It was fantastic to see so many people at the Positively Diverse event at the beginning of October. There was some great feedback, including how helpful it was to hear from residents themselves about their experiences (writes Hannah Kitchen).
We have been looking through people’s postcards, notes and feedback and are keen to help you follow up on some of the things you were inspired to do at the event.
Living in Harmony Forum, Wednesday 28 October, 5-7pm at Pilton Community Health Project
The Living in Harmony forum is a space for residents and workers in North Edinburgh to work and learn together in order to make services more accessible for people from BME communities, and to put on activities that increase friendship and understanding between people in the area.
On Wednesday we will be meeting to carry on some of the conversations we started at the Positively Diverse event. I’m attaching a draft agenda. Please contact me if there are any items you would like to add.
We would love to see you there. Please reply to this email to tell me if you are able to come. We can arrange free crèche places for anyone who needs them, but need 24 hours’ notice to do this.
Hannah Kitchen
Development Worker, Living in Harmony,
Pilton Community Health Project, 73 Boswall Parkway, Edinburgh, EH5 2PW
MY Adventure has teamed up with City of Edinburgh Council to deliver FREE guided cycle rides around our amazing city. Join us as part of the Smarter Choices, Smart Places initiative to explore the cycle network – a fantastic way to get around the city we love.
The paths are gentle and away from traffic, the perfect way to access so many of Edinburgh’s wonderful sights – the whole family is welcome. Our guides are experienced and friendly and even if you don’t have a bike that’s no problem. Just get in touch and we will loan you one for free!
Join us in Rodney Street Tunnel EH7 4EW 12 noon for a trip to the Forth Road Bridge or Portobello; alternatively there will be shorter cycle rides for the wee ones! We will also have displays in Rodney Street Tunnel about cycling in Edinburgh, tonnes of free information and even a smoothie making bike!
Check out our website www.myadventure.org.uk for more information and to book online, or phone 0131 629 3065 and receive a free gift on the day!
Older Scots urged to ‘embrace the health benefits of poetry’ as new collection on ageing launched
Older Scots are being encouraged to embrace the health benefits of reading and writing poetry as an exclusive new collection of poetry on the theme of ageing is launched this month.
Released by independent charity the Saltire Society in partnership with the Scottish Poetry Library, Second Wind is a collection of almost 50 finely-crafted poems from award-winning Scottish writers Douglas Dunn, Vicki Feaver and Diana Hendry.
Wise, funny, cutting and honest, the poems collected in Second Wind seek to challenge false preconceptions about ageing and tackle a wide range of age-related themes including childhood memories, illness, retirement, absent friends and grandchildren.
Two special readings of the new collection by its authors will take place as part of Luminate, Scotland’s creative ageing festival. Now in its fourth year, the Festival has a busy schedule of events running across Scotland throughout October. The first reading event for Second Wind (already sold out) takes place at the Saltire Society’s headquarters in Edinburgh on 15 October at 6.30pm and the second will be held at 6pm on 26 October at the Aberdeen Maritime Museum.
The Second Wind collection is launched as the most recent survey results from the Scottish Government show that the percentage of Scots aged 60-74 who read regularly for pleasure rose from 65% in 2009 to 73% in 2013, a higher percentage than any other age group.
Recent research from the Mental Health Foundation suggests that participation in cultural activities results in increased confidence and self-esteem among participants, and may help to improve long term cognitive functioning, communication, memory and creative thinking.
For those who would like to explore the Second Wind poems in more depth, the Scottish Poetry Library will also host two specially facilitated poetry reading groups in Edinburgh on Saturday 7 November at 11 am and 2pm. These events will be led by poet, tutor and former Scottish Book Trust Reader in Residence Kate Hendry, who is also the daughter of Second Wind contributor Diana Hendry.
Saltire Society Executive Director Jim Tough said: “There is a growing body of evidence to show that creativity in later life has real health benefits. What is more, this new collection of poems demonstrates just how much older writers have to offer. Hopefully, it will inspire many more from the older generation to get involved both in reading and writing poetry.”
Speaking on behalf of the Scottish Poetry Library, Director Robyn Marsack added: “The later work of artists – think of Beethoven, Matisse, Yeats – often shows their willingness to change direction, their maturity as artists combined with new insights. We’re delighted to have been able to provide the impetus for three poets whose undiminished poetic energy will strike a chord with many readers.”
Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival launches today – World Mental Health Day
A national Ats and Film Festival tackling the stigma of mental health opens in Edinburgh this weekend, celebrating its ninth year.
Over 60 events are scheduled to take place across Lothian as part of the 2015 Mental Health Arts and Film Festival, making it one of the largest social justice festivals in the world, (SMHAFF) with performing arts, literature, photography, comedy and dance all set to feature.
The Festival officially opens today – World Mental Health Day – and this year explores the theme of ‘passion’
Linda Irvine Strategic Programme Manager, Mental Health and Wellbeing, NHS Lothian, said: “One in four people in Scotland will experience mental health problems at some point in their life but it is still something which attracts significant stigma.
“Through the many powerful, inspiring and provocative events taking place this year, the Festival aims to open up conversations about mental health and go some way towards challenging discrimination.”
Gail Aldam, Festival Manager, Scottish Mental Health and Arts Festival, said “We are delighted with the scale and scope of the events taking place in Edinburgh and Lothian this year and are struck by the passion that the planning team have for using art to give a voice to marginalised groups, challenging social injustice and instigating change.
“There really is something for everyone in the programme, offering an inspiring range of arts activities from spoken word to visual arts to music, across the region.”
Highlights of this year’s Festival include:
Out of Sight, Out of Mind A series of powerful and compelling exhibitions taking place at venues and galleries across Edinburgh featuring work from artists with experience of mental health issues. Returning to the Festival for a third year, these events aim to get us thinking and talking about mental health and challenge preconceptions.
A Play, A Pie and A Pint: Decent, a play by Linda Duncan McLaughlin has a special five day run at the Traverse (Tues 20th-Sat 24th Oct)
To celebrate Arthur Miller’s centenary, Rapture Theatre present a new production of The Last Yankee, one of the legendary writer’s final great plays which is touring throughout Lothian.
Rally & Broad An eclectic mix of spoken word, authors and music, the line-up features LOKI, one of Scotland’s most powerful and political performers (Fri 23rd Oct, Bongo Club, Edinburgh)
In the Shadow of the Castle an evening of spoken word reflecting on the Gretna train disaster in the spectacular setting of Edinburgh Castle’s Great Hall (Thurs 22nd Oct)
The Wellbeing Mela A free, fun, family day to celebrate diversity and promote positive mental health and wellbeing amongst Edinburgh’s varied minority ethnic communities. Music, dance, complementary therapies, relaxation workshops and lots more (Sunday 11th Oct, Out of the Blue)
Push Me Pull Me Join the Writing Mums, poet Jenny Lindsay and singer-songwriter Polly Phillips, for an evening of prose and poetry (Wed 28th Oct, Dunbar Library)
There is also a wide ranging film programme curated from the more than 400 entries submitted to the Festival by filmmakers from across the globe. The winners will be recognised at a special awards ceremony hosted at the Filmhouse on 29 October.
Highlights of the film programme include the Scottish premiere of documentary Dancing With Maria, telling the story of Argentinian dancer Maria Fux who welcomes dancers from all backgrounds, including men and women with physical and mental impairments, to her Buenos Aires studio and Ida’s Diary – a powerful film that has been used by many mental health organisations for training and awareness raising purposes.
Details of all events taking place as part of this year’s Festival can be found at: www.mhfestival.com
WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION (WHO)
World Mental Health Day 2015
Thousands of people with mental health conditions around the world are deprived of their human rights. They are not only discriminated against, stigmatised and marginalised but are also subject to emotional and physical abuse in both mental health facilities and the community. Poor quality care due to a lack of qualified health professionals and dilapidated facilities leads to further violations.
The theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day, observed on 10 October, is “Dignity in mental health”. This year, WHO will be raising awareness of what can be done to ensure that people with mental health conditions can continue to live with dignity, through human rights oriented policy and law, training of health professionals, respect for informed consent to treatment, inclusion in decision-making processes, and public information campaigns.
Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health, Jamie Hepburn comments on World Mental Health Day:
“On World Mental Health day, I am proud to be the first Scottish minister with mental health in my job title. While this is a sign of how seriously we take this issue – I want us to be judged on the actions, not words.
“Demand for services is increasing significantly. The number of people seen by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services has risen by 30 per cent in the last year – more than 1,000 extra patients in the quarter ending June 2015. To respond to this we are investing heavily in the workforce. For example, we’ve seen a 70 per cent increase in the number of CAMHS psychologists working in Scotland’s health service since 2009/10.
“Yes, there are challenges, but we have also made great progress. Waiting times have decreased significantly, we have better data to drive improvement, and the number of deaths by suicide are their lowest level since 1977. This doesn’t mean we’re complacent. More progress is needed and we continue to work with health boards to attract more staff and bring waiting times down further. That’s one of the reasons why we’ve committed to invest an extra £100 million in mental health over the next five years. This funding will also be used to promote wellbeing, improve patient rights and develop better responses to mental illness in primary care.
“We’re moving towards the end of our current mental health strategy and are assessing what the strategy has achieved. Once we have a clear picture of our progress against the 36 commitments we set, we will then decide the best focus for the next strategy.
“The 2015 Mental Health Act will strengthen the framework for mental health legislation making the system more effective and efficient, and promoting patient involvement in their care, through strengthening the position of advocacy and advance statements.
“Mental health has deservedly moved up the agenda and that’s something we can all welcome. As treatment improves and the stigma of mental illness decreases, we will see more people coming forward to ask for help. I’m determined that we are able to meet that challenge.”
Eleven projects that encourage some of Scotland’s least active people to become more active have been awarded grants as part of the legacy of the Commonwealth Games. Edinburgh Leisure is among the recipients and the organisation will use it’s share to support older people living in poorer areas to get more active.
The projects, spread throughout Scotland, work with groups who are most at risk of inactivity, and use physical activity to improve health, wellbeing and social cohesion.
The Legacy 2014 Physical Activity Fund is funded by the Scottish Government and managed by Spirit of 2012. Spirit was a partner of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and was chosen by the Scottish Government to create a sustainable physical activity programme to support the objectives of getting the least active people in Scotland more active.
Physical activity improves physical fitness and mental wellbeing, and can help to empower disabled people, connect generations, bring communities together and reduce isolation.
The eleven project, who each received grants up to £70,000, are as follows:
• Dumfries & Galloway Council: training programme for staff and volunteers to help older and/or vulnerable adults get active in all the area’s care homes as well as day care settings.
• North Ayrshire Leisure: supporting people with mental health issues to become more active through condition specific classes such as yoga and tai chi
• NHS Highland: using dance and walking to increase activity levels among the least active in the Highlands, including young people, women, older people, disabled people and those with long-term conditions
• Midlothian Council: bringing together two projects that use intergenerational volunteering to promote wellbeing; younger people coming into care homes to help older people become more active.
• Fife Sports and Leisure Trust: walking and GP referral programme for people with mental health issues and those with dementia
• Leisure & Culture Dundee: bringing ante natal women and their families in Dundee together through swimming to be active, have fun and improve their wellbeing and resilience
• Stirling Council: offering an extended buggy walks programme for parents, as well as, strength and balance classes and jogging for older people. The focus of all these activities is the most disadvantaged communities
• Cairngorms National Park: This project offers health walks in Highlands, Aberdeenshire and Moray, and targets people with long term conditions, women and older people
• Changes Community Health Project: walking, cycling and other healthy recreational activities will benefit people with mental health conditions
• Drumchapel Sport: the new funding will extend their existing highly respected programme of sport used to unite the community and improve wellbeing, working with children and young people, women and girls
• Edinburgh Leisure: support people over the age of 45 living in areas of multiple deprivation to become more active.
Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health, said: “I’d like to congratulate all of these projects on their successful applications to the Legacy 2014 Physical Activity Fund. They are all working to promote physical activity in their communities, concentrating on some of the groups that are most at risk of inactivity, and giving them the confidence to change their lifestyles.
“This fund is one of the ways we are securing the legacy of the Commonwealth Games, encouraging people to live more active lives. Physical inactivity leads to 2,500 premature deaths in Scotland every year. It’s linked to a host of health problems including diabetes, heart disease, dementia and depression. If we can encourage people to make even small changes to their lives we can make a big difference to Scotland’s health.”
Dugald Mackie, Chairman of Spirit of 2012 said: “Our aim is see personal and community wellbeing increase and to see a positive change in the perception of disability. I’m delighted that we’ll be supporting so many projects that work with disabled people (including those suffering from mental ill health). In the current climate it’s vital that public investment delivers results, and so we are committed to collaborating closely with the Scottish Government and the 11 local partners to discover what works and what we could do better.”
Debbie Lye, Chief Executive of Spirit said: “Our ultimate ambition is to use the learning from this pioneering Scottish initiative to inform the way we and others tackle the UK wide imperative of increasing levels of physical activity.
“Spirit will host a conference in January 2017 where all partners will bring together research and findings from the projects. This will be a key step in making Scottish physical opportunities more effective, engaging and efficient.”
Health in Mind is excited to be going into the second year of its MAPSservice supporting people in groups to self manage their mental health and wellbeing and have two new groups starting in the coming weeks.
The Afternoon Group will be held at The Elizabeth Maginnis Court Complex in Granton beginning late September will be held every Tuesday, and the Evening Group will be held at Health in Mind, Shandwick Place beginning early October on a Thursday. For more information please see our leaflet or get in touch with Katie or Cindy on 0131 225 8508. You can also email
The three month public consultation on the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership’s draft Strategic Plan and Joint Strategic Needs Assessment ends on 31 October and the Strategic Planning Group, which is overseeing the consultation, is keen to hear from citizens, communities and stakeholders.
The city council is inviting local community groups, organisations and individuals to participate in and give their views on the integration of health and social care services and has organised a number of events across the city to enable you to find out what’s been proposed and have your say.
The local event takes place at Craighall Centre, 210 Ferry Road on Monday 28 September from 1 – 2.30pm (note change of time).
There is a web link included in the flier so people can access to view the plan:
