News Flash - 16th January 2012
Laughter was the best medicine at innovative laughter workshop
You may or may not be aware that Monday, 16th January, has officially been mathematically proven as the worst day of the year! It is known as Blue Monday and is thought to be the most depressing day — linked to the weather, debt and the post Christmas blues. To lift people's mood, Hunts Mind and Cam-Mind in partnership with NHS Cambridgeshire and the Richmond Fellowship hosted a Laughter Workshop. Please click here to see the News and Crier article.
12th January 2012
Service Re-design of CPFT – Consultation Response
As many of you are aware Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation Trust have been conducting a public consultation about the proposed transformation of the community and inpatient mental health services. After speaking with service users, volunteers and our staff we have now issued a formal response to the proposed re-design of services offered by CPFT, please click here to view this response.
January 2012 AGM Notification
We have the pleasure in announcing our forthcoming Annual General Meeting. To find out more about this event, click here to view the invitation.
Press Release - 23rd November 2011
Award winning Mental health Team – HMP Littlehey
Hunts Mind and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) Mental Health In Reach Team have been awarded the NHS East of England prize for Inspirational Teams for our Health Improvement Programme focusing on Communication Skills, Mental Health Awareness, Managing Stress and Anger. The programme which ran in four week blocks has had a significantly positive impact on the clients that were able to attend. With exceptional support from prison staff this programme was able to support both adult and young offenders in facing some of the most difficult and provocative topics, often getting them to face the painful truth of their life experiences. For many of the men it gave them the first ever opportunity to talk about how they were feeling without fearing being shut down or mocked. It enabled the clients to change their behaviours too. Probation officers, prison staff and mental health professionals have been able to say that some of the men have been less challenging, take better care of themselves and those who were feeling particularly hopeless have managed to get jobs and change completely they relate to the prison environment. Sarah Hughes, Hunts Mind’s Chief Executive said “The most extraordinary part of this project has been the team work which has been across all organisations that were involved. The impact of the project has been amazing but unfortunately funding limitations now mean it has come to an end. We hope through further fundraising opportunities we will be in a position to deliver this programme again next year.” |
5th September 2011 - Exciting news from Hunts Mind and Cam-mind
Both Sarah Hughes, Hunts Mind CEO and Sally Keown, Cam-mind CEO have written to staff, volunteers, stakeholders and service users to share some exciting news about possible future plans for Hunts Mind and Cam-mind. To find out more about this news, click here to view the letter.
Parent Zone Drop-In
Please note that Parent Zone have changed their venue for the drop-in to the Cornerstone Cafe, St Neots and will be running their first ever training course this month. For further details, please click here.
NEWS FROM NATIONAL MIND ........
Stephen Fry announced as new President of Mind
Mental health charity Mind has announced that Stephen Fry is to become its new President, succeeding Lord Melvyn Bragg who last week revealed that he is to step down after fifteen years in the role.
Stephen Fry said:
"I am honoured and delighted to become the new President of Mind. This wonderful charity performs vital work to help anyone, like myself, who experiences a mental health problem.
"It is a privilege to follow in the footsteps of Lord Melvyn Bragg, and I can only hope to live up to the standard that he has set in his fifteen successful years at the helm."
Fry has been a Mind supporter for a number of years and was named Mind Champion in 2007 for his award-winning documentary The Secret Life of a Manic Depressive, which explored his experiences of living with bipolar disorder. He has previously fronted the 'Get it off your chest' campaign, aimed at getting men to recognise the importance of talking about their problems, and has also been an ambassador for Time to Change, the charity's anti-stigma campaign.
Announcing his successor, Lord Bragg said:
"It's been a privilege to work for Mind and with such an excellent team over the past fifteen years. However I feel that the time has come to move on. I've seen many positive changes in my time and I'm sure a new President would bring new energy and new ideas to the role.
"My first choice to succeed me, and that of the Mind Board, was Stephen Fry. I wrote to Stephen and am delighted to say that he accepted. He has been both eloquent and public with his experience of mental distress, and I am sure he will take Mind forward and be welcomed by everyone who supports this fine organisation."
Paul Farmer, Mind's Chief Executive, said:
"I am thrilled that Stephen Fry is to become the next President of Mind. He has already done much to reduce the stigma around mental health through his television documentary and his writing, honestly describing his experiences of bipolar disorder. I am certain that he will prove to be an inspiring leader of our charity and will continue to provide hope and inspiration to anyone who experiences a mental health problem.
"This is an exciting time in mental health as we start to see real changes in attitudes and I know that Stephen will be instrumental in helping us to continue the momentum that we have built up under Lord Bragg's leadership."
Cambridgeshire Service User Network (SUN)
Cambridgeshire Service User Network (SUN) is a collaborative working group of adult mental health service users and mental health commissioners from Cambridgeshrie County Council and NHS Cambridgeshire.
To find out more, please go to their new website www.suncambs.co.uk
