Movin’ On Up”, the service-user led campaign which aims to take mental health services in Wales to the next level, will visit the Royal Welsh Show next week.
The campaign, which is being supported by mental health charities Hafal, Bipolar UK and the Mental Health Foundation, has attracted a huge amount of interest since it was launched in May and is expected to attract a lot of attention when it rolls in to the UK’s biggest agricultural event on Wednesday July 25th.
The event will feature a cinema bus, a ‘mobile mountain’ and an eye-catching, classic VW campaign camper. The camper – a 1964, 21-window VW Samba sourced from Colorado which has been fully reconditioned with authentic parts – has been a popular attraction during this year’s campaign and was a big hit at last year’s Royal Welsh, too.
Highlights from the campaign so far include: a symbolic climb by over 100 mental health service users, carers and mental health professionals of Pen y Fan, the highest point in southern Britain; a groundbreaking “Movin’ On Up” Seminar which saw service users and carers develop their continuing “dialogue of equals” with senior policy makers and providers of mental health services; and a series of fun and informative weekly county events across Wales. The campaign will culminate in a climb of Wales’ highest peak, Snowdon, in September.
Commenting on the campaign Hafal Chief Executive Bill Walden-Jones said: “’Movin’ On Up’ has had a fantastic response from mental health service users, carers, professionals and the wider public. The campaign has really captured people’s imagination.
“2012 is a momentous year for service users because of the introduction of new, holistic Care and Treatment Plans for users of secondary mental health services. The campaign has reflected the dynamic changes taking place in Wales and generated a lot of ideas on how mental health service users can maximise the excellent legislation we have in Wales. Service users, staff and carers are really looking forward to taking the debate forward at this year’s Royal Welsh Show; it promises to be lively, informative and great fun.”