Rethink Mental Illness Manchester Group

It's that time again for one of our regular monthly meet ups, this Wednesday 14th March. If you've got an interest in mental health problems from any perspective - through personal experience, a family member or friend, or as a professional - you're welcome to come and join us. The meeting will run as usual from 6 - 7.45pm at Manchester Carers Centre . If you're coming by public transport then we meet up at the taxi rank by Manchester Piccadilly Station (back entrance down the escalators) at 5.30pm and walk up to the Centre together in a 'walking bus'. Just call Lindsey Cree on 07757 082 976 to let us know you'll be walking with us. If you're coming by car then there's parking available on street from 6pm. We always start our meetings with a cup of tea and catch up, with a chance for us to offer one another support for any issues we might have.

Here's a message we've received from Rethink that you might be interested in: Rethink Mental Illness is really concerned about cuts to mental health services, and we want to make sure the Government knows the impact these cuts are having on people affected by mental illness. We are compiling a report to raise awareness of this issue and to fight unfair cuts, and we urgently need our members, activists and supporters to tell us about how cuts have affected them personally. Your story could feature in our report, and we are also looking for people who would be interested in talking to the media about how they have been affected by cuts. This could mean having your name and photograph published, but if you would feel more comfortable to tell your story anonymously then that could also be an option. To tell us about how cuts to mental health services have affected you, please fill in our online form . We are particularly keen to hear about cuts to housing, crisis or inpatient s...

If you are interested in finding out more about a Rethink Carers Group in Stockport please come along to: The Stockport Carers Group Meeting at the Wellbeing Centre Graylaw House Chestergate SK1 1LZ Tuesday 9th August from 6.00pm to 8.00pm Ruth Bettie Rethink Groups Manager [North] will be talking about what joining a Rethink Group can do for you         For more information please ring: 07800919248

Here are some photos from our Celebration of Self Help event. We have the wonderful ladies from the Wai Yin Chinese Women Society Tai Chi group, us getting the all-important cake stand ready, and the lovely Lindsey Cree and her daughter! In a moment I'll post all the self-help ideas you can see on the blue sticky wall at the back of the room.

I spent the sunniest Saturday in Manchester for a long time sat inside for a day's training on physical health It was run by Rethink's campaigns team to get local activists like us here at RMCIA thinking about how we can get involved in Rethink's Fair Treatment Now campaign. The 'shocking statistic' is that people with severe mental health problems like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, personality disorder and severe depression die up to 20 years younger compared with the rest of the population - not just from suicide but from preventable physical illnesses. There were about 20 people in the room including service users, carers, activists and professionals - or combinations of two or more of those fairly unloved labels. I was particularly struck to hear the personal stories of people who had battled through really difficult times and had their physical health problems overlooked, or at worst ignored. It's popular knowledge that regular exercise makes us all fe...

Wednesday 8th June, 2 - 5pm, Manchester Carers Centre Vulcan Mill, Pollard Street M4 7AN Come and join us to celebrate all that Manchester has to offer to help those of us affected by mental illness help ourselves through the bad times and the good! It's a free event and open to anyone with an interest in mental health. No need to book - just turn up. Just drop in any time for: information stalls from Rethink , The Ann Lee Centre , Self Help Services , Anxiety UK , Making Space , Wai Yin Chinese Women Society , Asylum Magazine , Partners of Prisoners and Crazy Diamond Training and Consultancy . healthy snacks and drinks from the wonderful Good Mood Food free coaching and confidence building sessions from Lindsey Cree free massage therapy ...and lots more! For more information call Mary Patel on 07816 754 032 or Manchester Carers Centre on 0161 272 7270.

Come and join us to celebrate all that Manchester has to offer to help those of us affected by mental illness help ourselves through the bad times and the good! Wednesday 8th June, 2 - 5pm, Manchester Carers Centre Vulcan Mill, Pollard Street M4 7AN Just drop in any time for: information stalls healthy snacks and drinks free coaching and confidence building sessions free massage therapy ...and lots more! For more information call Mary Patel on 07816 754 032 or Manchester Carers Centre on 0161 272 7270. FREE - display information about your group or offer an activity session Are you a mental health self-help support group in Manchester? Or a statutory, community or voluntary sector provider that offers services to support people to help themselves? Or can you offer an activity session that you think would benefit someone with a mental illness, or carers, such as art, poetry or exercise? We have a limited number of table-top stands for you to display information and a roo...

Despite having high risk factors for life-threatening diseases, people are not getting the health checks or the support they need. In fact, service-users’ physical symptoms often get dismissed by healthcare staff. Service-users have even been denied physical treatment in mainstream facilities because of their mental illness. If you want to take action locally on this issue, the Rethink Campaigns Team is here to help. Come to a Campaign Skills Day where you’ll meet fellow activists, learn about campaign planning, getting your message across, and find out more about the link between physical health and mental health. A skills day is running at The Ethical Property Company, Oldham St, central Manchester, 11am – 4pm on the 4th June. Travel expenses paid. To sign up or find out more visit www.rethink.org/PH email campaigns@rethink.org or call 020 7840 3147.

Our next meeting is this Wednesday, 13th April from 6:00 - 7:45pm, at Manchester Carers Centre. If you are coming into town by public transport then come and meet us by the taxi rank at Manchester Piccadilly station (Fairfield Street side) at 5:30pm. Let Mary know if you are meeting there so we know to look out for you. Number to call is 07816754032. As well as some time for a cup of tea and a chat with other people whose lives are affected by mental illness, we'll be taking a look at what the budget cuts might mean for mental health in Manchester, and help us plan for our AGM in May. Hope to see you there!

Our next meeting takes place on Wednesday 9th March 2011, 6 – 7:45pm at Manchester Carers Centre , Vulcan Mill, Pollard Street, Manchester M4 7AN. If you are travelling by public transport or by foot, a ‘walking bus’ will leave from the taxi rank at Manchester Piccadilly station at 5:30pm. Please call me (Mary Patel) on 07816 754 032 to let me know you will be coming, so we know to wait for you. Agenda 6pm – 6.15pm: refreshments and welcomes. 6:15 – 6:30pm: introductions and general discussion. 6:30 – 6:50: Hemlata Fletcher from Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust will give an update on the Trust’s recovery work and answer questions. 6:50 – 7:10 : Zeph Curwen and Patrick Cahoon from Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust will give an update on the Trust’s review of day services and answer questions. 7:10 – 7:40: events and campaigns work over the next couple of months. 7:40 – 7:45: any other business.

While we all know that this is a tough economic climate, we want to make sure people affected by severe mental illness are not unjustly affected by cuts to mental health spending and services. Councils and health trusts are about to sign off their budgets. In order to build up a national picture of cuts to spending on mental health services, Rethink needs your help. We need volunteers to help us track what is happening across the Greater Manchester area. Please let us know what’s happening near you, by finding out what your council and local health trust’s new spending plans are for mental health. You can find out by: Checking your council and Primary Care Trust’s websites to see if information is readily available Calling your local council and ask them how you find out Asking your local PCT's Patient Advice Liaison Services (PALs) or Patient and Public Involvement team - for advice on how to find out about NHS plans for mental health in your area. If you have any information just...

For our last meeting before the Christmas break, we would like to invite you to a ‘Bring and Share’ event. All are welcome – carers, service users and professionals. Wednesday 8th December 6pm – 8pm Manchester Carers Centre , Vulcan Mill, Pollard Street, Manchester M4 7AN Just bring along a bit of food to share around! Drinks will be provided. As well as a social evening, we will be spending part of our time planning activity for 2011. A ‘walking bus’ will leave from the taxi rank at Manchester Piccadilly station (on the Fairfield Street side) at 5:30pm. If you would like to meet here please call Mary on 07816 754 032. If you need to walk back into town after the event there will be others to walk back with. For more information call Mary on 07816 754 032.

Over the past year we've been lobbying mental health providers on four ‘wishes’ for improving services in the area. We’ve been delighted at the response: not only have carers, service users and professionals from across Manchester signed up in support of it, but Manchester Mental Heath and Social Care Trust have agreed to write a formal response. One of the wishes - putting carers and services users at the heart of service design – is high on the political agenda right now with talk of ‘co-design’ of services and the Health White Paper promising to put patients at the heart of our healthcare provision. To explore what this means in practice and how carers and service users can influence this agenda, we're holding an event, ‘Mental health: putting carers and service users at the centre’. With speakers from Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust and more this is a chance to get informed, discuss issues and take part in our campaigning work. The free event will take place...

This link highlights an online poll that Rethink are asking mental health service users, carers and staff to complete. It asks for your input on where services are being cut, which ones and by how much. It also asks for your opinion on what kinds of services could be cut if you absolutely had to pick one. Clearly this is a difficult decision, but it will help us to ensure that the most vital services are protected. Your support will enable Rethink to monitor where and how mental health services are being affected by cuts, which is vital for our campaigning. It will take just 2 minutes to complete and really will help Rethink to stop mental health being a soft touch for cuts.

25 people attended our Recovery Information Evening last month. We heard from two great speakers - Susan Holden from Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust on how recovery is being implemented in the Trust and from Ben Crouch from The Roby in Longsight about their progress over the past year on providing recovery-based services to the local community. Attendees discussed what recovery means both from a service user and carer perspective and how carers need the right information and support in order to play a positive role in supporting their loved ones to recover. Susan has since passed on information about WRAPs (Wellness Recovery Action Plans). They were first developed by Mary Ellen Copeland . According to Susan, Copeland markets a particular format which tends to uses ‘service’ language. Others have adapted and produced different types of personal support plans. Ben has also been in touch about the emotional needs of carers. The Roby offer a counselling service - referrals can be taken ...

Next Wednesday, 12th May, we're holding an information evening to explore different perspectives on recovery and how people can recovery - and be supported to recover - from a mental illness. We're delighted to have speakers from The Roby and from Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust talk about the work they are doing to support the process of recovery. Meet and socialise with other people who are affected by mental illness, either personally or through a caring or family connection. Everyone welcome – food and drink will be provided. Wednesday 12th May 2010 5:30pm – 7pm Followed by our AGM 7pm – 8pm (all welcome) Manchester Carers Centre Beswick House, Beswick Row Manchester, M4 4PR For more information call Manchester Carers Centre on 0161 835 4090 or email Mary Rayner on maryrayner@hotmail.com . The event is part of our 'Wish List' campaign. We have four wishes for improving services in Manchester...promoting recovery, making services users and carers central to the imp...

Recovery is on our Mental Health Wish List for 2010 and is a topic that seemed to generate a lot of conversation and excitement at our Mistletoe and Mental Health event a couple of weeks ago. Going through my email inbox, which I'm a bit behind on, I found an email from Rethink sent in November with news of a new report on recovery. ' Getting back into the world: reflections on lived experiences of recovery ', is what it says - a compilation of interviews with 48 people across England who have personal experience of mental illness. What's really interesting - and positive - about the report is that the interviews, analysis and write up were also done by people who have personal experience of mental illness. I've not had a chance to have a proper read but a quick glance shows that it will be an inspiring, thought provoking and useful report for anyone with an interest in recovery in mental illness.