Our colleagues from Barnet Community Operations held their first Autumn Fete in support of Black History Month and Mental Health Awareness Day (20 October). Despite the heavy rain, it didn’t stop staff, service users and special guests turning up for the event, throughout the afternoon.  

In what is hoped to become an annual celebration, attendees had the opportunity to talk to community partners, wellbeing, transformation and physical health teams. Staff were also treated to aromatherapy massages, Afro-Caribbean food and amazing live music from a steel band.  

Also at the event, special guests Rapper and mental health activist Shocka along with Romeo and the Twin MCs from So Solid Crew, happily spoke to staff and service users during the day and posed for many photos. The stars were a great attraction for our younger service users, who had lots of questions for our guests and performed some of their own raps. Staff were then treated to performances from our guests along with Barry Day, Managing Director and Dr Khalid Aziz, Clinical Director joining the rappers for a dance to close the event – plans are already underway for 2023! 

As part of our transformation programme, events such as these help to showcase the work of our Core Teams and colleagues, as well as enabling good conversations and networking opportunities for partners, service users, carers and their families. 

The Barnet, Enfield and Haringey AGM and Camden and Islington AMM took place in the last week of October, with high attendance recorded for the virtual meetings. All stakeholders from across the Partnership were invited to join and both events held good discussions around top agenda items, with members from our Experts-by-Experience (EbE) groups participating as special guest speakers. 

BEH AGM - Two EbE members, Tania Charles and Hannah Czapnik spoke candidly about their experiences of working collaboratively at BEHMHT, as part of the Trust's Recovery Strategy development. Tania spoke about her work alongside staff with women recently discharged from hospital. She said: "I really enjoyed working with the recovery college in the co-production of this group. We created and put on workshops for women including pampering sessions and cooking on a budget as well as museum visits. Being an EbE has had a positive effect on my own wellbeing and knowing I can help and support others is really important to me." Hannah felt hugely valued by staff in the work she has taken part in. She said: "I was discharged over a year ago and felt worthless with little purpose. As an EbE I have been able to steadily increase my involvement which has been positive for my mental health and wellbeing. I now have a forum to express the passion I have about making sure service users are well understood and listened to."

Read the full story including a link to the video if you were unable to make it, here on the website. 

C&I AMM - Johnny Valavanis is working with the Trust on the St Pancras Transformation programme and has been fully involved in the new Highgate East building and development. He said: “We enjoy being able to input into the design process. This has included everything from the floor layout, the colours, the paint, the fixtures and fittings. We hope this will help develop the facility and service, so that it will be welcoming and a therapeutic, safe place for service users, carers, and staff alike.” Carmen Barlow, another EbE member also part of the Highgate East project, confirmed: "We've been involved in this project every step of the way and have been listened to. The design is state-of-the-art and fit for purpose. Service users will have access to day rooms and a sports hall that will aid recovery and wellbeing. This will help to avoid the need for hospital admission and as it's accessible to all, remove the stigma too."

See the flyer with the full programme, here and the poster here. Carers can book directly for the events: https://islingtoncarershub.org/carers-rights-day/.  For more information, please contact Torpekai Boukens, Team Lead - Islington Carers Hub / info@islingtoncarershub.org. 

Fionn Wilson is an artist by background. Her work is displayed in national public collections including the Museum of London, the Museum of Enfield, the UCLH art collection, the National Coalmining Museum for England, the Marx Memorial Library and the Priseman Seabrook collection. As well as this, Fionn also curates and organises exhibitions. Following a psychotic episode in September 2020, treatment at Lucas House in Edmonton ended in further acknowledgement of just how much art can aid recovery. 

Dr Jaimini Mehta, Enfield EIP, Senior Clinical Psychologist said: “Working closely with Fionn in 2021 allowed us to discuss artwork as a means to her recovery, which was obviously something very personal and enjoyable to her. Treatment involved creative and psychological methods and included sessions with our Trainee Art Therapist, Simona and Iyunade, Assistant Psychologist, who also supported Fionn in displaying her artwork at Lucas House.” 

Fionn said: “I started painting in 2010 and am self-taught. Before then, I’d never even considered painting. I think creativity is a very important part of our lives and mental health. Just the act of creating something, anything, is worthwhile.” 

Before the end of her time at Lucas House, Fionn very kindly donated two pieces of artwork as a token of appreciation and to help revitalise the clinical setting. 

Fionn continued: “One of the donated paintings, Landscape: Shadows Fall, was completed in 2021. I was still in recovery from a psychotic episode when I finished the painting; highlighting just how important painting was at this time for my own, positive mental health. 

“I often paint at night, and I think that as a result, my paintings prefer to be hung in quiet and dark spaces. I’m never happy with what I paint, but I think this is a good thing as it only makes me more determined to carry on until I paint something which I will be happy with. I think everyone can paint; you just need to want it enough.  

“I wanted to donate the paintings as I think art in public spaces is vital and life-affirming and I’m proud to have some of my work at Lucas House. I hope you enjoy them.” 

While events are aimed primarily at BEH colleagues, C&I colleagues are also welcome to make contact for further information. Please email marie.oneill4@nhs.net to discuss these opportunities in more detail. 

Tell us a bit about your role: I am an Occupational Therapist by background and have been working within Islington Core Teams since July 2021; we are currently going through some very exciting work in developing our team and service for the Islington community alongside our colleagues in C&I, GP's and our wider network partners. I have recently transitioned into the post from one of the Team Manager posts, so I am really excited in supporting the amazing staff and team that we have across Islington Core Teams. 

What do you love about your job? I love being able to bring OT into all aspects of the work, whether that is directly with patients, or with supporting the transformation of the team - being able to use my OT knowledge and skills is brilliant. I also love working with a team that are so kind and caring about each other and the patients that we support. 

What is not so good? Not having enough time in the day – it can be difficult sometimes managing time and pressure constraints but I have a great team around me and that helps massively.

What would you name the autobiography of your life? Winging It 

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? I would love to be able to play the piano. 

When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time? Free time??? HA! - I love reading, so usually with a good book!