an impact on the team by reallocating duties.”


continue to be employed. Where there is no disability involved an

employer still has a responsibility to ensure there is a safe working environment.

In November 2018 the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) announced that mental health and safety should be considered in the same way as physical safety in the workplace. The HSE has issued management standards to address stress at work before it leads to a more significant impact on wellbeing.

With the increasing awareness of the impact of mental health challenges, more employers are creating Mental Health Plans and training staff to become Mental Health Champions. Trained

mental health first aiders can provide a safe place for individuals to discuss

mental health and be directed to appropriate help.

If an individual feels they are being

discriminated against at work because of their mental health, then it is best to try

to raise it informally by approaching your manager. If an employee does not feel comfortable doing that, then they should try

and find someone else they feel comfortable talking to such as HR. If that doesn’t help to address the

concerns, then the next step is a formal

grievance following the Employer’s

Grievance Procedure. If raising a formal

grievance does not resolve the situation, making a claim for unlawful discrimination against the employer and

potentially another colleague in their individual capacity is the next step.

If an employee or worker decides to make a claim, they must contact Acas first. Acas has to establish if the person wishes to consider ‘early conciliation’, which is a free service to help resolve the dispute between the parties before a claim is submitted. Making a claim to an Employment Tribunal can be stressful, costly and time consuming and should only be considered as a last resort.

The world of work is taking positive steps towards better understanding and support for those with mental health challenges, but not all employers are on board yet. Outdated views can lead to employees (sometimes unknowingly) masking a mental health issue, which can make it harder for an employer to help them when they do secure a new role. There is a part both parties play in changing the future of mental health in the workplace. n

MindExamples of discrimination arising from disability at work• Jon has mental health challenges. He asks his employer if he can apply for a new post doing work he is able to do. His employer says he cannot apply because he has mental health challenges. This is an example of direct discrimination.• Minoo does not have any mental health challenges but she looks after her aunt who has mental health challenges. Her employer treats her worse because of this. This is direct discrimination – discrimination by association.• Najma does not have mental health challenges, but her employer treats her worse than her colleague because he thinks she has mental health challenges. This is likely to be direct discrimination – discrimination by perception.• Aidan applies for a job and finds that his last employers have supplied a reference which includes negative comments about his mental health challenges. They have discriminated against Aidan, even though they no longer employ him, because the reference arises out of and is closely connected to their former employment relationship.

For more information go to: www.mind.org.uk/information-support/legal-rights/discrimination-at-work/examples-of-discrimination-at-work/

“With the increasing awareness of the impact of mental health challenges, more employers are creating Mental Health Plans and training staff to become Mental Health Champions. Trained mental health first aiders can provide a safe place for individuals to discuss mental health and be directed to appropriate help.”


wellness tool

Once upon a time, there was an occupational therapy student ‘planting pots in a Recovery Through Activity group’, which basically did what it said on the tin: it demonstrated the wellness benefits of getting outdoors and getting your hands dirty.

But it was so successful that it led to the idea of obtaining an allotment site in Huntingdon, that would enable people with mental health challenges to get fully involved in turning the site into something productive, making decisions about what to grow where and getting down to doing it!

The plot was extremely overgrown when it was first obtained, and the occupational therapy team had a half day there all working to clear it. The final clean-up was done by volunteers and individuals with health challenges.

Between then and the allotment’s closure in October for the winter, the team managed to transform the site. To highlight just a few achievements, the team:

Getting your hands dirtyBack in August 2019, a new project began that would enable people with health challenges to turn a plot of land into a beautiful and productive allotment. We spoke to organiser Angie Rea about the benefits to mental and physical health of being outdoors.

“One key advantage of working on the allotment is the chance to be with people. It has the potential to reduce isolation by bringing people together and giving them the chance to make new friends.”


• Cleared all the dead growth • Repainted some of the raised beds• Applied for grants from Huntingdon Town Council for a shed• Put up a poly tunnel• Dug a bed ready for vegetable planting• Weeding• Planted some bulbs• Collected free equipment from donations.

All of this preparation has meant that, after an initial clean-up, when the team returned to the site after lockdown they were able to start thinking about growing some vegetables and plants from seed.

Organiser Angie Rea hopes that more mental health service users and volunteers will be encouraged to attend this year. It is her wish that people will volunteer at the allotment, potentially leading to volunteer roles in other places, and that care coordinators will use the allotment as a productive place to meet people.

There are many potential benefits for people who join the group. Angie says, “The allotment is a safe, friendly outdoor space for people to meet, regardless of age, culture or health challenges. It is an opportunity to learn new skills and improve mental health by having something positive to focus on. It also promotes physical exercise and health and the benefits of being outdoors.”

The list goes on! One key advantage of working on the allotment is the chance to be with people. It has the potential to reduce isolation by bringing people together and giving them the chance to make new friends – maybe meeting people with similar challenges who they can share experiences with. It’s an opportunity for them to be themselves.

Importantly, attendees get to feel that they are a part of something and it’s a reason to get out of the house and achieve something. It’s an opportunity to work on individual goals within a group setting.

Angie is also positive that getting involved in the allotment could prove a stepping-stone to voluntary and paid work.

You don’t need to have any experience to get involved in the allotment. Attendees

either need to be receiving mental health services or they can become CPFT volunteers if they wish to continue after discharge.

The group runs on Thursday mornings between mid-March and the end of October, from 10am-12 noon. But if you want to just pop to the site to have a chat and a look around, you’d be very welcome. Tea, coffee and biscuits are always available to everyone too!

The allotment is on the corner of Sallowbush Road, Redwongs Way in Huntingdon. You can just turn up or, if you would like more information Angie can be contacted at the Huntingdon Adult Locality Team (01480 445 160). Alternatively, speak to your care coordinator if you have one, who will be able to pass on details. There is also information displayed in the Newtown Centre in Huntingdon. n

Further informationAPPG (2017) Creative Healthwww.artshealthandwellbeing.org.uk/appg-inquiry/Publications/Creative_Health_Inquiry_Report_2017.pdf

What Works Wellbeing (2016): Music, singing and wellbeing in healthy adults.whatworkswellbeing.org/product/music-and-healthy-adults/

World Health Organization (2019): What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being? A scoping review. apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/ 10665/329834/9789289054553-eng.pdf

“It is Angie’s wish that people will volunteer at the allotment, potentially leading to volunteer roles in other places, and that care coordinators will use the allotment as a productive place to meet people.”


Can I be asked about my mental health problem when I apply for a job?Generally, employers can’t ask you questions about your mental health before a job offer is made. For example:

Benny has a mental health diagnosis. He is applying for a job as a shop manager. The recruitment agent asks Benny if he has any history of mental health challenges.

The recruitment agent has acted unlawfully by asking Benny health questions in the recruitment process. Benny does not need to answer this question. But if he does choose to answer it, our advice would be that he should answer honestly.

If an employer asks you health questions before a job offer is made, you can report this to the Equality Advice and Support Service by filling out their form for reporting pre-employment health questions (see further information).

If you are asked questions about your health at the interview stage then don’t get the job, you may want to challenge the discrimination. A court or tribunal will look very carefully at the employer’s decision not to employ you. An employer must prove that the decision not to employ you was not linked to your disability.

When can an employer ask me about my health before a job offer?There are some situations when an employer is allowed to ask you questions about your health before a job offer is made. For example, to:• find out whether you will be able to take an assessment for the job• find out whether you need reasonable adjustments to the application process• find out whether you will be able to do tasks that are central to the job (though they should also consider the reasonable adjustments that you might need)• find out if they are receiving job applications from a diverse range of people• establish if you have the particular disability required for the job• assess you for national security purposes.

Examples of lawful questions before employment• An employer is recruiting and sends out an application form that says, “Please contact us if you are disabled and need any adjustments for the interview.”

• An employer is recruiting employees who have to erect scaffolding. In their application form they ask relevant questions about disability, health and whether the applicant has a fear of heights.

Example of unlawful question before employment• Sid applies for a job as an advice worker. During his interview, he is asked about his mental health history.

What questions can I be asked if I am offered the job?If you are successful in your job application, then your prospective employer can ask you about your health. If, as a result of these questions, a prospective employer is concerned that your mental health challenges may affect your ability to perform the job, they should seek more information or advice from your doctor or occupational health.

If your job offer is taken away when you explain your mental health status, and without further assessment or investigation, this may be direct discrimination. n

Applying for jobs

guidance

Looking for jobs after a lengthy period of sick leave can be daunting and we worry about what the prospective employer will think about our mental health history or current challenges. Mental health charity Mind explores what interviewers can and can’t ask.

Further informationMind: discrimination at workwww.mind.org.uk/information-support/legal-rights/discrimination-at-work/applying-for-jobs/

Equality Advice and Support Service form www.equalityadvisoryservice.com/app/report

poem


Find your JoyFind your JOY,

Find your Space,Find your Peace,

Find your feel Good,Find what brings you JOY, mentally, emotionally,

physically, and spiritually.

The keyword YOU!

Don’t follow others because it works for them…Get it? It works for them. What works for you?

When you’re coming of age you start to release things you don’t like; a certain food, a certain TV show, or even a certain person, but you

only tolerated it because others liked it.

Why grin and bear it when you can grin and enjoy it!!

When you find your Joy others may not understand or even hate it, but that’s on them and none of your concern. Because you found

your joy and you’re living in it continuously.

The best feeling to have!

If you don’t remember anything, I tell you remember this, find your joy, and do what’s best for you.

Find your Joy!

By Nichole Nichole

Work has been an odd concept for me. It has been both a source of anxiety and a goal I knew I needed to aim for, but at the same time did almost everything in my power to avoid. I realised its importance, but also could not square the circle of being in a stable place mentally where I felt I could day in and day out, for decades to come, carry out a task with responsibilities and pressures that come from working.

For the last eight months, however, I have worked for Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust. First, as a Peer Support Worker, and now as an IPS Employment Specialist (see panel) embedded within a community mental health team. Before that I had not worked for nearly 15 years. There were some tertiary reasons why this was the case, but the main reason was severe anxiety, which I have lived with most of my life. It had got to the point where I was unsure if I would ever get back to work, and as the intro paragraph alludes to, imagining working was akin to just staring into an abyss…. or eating a basketball. And with both I just couldn’t get my head round it.

Then, due to a series of unfortunate events, I found myself in a situation where I was at a crossroads. One path would be to continue as I was and have a future that, while safe, would ultimately be unfulfilling and pandering to my most egregious avoidance habits. The other would involve confronting a lot of deeply ingrained behaviours and be an upward battle.

I chose the latter.There are various different ways of getting

back into work. One of the first is identifying your skills, as well as those skills you may need to improve. For me it was socialising again, and having structure. Initially I

attended my local Recovery College. There I gained the confidence, or more accurately unlocked the confidence which evidently was lurking within me. After a period, I moved on to volunteer at the College, which helped me to continue to work on areas around confidence and having faith in my own abilities. Something which I was severely lacking in.

Volunteering at the college helped me to identify that I wanted to work within mental health, and cliched as it is, to help people in similar situations that I was and have been in. As such, I trained up as a Peer Support Worker through the Recovery College, and managed to be lucky enough to be successful at the first interview I had. My new role was helping peers transition from the secondary services to the care of their GP. While financially it would have been ideal to work 37.5hrs, I realised it

would be prudent to start slow and work part time to begin with. At a later date, I also volunteered one day a week with the Comms team at CPFT HQ.

My plan was to work at this pace for six months and then review. While there is a temptation to try and make up for lost time, or feel like you should push yourself, being mindful of your own wellbeing should be a priority when coming back into work.

As it turned out, I went full time sooner than I anticipated. An advert came up for my current role, IPS Employment Specialist, and it seemed a natural progression from what I was doing in my role as a PSW. Luckily for me the preceding experience of the last year enabled me to be successful at interview, and I have been doing the job for the last six months. It has been tough, but I have been sure to keep an eye on my gauges as

Support in employment: a personal taleJames Ayres, Individual Placement Support (IPS) Employment Specialist, talks us through his journey from avoiding work to now offering a valuable support service for people looking to get back into work.

personal story


James Ayres


it were, and so far it’s going well. I am in a role where I can help those who are in a similar position to where I was not so long ago. I am using the IPS model, so slightly

different to the route I took, but a lot of the experiences I have can be utilised with the clients I see.

So, what are the benefits I’ve personally seen from being in work? Well firstly, I could move on from claiming benefits. I wasn’t quite prepared for just how liberating this would feel. To not be beholden towards a system, that with my politician’s head on, is not always the most empathetic. To be earning my own money and have the independence to spend it on what I wanted was also empowering. I have met more people in the last year than I probably did in the last 10. I have managed

to help people, or at least hope I have, in my roles as a Peer Support Worker and IPS Employment Specialist. The money is obviously welcome, but the satisfaction of helping others also helps to maintain my own mental health. As even if one cannot validate themselves for the good they do, having others do it because of your actions on their behalf is very rewarding. I also no longer cross the road or avoid social situations to have to avoid the dreaded question “So what do you do?”. I always felt great shame from being stuck like I was.

I tell this abridged version of my story with the hope that it can inspire others who may have been long-term unemployed, who feel they cannot re-enter, or enter for the first time, the world of work. There is support available to help with this process,

personal story

IPSIndividual Placement and Support (IPS) is an employment model which supports people with serious mental health challenges into employment. It consists of intensive, individual support and rapid job search in order to find paid work. It also features time-unlimited in-work support for both the employee and the employer.

It differs from traditional employability offerings in that it aims to put people into work as soon as possible, rather than get them ‘work ready’ and then look for paid roles.

There are already many IPS teams operating within the UK, both NHS and third sector organisations/charities. CPFT’s IPS service started in October 2019, and has Employment Specialists based in all of the adult locality teams and CAMEO.

It is based on the following eight principles:• Get people into competitive employment• Open to those who want work• Source jobs consistent with people’s preferences• Works quickly• Brings employment specialist into clinical teams• Employment specialists develop relationships with employers based on personal work preferences• Provides times unlimited, individualised support for the person and their employer• Benefits counselling included

“I was at a crossroads. One path would be to continue as I was and have a future that, while safe, would ultimately be unfulfilling... The other would involve confronting a lot of deeply ingrained behaviours and be an upward battle.”


as well as in-work support, from charities like The Papworth Trust, Richmond Fellowship and agencies such as Reeds with their Work Routes program.

If you are in receipt of Universal Credit or other benefits, the Jobcentre have Employment Advisors and Disability Employment Advisors on hand to give advice and liaise with local employers. And of course, there is, shameless plug, the new IPS Employment Service that I now work for, which was setup last year to help those looking to get into work who are under secondary mental health teams within CPFT.

If you feel you are not quite ready to go into work just yet, then there is always foundational work that could be done such as building confidence with courses that are run at the Recovery Colleges

in Peterborough and Cambridge. This is where I started and it enabled me to progress to where I am now.

Work can be a scary concept, but to butcher the title of Jo Marrone’s article for the Institute for Community Inclusion, “If you think working is stressful, then try being unemployed” (Marrone and Golowka, 1999). I have been there, and while in my current role I face constant challenges, I would not want to go back to where I was. However, everyone’s recovery journey is different, as is your position on that journey and the speed you travel.

Take your time if you can, do what you feel is right for you at this juncture, but just know that if you can, sometimes stepping into the unknown can have rewards that make pushing out of your comfort zone worthwhile. n

“Take your time if you can, do what you feel is right for you at this juncture, but just know that if you can, sometimes stepping into the unknown can have rewards that make pushing out of your comfort zone worthwhile.”

Sources of further informationThe Papworth Trust www.papworthtrust.org.uk

Richmond Fellowshipwww.richmondfellowship.org.uk

IPS CPFTwww.cpft.nhs.uk/services/individual-placement-and-support-service-ips.htm

Reeds/Work Routes www.workroutes.co.uk

Recovery College Eastwww.cpft.nhs.uk/about-us/recovery-college-east.htm


art

By Karen Hinkins

By Sue Donnelly


The Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice is a specialist palliative care inpatient unit in Peterborough, which provides care and support for people who are living with life-limiting conditions.

It supports people through the most difficult times of their lives. Their doctors, nurses and carers provide the compassionate, expert care people need to live the best life they possibly can in the time they have. Their staff are highly skilled at dealing with the physical – particularly effective pain management – and emotional effects of life-changing conditions.

My connection with Thorpe Hall is that my wife, Louise, spent her last month there

whilst courageously battling cancer.Many of the staff are volunteers

themselves, having had similar experiences to mine. It was always in my mind to maintain a connection with Thorpe

volunteering

Hall, so volunteering there was, for me, a perfect fit.

It was really important to me to give something back to this wonderful place which did so much for Louise and, if I’m honest, I love being there because I feel her presence.

Straightforward applicationThe application process is straightforward. There are standard DBS checks, of course, and a short interview to establish why you want to volunteer, and if there are any specific roles to which you may be best suited.

I chose gardening, because it has always been of interest to me, and Louise and I spent many happy hours in our own before she passed. I was also so in awe of the gardens at Thorpe Hall, which are listed, as is the Hall itself.

There is no specific commitment with regards to hours. You could do half a day or a fuller day. I chose to go from 09.30 a.m. to 16.00 p.m. each Thursday.

On my first day, I was made very welcome by the staff. There are three of us – the ‘Thursday Crew,’ as we have

A volunteer’s storyVolunteering can be a significant step towards working again, as well as providing something productive and enjoyable to get your teeth stuck into. Volunteer Gareth Thomas tells us of the significant impact it’s had on his life.

Volunteering information and opportunitiesCambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust – Volunteeringwww.cpft.nhs.uk/help/volunteers.htm

Do-it – Volunteering made easywww.do-it.org

Volunteering Matterswww.volunteeringmatters.org.uk/

Sport and Recreation Alliance – Volunteeringwww.sportandrecreation.org.uk/pages/volunteering

NCVO – Volunteeringwww.ncvo.org.uk/ncvo-volunteering

Gareth and his wife Louise

“The benefits of volunteering for me are immense. Not only does get me out in the open air and provide me with a good physical workout, it has also been really important for my mental health and wellbeing. Looking back at the end of the day at what we have achieved is incredibly fulfilling.”


christened ourselves. We are given a list of jobs by the Services Manager to focus on, and all the tools are provided. We take things at a steady pace, with coffee and tea breaks in the Gardener’s Shed. We go to the café for lunch, and it is there that I often meet the nurses who cared for Louise. We catch up, reflect and embrace. This is such an incredibly positive emotional experience for me. I can’t tell you how much it does for my mental health.

If you are considering volunteering, I think it’s important to take time to identify what you really want to do. I was lucky in that gardening at Thorpe Hall was a perfect fit, for the reasons I have outlined above. But do try and find something you, personally, want to do so that you find it as rewarding as I do.

The benefits of volunteering for me are immense. Not only does it get me out in the open air and provide me with a good physical workout, it has also been

really important for my mental health and wellbeing. Looking back at the end of the day at what we have achieved is incredibly fulfilling.

I have found new friends, and we have quickly established a camaraderie. We share experiences. We offer advice. We benefit from both. We put the world to rights, or at least try to! Most importantly, we have rediscovered our sense of humour. We laugh a lot – the most wonderfully restorative thing.

For me, personally, volunteering has helped me so much with my loss of Louise.

I really look forward to my Thursdays, now. I hope my insight into my volunteering experience gives you the confidence to give it a go yourself, wherever or whatever that may be.

Good luck and best wishes. n

The Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice

“I have found new friends, and we have quickly established a camaraderie… Most importantly, we have rediscovered our sense of humour. We laugh a lot – the most wonderfully restorative thing.”


Just About Coping podcastMental Health First Aid (MHFA) England has launched a new podcast, Just About Coping, exploring the future of mental health and wellbeing. MHFA England Chief Executive Simon Blake OBE is joined by a series of high-profile guests including Ruby Wax, Dr Ranj Singh and Jonny Benjamin to try and answer the question; how can we create a world where everyone is coping? Here he tells Kelly Mansfield how exploring the issue through podcast is really effective.

interview

Why has it been named Just About Coping?The name is a bit of a play on words – it’s a phrase a lot of us will have used at

is that it takes the conversation on mental health one step further than raising awareness and helps people start turning awareness into action.

What are the benefits of conversation and, more specifically, podcast?Conversations are a huge part of what we do here at MHFA England. It’s as much about listening as it is about talking, and I’ve really enjoyed being able to listen to people with a wide range of different experiences of work, mental health and life in general. I think the beauty of a podcast is that is allows you to explore a subject more deeply than is possible with other formats.

What makes a good conversation?Honesty, transparency, and a mutual understanding of each other.

How does a conversation differ from an interview?The exciting thing about our conversations on Just About Coping is I never know where they’re going to go. We have a list of topics we like to touch upon, but there are always surprises, perhaps unlike an interview where you might agree what is discussed in advance.

Where did the idea for Just About Coping come from?We exist as an organisation to improve the mental health of the nation. There are a lot of fantastic podcasts which discuss the lived experience of people with mental health challenges, which is brilliant for raising awareness and breaking down stigma. Our hope for Just About Coping

“Celebrities and well-known figures speaking out about mental health is a great way to break down stigma. For someone who might be struggling, having someone they look up to share their experience could be an important step towards them reaching out for support.”

we are looking forward to releasing another six episodes which are focused on our new My Whole Self campaign. After that, we’ll see!

What do you hope to find out from these conversations?We wanted to cover a range of walks of life, both professionally and personally. In the first series, for instance, we spoke to LGBT+ activists, mental health campaigners, a doctor, a football referee, and a comedian.

In the second series, launched in March, we’ll be looking specifically at the workplace and thinking about how we can bring our ‘whole self’ to work. We’ve spoken to leaders in the world of finance, social media, and sport to discuss our upcoming My Whole Self campaign.

What questions will you be asking?The conversations vary from person to person, but we like to ask every guest what they do to look after themselves in the way of self-care and what their vision is for the future of mental health and wellbeing. This series we’ll be diving

into the topic of the ‘whole self’ and how employers and employees can ensure people have the freedom to bring their whole self to work.

How did your conversation with Ruby Wax go?I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, but Ruby put me perfectly at ease. She is refreshingly honest and not scared to tell you if she disagrees with you, which always makes for great conversation. She has a wonderful way with words and an ability to explain complex neurological processes in a simple and engaging way. That and she is very, very funny!

Why were you interested to chat with her?Ruby was a pioneer in terms of breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health. Through her work she’s led the way for comedians and other performers to use mental health as a subject matter and open up the conversation around it. She also has a Master’s degree in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, so is very well qualified to talk about coping

some point in our lives to describe that feeling of being overwhelmed, but the podcast is also about coping – how can we help each other cope better with life?

Who is the podcast aimed at?We hope the range of guests we have spoken to so far offers something for everyone. In particular, our community of Instructor Members and Mental Health First Aiders have been very engaged with the podcast so far, but we’ve also had a great reception from the LGBT+ community, the social sector, employers and the wider mental health community.

What does the podcast aim to do?Through the podcast we want to explore the future of mental health and wellbeing and think about how we can create a world where everyone can cope. We hope it is an informative and entertaining look at the bigger picture of mental health and wellbeing.

How many podcasts are you intending to do?Our first series was eight episodes and


interview

mechanisms around mental ill health. Ruby is also the founder of a fantastic

charity called Frazzled, which provides free safe spaces in cafes for people to meet and share any issues they have been experiencing with confidentiality. Frazzled train their facilitators in Mental Health First Aid England skills – a partnership we are very proud of.

What did you learn from your conversation with her? Ruby is extremely knowledgeable about the neuroscience of mental health and this was a great subject for the podcast to start with. My biggest takeaway was Ruby referring to our body and minds as a ‘onesie’. It really helped put into perspective the need to see mental

health and physical health as equally important – something our organisation fundamentally believes in.

Why do you think people can benefit from hearing the personal experiences of well-known people?Celebrities and well-known figures speaking out about mental health is a great way to break down stigma. For someone who might be struggling, having someone they look up to share their experience could be an important step towards them reaching out for support.

Are you any further to answering how can we create a world where everyone is coping?

There’s a long way to go, but our biggest lesson from the first series was that it has to start with kindness, both for ourselves and others. When we approach each other with a ‘kindset’ – a great idea from Dr Ranj – we put ourselves in a much better place to support each other. We hope to learn more with our next series starting in the coming weeks.

What, ultimately, do you want to achieve from this project?We are a social enterprise that offers guidance and training on mental health to help people support themselves and each other. Ultimately, we hope Just About Coping will be a part of our journey and help promote a wider conversation about mental health and wellbeing.

How can people access the podcast?You can listen to Just About Coping on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all good podcast apps. You can also get involved in the conversation by following the #JACPodcast hashtag on social media. n


“Lifestyle factors have an impact on both physical and mental wellbeing. Planning in regular exercise, a balanced healthy diet and relaxation is really important.”

“Our hope for Just About Coping is that it takes the conversation on mental health one step further than raising awareness and helps people start turning awareness into action.”


What do you do for a living?By Danny Bowyer.

comment

I spent over five years out of regular paid employment. During that time I always dreaded this question. I felt constantly like I needed to make an excuse as to why I wasn’t in work, or would shift the conversation on to what I would like to do when I got back into work so that I at least sounded aspirational. When I got married I was asked to list my occupation (as it’s recorded on the certificate). I was unemployed and told them so, they strongly recommended that if I had a ‘trade’ I could list that even if I wasn’t currently doing it, but I didn’t have a trade. They pushed further, eventually I revealed that I was in a band. It would be bold for me to state my profession as a musician. I’d lost more money than I’d ever made playing music, but they insisted it was acceptable and so according to my marriage certificate I was a musician.

There was something positive and something challenging about this interaction. On the one hand I was encouraged to look beyond my employment status and see something more, I do love to make music and it is a part of my identity. On the other hand, the fact that there was an air of stigma to being unemployed only served to confound how I already felt.

Back to the question at the beginning. Why do we jump to questions around employment when we first meet people? I think it’s probably a time-saving device; asking a question that can imply a lot more than the sum of the answer negates the time it takes to really get to know someone. Doing so will skip over all the other things that make that person who they are. If we use this as a judgement, we’ll also stop being able to see the significant value of people who don’t work or who work in different

ways such as volunteers or carers.Since I’ve been in work, I have found

that even though I am proud of the work I do and genuinely value my work, when the conversation about work comes up it doesn’t enthrall me. I spend 40 hours a week at work, when I’m there I try to do the best job I can. When I finish for the day I do my best to make sure I leave it all at the door so having to explain what I do and package it in a way that the casual conversationalist will find interesting/impressive is in itself taxing. Not that my time out of work could be described as “leisure time”, but I did notice when returning to work the amount of time I had to

do things I enjoyed purely for the pleasure I derived from them and not because they were of any benefit to anyone else. So now in the time before work, after work and the weekend I try to steer clear of anything work-related (although I must clean up from time-to-time).

Recently I happened to listen to a song called ‘Model Ships’ by Luke Westaway. In the song Westaway reflects how he spends his life making money for other people and goes on to wonder if there is something else he could be trying to make that would be better for him/better use of his time i.e. making model ships. Model Ships highlights societal expectation that you need to earn money and work hard to be of “value” and how that is at odds with being personally fulfilled and that hobbies are important for the self.

So, going forward I will be making a concerted effort to ask questions that tell me more about a person and less about work.

Who are you outside of work?Who are you if you don’t work?What do you do while you’re living?. n

“Why do we jump to questions around employment when we first meet people?... If we use this as a judgement, we’ll also stop being able to see the significant value of people who don’t work or who work in different ways such as volunteers or carers.”

Danny and his band, Prole Art Effect


The mind works like a spinning wheel – it keeps turning, non-stop. There is no off button. But there is a way to be aware of what goes through our minds and how our bodies react, how it makes us feel and how we respond.

Studies suggest that the mind works like someone ice skating – following the same route would deepen its tracts. The only way to reroute is by being aware of how our automatic responses lead us to do the same things or think the same things. We can become aware by observing the fluctuation of the mind.

There are several ways to watch the fluctuation of the mind; one is via Mind Mapping, which enables us to understand the basic patterns in our minds. First, we need to understand when the thought happened, where, what is the actual thought, and how it is affects us. Use the 5W 1H (what, where, when, who, why and how) to guide your thoughts into deeper layers.

By enabling ourselves to see our own thoughts and to be present in our thoughts,

we are able to recognise which thought creates what feeling and start noticing how we respond when this thought appears. Has it repeated? If yes, why? Notice as well when this thought appeared and what brought it on. What situations? Who is around you? Look at it in detail.

Then look at each criteria and specify – is there any similarity? Is that happening at the same time each day? If yes, why? Did it happened in the same place? Or did the thoughts bring you to the same place? How are the thoughts affecting you? Is it always affecting you in the same way?

Use the formula displayed here to record your thoughts and make changes

mind mapping

to your attitude towards your (perceived or real) threats.

I hope you enjoy it and I hope it can direct you towards different ways of seeing and enable you to start getting familiar with your own worries. n

Mind mappingMind Mapping is a way to organise your thoughts when worries come into your head – Iir Prihatinawati explains.

Iir Prihatinawati

“By enabling ourselves to see our own thoughts and to be present in our thoughts, we are able to recognise which thought creates what feeling and start noticing how we respond when this thought appears.”


When someone is hospitalised, friends, family and co-workers send get well cards, flowers and offers of support. But a person hospitalised for their mental wellbeing generally doesn’t receive the same outpouring of cards or offers of help. For that reason the Participation and Partnership Forum, hosted by Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, has joined forces with Recovery College East to run workshops through which individuals with their own lived experiences of mental and physical health challenges create cards for patients on CPFT wards.

About Recovery College East Recovery College East provides a collaborative, educational learning environment and aims to convey messages of hope, empowerment and opportunity. It celebrates strengths and

successes rather than highlighting deficits or problems. Recovery College East offers courses free of charge to:● anyone over the age of 18 who has

received, or is currently receiving, secondary services from CPFT● family, friends and loved ones● CPFT staff, volunteers and students on placement● staff and those who receive services from partner organisations.

The college values the expertise gained from lived experience equally with that derived from professional training. All courses are co-produced and co-delivered, involving at least one person with lived experience of mental health challenges. The range of courses vary each term as the college responds to the demands of its students. Courses vary in length from one-off workshops to those that take place weekly for a number of weeks.

Distributing the cardsWe held our first Send-a-Card workshop in November 2019 at Recovery College East in Cambridge. We produced dozens of beautiful, inspiring hand-made cards. We forwarded them to the Cavell Centre in Peterborough where a team of fantastic CPFT volunteers, Chaplain Jane Pope, Council Member Maggie Barker and her PAT (Pets as Therapy) dog, Angus, distributed them.

Feedback has been really positive. Patients report they especially appreciate that the cards have been “made with love” by people with their own lived experience of health challenges. Those making the cards report that it’s therapeutic whilst having the benefit of supporting others. With this initial success, we plan to hold card-making workshops each term at Recovery College East. In addition, we’ll be encouraging new staff to make cards at CPFT’s monthly corporate induction days. n

Send-a-Card project

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Receiving a card wishing you well can be a real boost when you’re feeling unwell. Send-a-Card Project Coordinator Lorna Evans tells us about some new workshops designed to make cards for people on mental health wards.

Further informationTo find out more or to get involved contact:

Lorna Evans, Send-a-Card Project Coordinator [email protected]

Participation and Partnership Forum (PPF) 01223 219452 [email protected] Recovery College East 01223 227510 [email protected]

CPFT Voluntary Services Team07970 650374 [email protected]


Sipping on a cup of tea, John Willcock is chatting candidly about his experiences of mental health challenges, grief and suicidal thoughts – “I didn’t talk about it for years,” he says.

The irony is that talking has now helped transform John’s life, and he does a lot of it at the Good Mood Cafe in Wisbech – one of many cafe sessions across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough run by local mental health charity, CPSL Mind. These weekly, 90-minute community cafes are a fantastic place for individuals to connect with other like-minded people.

“When I first heard about the cafes I thought, ‘Hmm… I might pop along,’ but I decided to give it a go,” John recounts. “The first week I came I was really quiet, sussing people out, but it’s great.

“It’s a safe space with good company, where everyone can discuss whatever’s on their mind without fear of judgement. A lot of us share the same sort of mental health challenges, so we can all find common ground, but it’s also nice to come and chat about things that are nothing to do with mental health.”

Despite living over 15 miles away from the Good Mood Cafe he attends in

Wisbech, John is now a regular. “A few of us actually see each other outside of the cafe, but I love popping along,” he smiles. “Talking is so important. I wish I’d opened up about my issues sooner.”

Tracey O’Donoghue, the cafe’s facilitator at CPSL Mind, highlights the importance of the cafes: “Isolation is big factor in affecting someone’s mental health. Getting people to the cafe to connect is a big thing - we know that feeling part of a community can really help wellbeing.”

Stuart Stretch is another regular here – although by his own admission, it took him a while to pluck up the courage to come along. “After I heard about the Good Mood Cafes, for the first few weeks I just walked past and scoped it out – I didn’t even come in!” he laughs. “But I’m really glad I did. It’s great to get out and talk to people.”

The Good Mood Cafes are just part of CPSL Mind’s Good Life Service, which offers community-based wellbeing support for adults living in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. The charity’s Open Door calm spaces offer people both tranquillity and self-help techniques, while Peer Support Groups are run to bring together individuals with others who also have lived experience to share advice and support. There’s little doubt that all three services offer a vital link to the outside world for those who need it.

“For some people, a Good Mood Cafe might be the only time they get out of the house all week,” says Tracey, “but we don’t just focus on mental health. It’s all general chit-chat, and for a lot of people, the start of them getting back on the road to being well. We’ve had people at the cafes who’ve told us that after coming here, they’ve plucked up the courage to chat to the person behind the till in the supermarket, or talked to their neighbour for the first time in years. These things can be a massive step.”

John and Stuart are proof that it works and now John’s also got his eye on becoming a CPSL Mind facilitator just like Tracey. “I’ve been in a good place for a few years, and now I just want to help people wherever I can,” he says, taking another sip of tea. “Talking is so important. I wish I’d opened up sooner.” n

For more information about CPSL Mind’s Good Life Service, visit www.cpslmind.org.uk/goodlife

Further support can be found here: www.cpslmind.org.uk/need-help-now/

Coffee and a chat

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Regulars of Good Mood Cafes tell their stories of recovery.


This crossword, put together by Recovery College East’s Kathy Jones, was intended to run in the April issue of Speak Your Mind – hence the April theme. But as we had to postpone that issue until later in the year, and we didn’t want this to go to waste, here it is! Enjoy.

crossword

ACROSS

3. This fruity technology company was founded in Cupertino, California in April 1976 (5 letters)5. The first video, titled “Me at the zoo”, was uploaded to ______ in April 2005 (6)8. Pulitzer Prize-nominated poet and civil rights activist Maya _______ was born on April 4, 1928 (7)9. The modern-day capital of Russia, mentioned for the first time in historical record on April 4, 1147 (6)11. Danish author of fairy tales such as The Ugly Duckling, who was born on April 2, 1805 (4, 9, 8)12. The Bard, Britain’s most famous playwright, who is thought to have died on his 52nd birthday in April 1616 (11)

DOWN

1. The first female Speaker of the House of Commons, _____ Boothroyd, elected to the position in April 1992 (5)2. Patron saint of England who has a day named for him on April 23rd (5, 6)4. Turn off your lights to support the preservation of our planet on April 22, _____ Day (5)6. This annual moveable feast commemorating an event in the Christian bible fell on April 12th this year (6)7. Surname of Samuel, who invented and gives his name to a famous code, best known for the example “dot dot dot dash dash dash” (born April 27, 1791)10. April 1953 saw molecular biologists Francis Crick and James ______ publish their groundbreaking paper on the structure of DNA (6)


ACASInformation and advice on workplace relations and employment lawwww.acas.org.uk 0300 123 1100

Anna Freud National Centre for Children and FamiliesChildren’s mental health charitywww.annafreud.org 020 7794 2313

Anxiety UKCharity for people with anxiety, stress and anxiety-related depressionwww.anxietyuk.org.uk 08444 775 774

Arts and MindsArts and mental health charity in Cambridgeshirewww.artsandminds.org.uk01223 353 053

Best BeginningsSupports the mental health of pregnant women and new motherswww.bestbeginnings.org.uk

BlurtSupport for people affected by depressionwww.blurtitout.org

Campaign Against Living Miserably Charity dedicated to preventing male suicidewww.thecalmzone.net 0800 58 58 58

Carers TrustSupport, services and recognition for anyone living with the challenges of caring www.carers.org0300 772 9600

Centre for Mental healthCharity specialising in research, economic analysis and policy influence in mental healthwww.centreformentalhealth.org.uk 020 7717 1558

Change Grow LiveHelp and support across a wide range of areas including mental health, substance use, criminal justice and homelessness www.changegrowlive.org

Citizens AdviceFree advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilitieswww.citizensadvice.org.uk 03444 111 444

CrisisCharity for homeless peoplewww.crisis.org.uk0300 636 1967

Dancing With The Black DogCharity dedicated to the eradication of the stigma of anxiety and depressionwww.dancingwiththeblackdog.com

Do-itNational volunteering databasewww.do-it.org

Equality and Human Rights CommissionStatutory body dealing in discrimination and human rightswww.equalityhumanrights.com 0808 800 0082

Heads TogetherCampaign inspiring charities that are tackling stigma, raising awareness, and providing vital help for people with mental health challengeswww.headstogether.org.uk

The Helpful ClinicA social venture that helps people cope better with everyday life www.thehelpfulclinic.com

IlluminateProvides coaching and personal development courses throughout the east of Englandwww.illuminatecharity.org.uk01223 520124

ImrocWorks with communities to develop services, systems and cultures that support recovery and wellbeingwww.imroc.org 0115 9691300 ext 12485

Inclusion Recovery CambridgeshireSupport for people affected by drugs and alcoholwww.inclusion-cambridgeshire.org.uk 0300 555 0101

International WorkplaceEmployee relations advisorwww.internationalworkplace.com 0333 210 1995

Keep Your HeadLocal support for children and young peoplewww.keep-your-head.com

LifecraftUser-led organisation offering creative activities, recovery groups, social activities and employment and volunteering opportunities www.lifecraft.org.uk01223 566 957

Loch Employment LawSpecialist employment lawyers acting for employers and employeeswww.lochlaw.co.uk0203 667 5400

Make, Do and MendSkills workshops, volunteering opportunities and peer support to people who have experience of mental health challengeswww.makedoandmendinfo.co.uk

Making Money Count Provides financial information and support across Cambridgeshire, West Norfolk and Peterboroughwww.makingmoneycount.org.uk

Mental Health First AidOffers training for all in mental health first aid https://mhfaengland.org020 7250 8062

Mental Health FoundationCharity for mental health, aiming to find and address the sources of mental health challengeswww.mentalhealth.org.uk (0)20 7803 1100

Mental Health Handbook, LifecraftInformation and contact details for relevant organisations such as advocacy, hospital services, housing, employment guidance, education, benefits advice and carerswww.lifecraft.org.uk/our-services/information/mental-health-handbook

MindCharity which provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing mental health challengeswww.mind.org.uk 020 8519 2122

Mind CPSLProvides a wide range of services across the county (Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and South Lincolnshire) to support those recovering from mental health challengeswww.cpslmind.org.uk

Money and Mental Health Policy InstituteIndependent charity committed to breaking the link between financial difficulty and mental health challengeswww.moneyandmentalhealth.org 0207 848 1448

MQChampioning and funding research into mental healthwww.mqmentalhealth.org 0333 440 1220

National Sleep FoundationDedicated to improving health and wellbeing through sleep education and advocacy www.sleepfoundation.org

Recovery College EastDelivering courses and workshops to explore and improve personal wellbeingwww.cpft.nhs.uk/about-us/recovery-college-east.htmCambridge 01223 227510Peterborough 01733 746660

Red2GreenCambridgeshire charity supporting people with learning disabilities, on the autistic spectrum or living with mental ill healthwww.changingtheredlightsgreen.co.uk 01223 811662

Rethink Mental IllnessExpert, accredited advice for everyone affected by mental health challengeswww.rethink.org0300 5000 927

rethinkyourmind.co.ukDeveloped by those with experience of mental health challenges, to creatively express wellbeingwww.rethinkyourmind.co.uk

Richmond FellowshipRecovery-focused organisation offering a range of mental health support serviceswww.richmondfellowship.org.uk 0207 6973300

SamaritansOffers a safe place to talk at any time about whatever is getting to youwww.samaritans.org116 123

ScopeProvides support, information and advice to disabled people and their familieswww.scope.org.uk0808 800 3333

The MixSupport service for young peoplewww.themix.org.uk 0808 808 4994

The SUN NetworkAiming for everyone in Cambridgeshire to have equitable access to mental health and/or drug and alcohol interventions and services www.sunnetwork.org.uk 07712 358172

Time to ChangeCampaigning to remove stigma around mental healthwww.time-to-change.org.uk020 8215 2356

YoungMindsCharity committed to improving the wellbeing and mental health of children and young peoplewww.youngminds.org.uk

directory

Useful sources of support and information

“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in

a person’s determination.” Tommy Lasorda

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