Issue Fourteen – Summer 2014

express
Combating Homelessness
Creating Opportunities
Promoting Change
BHT’s Client Involvement Magazine
Photo by Leanne Newton, Client Hub Photographer
BHT's Client
Action Network
Listening to Our
Young People
Creating a range of opportunities so
The Hastings Young People’s Project
you can be involved as much as you
(HYPS) on how they're implementing
New premises with a larger, brighter
want, depending on your interest
meaningful Client Involvement at a
drop-in, lovely furnished counselling
areas and levels of commitment.
project level.
rooms and an art therapy room.
4-5
9 - 11
Spotlight on the
Mental Health and
Wellbeing project
18 - 19
Issue 14, Summer 2014 | www.bht.org.uk
Index
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
Editorial
2
Express and Beyond...
Involvement
4
BHT's Client Action Network
How Can I Get Involved in BHT?
BHT Women’s Involvement Network
BHT Pride 2014
History in the Making
Interview with Cherry
HYPS Social Media and
Empowerment Project
Research Saves Lives
13
Recovery on the Sea Shore
Seven Sisters and Brothers
Route One Client Representatives
Move On
Untitled in the style of Andy Warhol
18
The Mental Health and Wellbeing
Service and Threshold Counselling
Through your eyes
Your responses informed us as to why you pick up
Express magazine. We found out that the majority
of BHT Clients who responded read the magazine
to find out more about BHT services and
what other projects do, read about topical issues
affecting BHT clients and to gain inspiration from
other clients, and to read about their experiences
of recovery and hope.
BHT understands this is important to you.
The BMECP Community Champions
Programme
Spotlight on...
In this Summer edition of Express
magazine, we showcase some
inspiring examples of BHT Client
Involvement and achievements, and
report back on the results from the
latest Express feedback survey.
Congratulations to Tim O’Sullivan, who was
randomly selected from survey respondents to
win a £20 voucher.
Listening to Our Young People
Achievement
Express
20
My China Discovery Tour
3P Life: Less Stress, More Happiness
You may be aware that the economic climate is
extremely tough and competition for funding is
high, with many other local charities seeking the
support of the community, and local providers
chasing pots of money and competing for the
same service contracts.
With this in mind, BHT has a responsibility to
ensure that BHT is using its limited marketing
resources (which fund Express Magazine) to reach
the widest audience possible.
Robert Grant’s ‘The Judas Tree’
First Time in a Long Time…
Me, My Mental Health and I
Contact details
2
www.bht.org.uk
24
If you have any general
comments, please email them
to clienthub@bht.org.uk
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
Editorial
and Beyond…
BHT is proposing that the current Express
magazine is replaced with a BHT Annual Review
published in the winter and an Impact Report
published in the summer, covering different
aspects of BHT’s work and projects. BHT clients
will be invited to help design and produce both
publications with the input of BHT’s Fundraising
and Publicity team.
The publications will showcase BHT’s successes,
share good practice and focus on issues
important to BHT clients and remind funders,
commissioners, businesses and supporters why and
how they support the work of BHT and the services
it provides.
The online Client Hub will
continue to be available 365
days, 24/7 for you to upload
articles you would normally
view in Express magazine.
Visit www.bht.org.uk/client-hub
BHT clients will be invited
to help design and produce
both publications with the
input of BHT’s Fundraising
and Publicity team.
We hope that you will see this as a positive move
and an opportunity to share the work of BHT clients
through more mainstream publications with the
potential to reach a much wider audience.
The Client Hub team is already aware of these
changes and offered their thoughts and
feedback. However, we felt it important to carry
out some further consultation within the wider
BHT client community before making any final
decisions. Further information and a questionnaire
will be sent to all BHT projects in June.
After BHT has received your feedback, we will
make a final decision on the future of Express
magazine.
www.bht.org.uk 3
Involvement
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
BHT’s Client Action
Network
Article by Andrea Horwood, Client Involvement Coordinator
BHT uses a model of Client Involvement called the Client Action Network
(CAN). Every BHT client is part of CAN where there are lots of opportunities to
get involved and have your say within your project and across BHT.
We developed CAN because we recognise all BHT
clients are individuals and so we have created a
range of opportunities for you to be involved as
much as you want, depending on your interest
areas and levels of commitment.
Every BHT project has a Client Involvement Staff
Representative who will keep you updated on
opportunities to get involved with BHT.
I have very much enjoyed
meeting and collaborating
with the Client Hub. We have
now brought the Client Hub
into reality – everyone in BHT
is welcome to contribute.
Client Hub Community Reporter
BHT has helped me gain
the confidence to talk more
openly in public.
This has empowered me to
voice the concerns of other
residents and help shape
BHT policies and procedures
accordingly.
4
www.bht.org.uk
By visiting BHT’s Client Hub at
www.bht.org.uk/client-hub you
can find out how you can get
more involved, keep updated
on what’s happening in BHT
and read about how other BHT
clients are getting involved
and taking on the issues that
matter to them.
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
Involvement
How Can I Get
Involved in BHT?
Become part of the
BHT Client Hub Team
Client Hub Community Reporters are active
around BHT, gathering content and writing the
articles for you to enjoy.
Our Client Hub Photographers take some great
shots to accompany the articles and manage
our image bank and Quality Controllers work
alongside the Client Involvement Coordinator
to ensure the quality, accuracy and suitability of
articles submitted to the Client Hub.
Develop your skills as a
Client Recruiter
Receive training and support to sit on BHT staff
interview panels and play a key role in the
decision making process for hiring new members
of staff within BHT.
Become a Client Trainer or
Client Auditor
These key roles will become available in the
Summer / Autumn 2014. BHT Client Trainers will
If you would like to find
out more about any of the
opportunities outlined
above, please contact
Andrea Horwood,
Client Involvement
Coordinator by calling
01273 645468 or emailing
andrea.horwood@bht.org.uk
receive a comprehensive training and support
package to help develop and deliver staff training
within BHT, working with and alongside highly
skilled and reputable trainers across East Sussex.
Client Auditors can expect to receive full
training and support to challenge and improve
services within BHT, carry out research with your
peers, service audits and review key policies and
procedures within BHT. BHT clients have already
been involved in BHT peer audits this year and
carried out Client Involvement Health Checks on
BHT Services.
These are really interesting roles
which will enhance your CV and you
never know, might lead you to sitting
on the Board of BHT!
Take on a Client Rep role and get involved within
your project where you can have your say on
the running of the project and how services
are delivered. Each project does this slightly
differently so please speak to your Client
Involvement Staff Representative for further
information.
Your Client Reps are there in order to help
enable you to have your voice heard about
anything you think might benefit the service.
When I heard that BHT was
looking for clients to sit on
the interview panel for a new
Floating Support Worker,
I thought yeah, why not,
seeing I’ve been there, done
that, what have I got to lose?
www.bht.org.uk 5
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
BHT Women’s
Involvement Network (WIN)
by Emily Stray, Project Facilitator
WIN is a Hastings-based outreach service which supports women who feel
marginalised, isolated or lacking in confidence due to their current or previous
circumstances.
There is no strict criteria to join, other than that
you will gain something from the learning, social
activities and group work we do together. Usually,
I visit clients out in the community, somewhere
they feel comfortable, usually a coffee shop near to
where they live until they feel OK to come and join
a group, or I can refer them to other services if that
is more suitable.
I have had positive feedback from clients saying
they really enjoy and look forward to the art
sessions which gives them a chance to switch off in
a relaxed environment.
The pictures were produced by women who
attended the session “Something positive for
you” co-facilitated by a client who is a talented
artist.
6
www.bht.org.uk
For more information or
to join WIN, please contact
Emily Stray, Project Facilitator
at BHT Finding Futures on
01424 718984 or by emailing
emily.stray@bht.org.uk
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
Involvement
BHT Pride 2014
by Travis Cox, BHT Pride Organiser
This year’s theme is DISCO, but Pride are also looking to highlight the countries
around the world where it’s illegal for a person to be open about their feelings
and stand up as part of the world LGBTU community.
We have managed to hire a 1970’s style open top
bus, so we will drive to the march in style. Of course
the bus will be covered with banners, signs and all
of us will be dressed to impress, (D.I.S.C.O) style.
The pride group meets at First Base monthly,
eventually moving to weekly sessions towards
the run up to the pride celebrations. Everyone is
welcome. We are going to make banners and signs
highlighting the countries around the world where
its’ still illegal for people to express their feelings
and live as part of the world LGBTU community. The
group will also highlight the countries where the
governments have decided to do a U turn on their
legal responsibilities to their LGBTU community.
We welcome everyone from across BHT, staff and
clients alike, to roll up their rainbow sleeves and get
involved.
We are also looking for as many donations
as possible, fabric pens, markers, paper etc.
Anything that will make the BHT Pride bus
stands out from the crowd.
BHT’s PASH project works with
homeless and insecurely housed men
and women in Brighton to promote
better sexual health and increase
access to sexual health services.
PASH works with clients from First Base Day Centre
and those living in hostels and other venues
around the city.
To get involved please
contact Travis Cox by
emailing PASH@bht.org.uk
If you are homeless or insecurely housed and
would like some information or support from
PASH please call 01273 326844
www.bht.org.uk 7
Involvement
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
History
in the Making
In January, Spoken Memoirs, partners in a charity that promotes educational
and social creative media projects, visited BHT Finding Futures to give an
overview of their ‘Voices of Jubilation’ project.
‘Voices of Jubilation’ is a research project which
explores the reign of Elizabeth II 60 years on from
her coronation celebration in 1953, and examines
the experiences of those who worked on and
participated in the Coronation in June 1953, Silver
Jubilee in 1977, Golden Jubilee in 2002 and the
Diamond Jubilee in 2012. The stories of ordinary
people come alive through documentary research
at museums, libraries and archives across East
Sussex.
Nine BHT Finding Futures learners joined the
session and were excited and enthusiastic about
taking part. Sound Architect arranged for the
group to visit ‘The Keep’, the new state-of-the-art
historical resource at Falmer which was opened
by the Queen in October 2013. This houses the
archive of East Sussex and Brighton & Hove local
history and Special Collections of the University of
Sussex including the Kipling papers, Bloomsbury
collections and internationally renowned Mass
Observation Archive which the group were
introduced to as well as archive material relating to
Elizabeth II’s reign.
8
www.bht.org.uk
It was amazing... it was lovely
to hear other people’s stories
of jubilee parties and share
memories.
Diane Fox, BHT Finding Futures
Ambassador
For more information, please
visit www.soundarchitect.org.uk
and www.thekeep.info/
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
Involvement
Listening to Our
Young People
Joanna, BHT Hastings Young People’s Service (HYPS)
Client Representative and Hastings Youth Council Member talks
to John, HYPS Life Skills Coach
John Hi Jo, thanks for giving me a few minutes of
your time. I am interested to know how you got
involved in Hastings Youth Council.
Jo It was through Dereck, a staff member at Brittany
Road, who asked me if I would be interested. He put
my name forward and I was contacted by Emile, a
youth worker at the council and took it from there.
John So, what sort of issues have you been raising
at the Youth Council?
Jo My first meeting was with a local councillor who
asked us about issues we felt were important to
young people. We talked a lot about depression
in young people and how this is not really dealt
with. I raised issues around sexual health and others
talked about getting more youth clubs and leisure
activities. I think there should be a place where
young people go, hang out and listen to music.
improve my campaigning skills as I am passionate
about increasing young people’s knowledge and
awareness of Sexually Transmitted Infections,
emotional and physical abuse and substance issues
among young people.
John Quite a list of skills which I am sure you can
use in your other work at Brittany Road? What have
you been up to here?
John It sounds like you have been busy. What skills
have you learnt that may help you in the future?
Jo I have been here nearly five months now and
I would really like to improve Brittany Road, how
it looks and improve resident involvement. I am a
Client Rep and not enough of the residents attend
or join in the meetings so we are going to change
the day and time. I am also working to revise
the house rules and was really pleased that we
managed to change the toilets to male and female
bathrooms, although I think the boys are still using
the female bathroom!!
Jo I think I will be a better communicator, already
I feel my own confidence is improving as I learn
how to interact with different people. I also want to
John Well good luck in trying to resolve that issue
Jo and good luck with all your other work and
thanks again for talking to me.
I also raised the issue of Brittany Road as I have
loads of ideas for raising money to help redecorate
the place particularly the communal areas and
peoples rooms. They are really dark and depressing
so some fund-raising may help get people together
to brighten the place up.
www.bht.org.uk 9
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
Interview with
Cherry
by Martine Carruthers, Hasting’s Young People’s Service (HYPS)
Life Skills Coach
Trevisse Smith, known to just about
everyone as Cherry, has been a HYPS
resident since early October last year.
In January 2014 she was asked by her key worker if
she would be interested in becoming a member of
East Sussex Crime Commissioner’s Youth Council,
and curiosity and a desire to do something different
got the better of her.
Cherry applied and after a telephone interview
was invited to a two day training and information
workshop held in the Jubilee Library in Brighton.
Cherry was one of just three young people from
Hastings to be appointed to the panel. She has
already given a presentation to an audience of 300
people, including local dignitaries at an awards
ceremony at Hasting’s White Rock Theatre. Future
plans include giving presentations at schools and
colleges about her role and anti bullying campaign.
I asked Cherry about her role and how it would
help young people:
10 www.bht.org.uk
My special project is about
preventing bullying. I hope
to help develop better
relations and understanding
between children and young
people and the police.
I’ve already grown up a lot
doing this and hanging
out with older people. It’s
changed my attitude to the
police and others, as I’m
more thoughtful and better
at seeing the big picture.
I hope to be a good role
model for children and
young people. It has opened
doors for me. I never thought
I could do anything like this!
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
Involvement
HYPS Social Media and
Empowerment Project
by Dereck, Hastings Young People’s Service Support Worker
'Empowerment' is a new social media partnership project between Hastings
Young People's Service (HYPS), Eastbourne YMCA and Talkativeonline, funded by
a bursary from East Sussex County Council Supporting People.
HYPS is in part a contracted service commissioned
by East Sussex County Council’s Supporting People.
The contract requires us to deliver a tailored
structured plan to enable independent living for
each client.
Gina, a HYPS resident, is one of the driving forces
behind the project. Her peer partner Michael, an
Eastbourne YMCA ex- client, and Talkativeonline,
an online social media company are looking for
exciting and innovative ways to make use of social
media that will add value to the support they
receive in their respective projects.
One aspect of social media that has caught the
attention of Gina is Vine, a way of creating short
looping videos for friends and family. Gina is
exploring how these could be used to support and
provide information to present and future residents.
If like me you are concerned that the world of social
media is all too complicated, fear not, as part of
Gina’s brief is to prepare a presentation so that even
the most entrenched luddite like myself can at last
embrace the technical world of social media.
This has been a great opportunity for Gina to build
her confidence and add to her CV.
Gina's effort and enthusiasm for the project
is proving to be catching within HYPS and we
now have other residents looking for similar
opportunities.
www.bht.org.uk 11
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
Research Saves Lives
by the Sussex Partnership Trust Mental Health Research Network
Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust (SPFT) knows that research leads to better
health services and improves lives. The SPFT prioritises research and is leading
nationally important research into mental health conditions and treatment.
There are many new research studies and the
researchers need people to take part. This
may involve receiving a new type of therapy,
completing a questionnaire or being interviewed
by researchers.
People value the opportunity to get involved in
research and speak very positively about what it
was like. Hear their comments in a film we made
at www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/r-and-d/
involvement
The Research Network was set up to give people
opportunities to take part in studies and keep up to
date with the latest research.
Everyone I met was very
pleasant and helpful. I had a
brilliant experience - it was
really worth it.
Pam, Brighton mental health
service user
12 www.bht.org.uk
If you join the Research Network you will:
•
•
•
be contacted about research studies you can
choose to participate in
receive a research magazine to find out more
about the impact of research and how others
have become involved
learn about local research and events
Join the Research Network today!
Sign-up online at www.sussexpartnership.
nhs.uk/r-and-d/involvement/researchnetwork,
call 01273 265896 or email research@
sussexpartnership.nhs.uk
This summer, SPTs’ Mental
Health Research Network will
be holding information open
days within BHT Projects. Email
andrea.horwood@bht.org.uk or
call Andrea on 01273 645468
for further information.
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
Achievement
Recovery on the
Sea Shore
Painting by David Ward
Shore House, a new recovery project set up to provide support to 20
individuals with mental health issues opened its doors to its first residents on
Monday 3 February.
The emphasis is firmly on Client Involvement and
with this in mind an extensive programme of life
skills groups and activities is planned. Craft, cooking,
gardening and IT skills groups are underway and
a meeting has just taken place to discuss clients'
interests and further suggestions.
This was well attended and some brilliant and
creative ideas were put forward: social support
groups, weaving, guitar classes, art, poetry,
relaxation and a walking group to name but a few.
Shore House gives me the
opportunities to go in the
right direction.
I’ve got a lovely room with
two big picture windows and
a brand new bed. Every week
that goes past I am getting
more confident in myself.
It is hoped that through this programme, which
will also include life skills classes such as money
management, assertiveness, sleep, hygiene, living
independently and alcohol and substance support
and advice, clients will be able to learn new skills,
gain confidence and move forward with their
recovery.
I love it here. I’ve done the
gardening group and I’ve
found out I’ve got green
fingers!
It’s nice and quiet to do my
art work and I get on with
the residents okay, I get to
play scrabble and do other
groups.
www.bht.org.uk 13
Achievement
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
Seven Sisters
and Brothers
by Mark Keating BHT Recovery Project client
Walking along the Seven Sisters was an experience I shall never forget.
It is something I never dreamed possible last
summer, but thanks to the Detox Support Project,
the Recovery Project and BHT I walked with ten
other people in recovery on a wonderful sunlit day,
laughing and joking as we went.
It was a chance for us all to bond as friends,
supporting one another as we made our way
together through woods, across fields and along
the cliffs. I couldn’t walk at all last year, and I know
others also had serious consequences from their
alcohol and drug use, but we were all clean and
healthy this day, and I believe it gave us all a sense
that life is worth living after all.
Thank you BHT!
14 www.bht.org.uk
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
Achievement
Route One Client
Representatives
Move On
by Gerry Clarke and David Foley, Route One Client Involvement
Staff Representatives
On Friday 25 April at Route One we had an ending meeting with our Client
Involvement Representative Steven, who is moving onto pastures new.
Steven has been an active participant in his role as
Client Involvement Representative and along with
Client Involvement Representatives Sonja and Sybil
established a dynamic Client Involvement service
for all Route One clients and for BHT.
Steven is now working as a Peer Support Worker
for BHT’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Service
and moving to a new flat as is Sonja, who has also
moved on.
Steven’s case sums up very neatly the essential
role that a Client Involvement Representative
can make in creating positive changes and
opportunities in their life and we wish him well
for the future.
If you would like to find
out more about becoming
a Client Representative
within your BHT project,
please contact your
Client Involvement Staff
Representative or Andrea
Horwood, Client Involvement
Coordinator, by calling
01273 645468 or emailing
andrea.horwood@bht.org.uk
My role as Client
Involvement Representative
for Route One has helped me
to become a more confident
person in group situations
and as an individual.
Steven, Route One Client
Representative
www.bht.org.uk 15
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
The BMECP Community
Champions Programme
by Alieu Marr, Community Champion
As a Community Champion I have the great pleasure to introduce the
Community Champions as a group.
The main aim of the BMECP Community
Champions programme is to build the capacity of
local black and minority ethnic (BME) communities
to engage with decision making processes and
other local developments that affect their lives.
Acting as a link
The Community Champions will act as a link
between their communities, key BME organisations
and local services. This programme will empower
communities to articulate their problems and come
up with their own solutions working through their
community champions.
16 www.bht.org.uk
Skills
Amongst other things, we have learnt Presentation,
Assertiveness and Research skills.
Thanks
On behalf of the group, may I take the opportunity
to say thank you to the BMECP, especially Doris
Ndeble, Chief Officer and also a special thanks
to Yaa Asare who has supported us through
this wonderful three months of skills training to
become Community Champions.
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
Achievement
Untitled in the style of
Andy Warhol
by AA, charcoal on paper
AA is 15, a College Central student
and attends the PFL (Personalised
Foundation Learning) Core+ provision.
at Finding Futures.
Students are given support with functional skills
and achieving Level One English, Maths and ICT
qualifications prior to going onto college, work or
an apprenticeship.
Finding Futures offers a
personal, self-development
and motivational programme
for all ages, where people
can improve their life skills
alongside the opportunity to
gain meaningful qualifications
in English, Maths, ICT,
Employability Skills and a
wide range of vocational
qualifications.
For more information, please
call 01424 718984 or email
finding.futures@bht.org.uk
Andy Warhol inspired me to
do this piece of art work, we
were learning about Pop Art.
When I am older I want to be
an artist.
AA, Finding Futures PFL student
www.bht.org.uk 17
Spotlight on...
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
The Mental Health and
Wellbeing Service and
Threshold Counselling
By Claire Baldock
We have recently moved to new premises with a larger, brighter Drop-in, lovely
furnished counselling rooms and an art therapy room.
Threshold offers one to one counselling with fully
qualified counsellors in a safe and confidential
space where you can explore thoughts and
feelings, identify difficulties and move towards a
solution for the challenges you face.
We also offer wellbeing workshops, lifeskills
groups and drop-in activities. Threshold’s women
only service operates on Monday and Tuesday.
The rest of the week the service is open to both
women and men.
Future Art Workshops will take place on Tuesday
3 and 17 June from 1pm-3pm. Because the
workshops take place on a Tuesday they are open
to women only.
Introducing our new Client Rep
Lisa has been using the service for the past two
years. She has included the use of art in her therapy
and has taken part in a successful art installation at
the Jubilee Library.
Upcoming groups
Improve Your Mood is a wellbeing group for men
and women, with the next session running for four
weeks on Thursday June 5,12, 19 and 27 from 2pm3.30pm. It will also run in July.
The group aims to support you to understand the
cause of low mood, improve awareness of how it
affects you and recognise the positives in your life.
The course will also assist you to develop strategies
to help you to move forward.
Art therapy workshops
The emphasis on the workshops is to explore
creativity in a safe environment. All artistic
abilities are welcome and the process of creating is
seen as more important than what is created. At our
first workshop we used images to create collages of
the things we wanted to call into our lives.
18 www.bht.org.uk
Angel Art by Lisa
The painting shown above is a spiritual painting
which Lisa created for World Mental Health
Day. Lisa has also attended counselling sessions
at our service.
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
New Peer Support Volunteers
We have recently set up a Peer Support
Volunteer Programme for people with an
understanding of mental health to facilitate
groups or workshops with clients supported
by the Peer Support Intern and Mentor. The
programme offers employability skills and helps
build confidence. We are currently training five
Peer Support Volunteers and will be running the
application process again in August.
If you are interested in
becoming a Peer Support
Volunteer please contact us
on 01273 929471 or email
wellbeing@bht.org.uk
Access to the Threshold
Counselling service is via
self referral. To download the
application form please visit
www.bht.org.uk and look
under services / mental health
& wellbeing. You can also call
us on 01273 929471 or ask
your keyworker to assist you
with your referral.
Spotlight on...
On the outside I was a
successful and competent
manager, wife, mother
and daughter. Inside I felt
anxious, overwhelmed,
not good enough, and
frightened that when the
next of life’s challenges came
along, I wouldn’t be able to
deal with it.
I can’t recall everything
I talked about in those
sessions but I know I didn’t
stop talking, not even
to cry. I left with a clarity
and understanding of my
thoughts that I had been
struggling to find for nearly
four years. I found the
courage to make changes in
my work and family life.
Accessing the service has
led me to take on the role
as the Client Rep which
is something I am really
looking forward to.
Lisa, Client Representative
www.bht.org.uk 19
Achievement
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
My China
Discovery Tour
by Gordon Scott, Client Hub Community Reporter
When my sister Sylvia suggested I might go to China with her, I was uncertain.
However, with the support of the psychiatrist Dr Bongale, it helped me decide.
Mercury Direct are a good value travel company
and this tour was no exception. The ‘China
Discovery Tour’ is recommended for first time
visitors to the Orient, but not for those, perhaps
who have never flown long-distance-the flight is
about 14 hours. The holiday jaunt took in Shanghai,
Xian and Beijing.
A guide was included. Max, a friendly and efficient
guardian of our safety and mine of information. The
food was well prepared and simple fare. Strangely,
soup was eaten last and resembled leftover
vegetable water with chards of lettuce in it.
The brief time we were there, it was Chinese New
Year – the year of the horse. The Little Drummer Boy
and Kyrie Eleison provided the musical backdrop on
my journey.
Shanghai particularly impressed. 25 million people
enjoyed buildings covered in neon lights, with
boats on the river covered in them too. A golden
galleon floated by and a smog-laden view from a
tower and museum visit completed the stay.
Then onto the flight to Xian and seeing the
terracotta army museum of statues, several
20 www.bht.org.uk
hundred of them unearthed in 1973 by a farmer
tending his well.
The Great Wall was the best part of the trip. A once
in a lifetime thing-one felt a sense of achievement
Then Tianamen Square.
This visit completed the holiday and I enjoyed
the experience of being in such a famous place.
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
Through your eyes
3P Life: Less Stress,
More Happiness
by Robert Frith
In a nutshell, this philosophy, taught in the United States as well as in England,
is a fantastic programme of self development that both challenges and
changes the way we all think about everything in life.
Such a change in the way of thinking actively
encourages all of us to rethink the way in which we
perceive everything, in particular the way that we
see and deal with life's problems. It is about turning
all negative thinking into positive thinking, thereby
empowering us to face up to life's problems much
more easily and to be able to deal with things in a
calm and constructive matter of fact way.
I believe that a universal shift in our thinking
patterns would and could have a dramatic effect on
life as we know it, certainly better decisions would
be made by the governments of the world that
would surely be for the benefit of everyone.
In the meantime we all should know that we have
the power within ourselves to change our thought
patterns and that we can make things better for
ourselves.
In so doing we can all start to feel so very much
better about our own individual lives, take
greater levels of responsibility for our actions,
behave more compassionately towards our
fellow human beings, and as a result enjoy a
much improved state of mental well being.
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Through your eyes
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
Robert Grant’s
‘The Judas Tree’
Reviewed by Chris Ellis, Client Hub Community Reporter
Having met and talked with Robert, when he first said he had written this book
I was really looking forward to reading it.
Then he asked me to write a review... What if I
didn’t like it or it was badly written? A host of other
qualms hit me. But I did agree, and I’m glad I did.
What started out as a bit of a frightening chore
ended up being a pleasure; each poem is a
standalone piece, and they bought to mind images
of my own past. Those things in my life that I had
not thought about in years.
It did what good poetry should; it entertained on
one level, and on so many others evoked thoughts
and feelings. Not always comfortable ones, but
when a good writer reveals himself through his
words it allows us the reader to find something
within our own lives.
As a whole, right from the start I had the impression
that Robert is influenced by the great war poets,
and the poem ‘A Wild Rose’ bears this out.
The language though is modern, and at times not
for the faint of heart, but it is well worth reading. I
later did a little re-reading just to pick up on those
things that you miss the first time around.
Reading it for the first time was a pleasure, and the
pleasure I’m sure will not diminish in the future,
when just like a good piece of favourite music I go
back to revisit it time and again.
The book now stands in my book collection,
and will be one of those books I dip into every
now and again.
Robert’s book is available from Amazon at
www.amazon.co.uk
22 www.bht.org.uk
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
Through your eyes
Me, My Mental
Health and I
I was just an ordinary middle aged
female running a pub restaurant
business until I lost it all.
No one can imagine what it feels like to lose a
business, a home and a family in a matter of days
when you think your life is sorted.
First Time in a
Long Time…
Cooking by Owen Thomas,
Detox Support project
I found myself homeless and in a bad place where
my mental health was concerned. I wanted to
harm myself and was extremely depressed. I
often had suicidal thoughts and relied on my true
friends to keep me functioning on my worse days.
It would have been easy to turn to alcohol or
drugs to get me through the worst moments but I
didn't and I realised that there was still hope.
I learnt how to recover from my depression by
using my hobbies to craft new things. My passion
for photography led me to spend many hours of
my time taking pictures of anything that caught
my eye and rarely do I go anywhere without
my camera. It has been a slow road through,
recovering my strength along the way. I have
learnt that I am stronger than I think and also to
accept that I am vulnerable but that it is ok.
Artwork by Denny Hutchison
www.bht.org.uk 23
express | Issue 14 | Summer 2014
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