All of Us: a mental health promotion strategy for Leeds
THE LAUNCH.....!

All of Us: a mental health promotion strategy for Leeds was launched on 26th September 2002 to coincide with World Mental Health Day. The aim of the launch was to celebrate innovative work already underway in the field of mental health promotion and to learn about the new plan of action for the next three years.

Lesley Smith, Chief Executive for Leeds North West Primary Care Trust (PCT), chaired the event and spoke of the PCT’s commitment to building on existing city-wide work around mental health promotion. Dr Cameron, Director of Public Health for the Leeds North West Primary Care Trust and lead for Standard One of the Mental Health National Service Framework, shared the history of mental health promotion in Leeds and spoke of the significance of All of Us, the first mental health promotion strategy for Leeds. Kathryn Ingold, Senior Health Promotion Specialist for mental health, gave an overview of plans to develop a Mental Health Promotion Advisor network in Leeds to support the delivery of the strategy. Melissa Stead, Health Promotion Specialist for mental health gave an overview of World Mental Health Day, its origins, the national campaign, and work being delivered in Leeds during October to celebrate World Mental Health Day.

Emma Manners, co-ordinator of Youth Point and two young people, Daniela Sinclair and Izzi Sadeeq, gave a presentation. Daniela and Izzi spoke about their involvement with Youth Point, and thoughts about young people and mental well-being. Izzi spoke of how she now realises that mental health does not mean someone having a diagnosis of Schizophrenia or Depression, it’s about how we think and how we feel. Daniela spoke about why she wanted to work with other young people and that young people are our future. She also read a poem written by another young person about being supported by Youth Point. Fred Wright, Consultant Psychologist from Leeds Mental Health Trust, gave an entertaining presentation on the national Mind Odyssey project which links mental health, the arts, and the Leeds response. Fred showed the video Mind Odyssey, which documents the some of the work happening in Leeds. Malka Denton, Manager of HMP Leeds Visitors Centre gave a presentation about the new Armley Communities Healthy Living Centre.

The event was rounded off with the formal launch presentation, co-ordinated by Ruth Steinberg, manager of Information for Mental Health. Tracey Myers, Jean White, Lloyd Angus, Nick Wood, Ant Hanlon, Mike Bush and Maria Trainer held up letters spelling out All of Us, and told delegates what mental health promotion means to them. These people are pictured from left to right in the photo. Comments from left to right were:

• Being able to smile or not smile when you want.
• Being able to get to an event such as this.
• To stand here as a black man.
• To promote, grow and move on.
• Not having to accept 800 years of being told you are inferior to white British people.
• Spirituality and love.
• To be accepted as someone who has experienced mental health
  problems, especially by your family.

Finally, Maria opened a present, which contained a copy of the All of Us document, and the audience were all given copies.

Copies of the strategy are available in full and in summary version from Melissa Stead and Ruth Steinberg. Support has been given from partners to translate the summary document upon request into Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Mandarin, Cantonese, Braille and large print.

Melissa Stead, tel: 0113 305 7158, email: melissastead@leedsnorthwest-pct.nhs.uk
Ruth Steinberg, tel: 0113 275 2417, email: info@imhleedsmind.org.uk