Challenge your thinking about mental health, soak up new experiences and connect with others at this year’s fun-filled My Life Fest 2019.
Organised by the award-winning Oxfordshire Mental Health Partnership (OMHP), this free family-friendly festival is taking place at Didcot Civic Hall on Friday, July 26, between 11am and 3pm.
The event, now in its third year, will feature activities for all tastes and has been specially curated by people who have personal experience mental health conditions as well as staff working within OMHP.
It’s your opportunity to try out some yoga, shake your stuff in some dance sessions, marvel at some of our service user’s incredible artwork, and listen to live music performances from people across our partnership including Abingdon Mind Music Band and Angels of Hope.
If you want more there’ll also be performances with a singalong from the Wallingford Tuneless Choir and drama staged by service users of the Oxfordshire Mind city wellbeing hub.
Visitors can get their fill of lots of delicious food thanks to Oxford ethical catering firm Goujon Monkey and from keen bakers across OMHP; there’ll be free hot and cold drinks but you’ll have to pay to cool down with ice creams provided by John’s Whippy. For children there will be face painting and a bouncy castle.
But the day also has a more serious side – shining a spotlight on what it’s like to have a mental health problem. One in four people will experience a mental health issue at some time in their life. This can range from anxiety, depression and low mood to more complex problems.
So if you haven’t encountered some form of mental health issue yourself, you will know someone who has.
My Life Fest 2019 will feature stands from OMHP and Time To Change and stands to serve as a celebration of co-producing events with services users as well as acknowledging strengths that shine through when you experience adversity.
Grace Holland, involvement coordinator, said; “Coordinating My Life Fest 2019 with people with lived experience has been an incredible experience. The enthusiasm, tenacity, creative ideas and solutions that have come from this power-sharing process have meant we’ve developed an exciting community focussed event!
“Please come along with your family and friend. It’s going to be such a fun day to try new things, connect with others, and challenge your thinking around mental health!”
Getting there
My Life Fest 2019 will be at Didcot Civil Hall, Britwell Road, Didcot OX11 7JN. Get directions here https://bit.ly/2SjCQpb
Who is OMHP?
Oxfordshire Mental Health Partnership improves the lives of more than 6,000 local people living with mental health challenges a year and recently won the 2019 NHS Parliamentary Award for Excellence in Mental Health Care.
The partnership supports recovery, hope and ambition and believes and effective recovery is holistic focusing on emotional and physical care, wellbeing, education, skills, employment, financial stability and housing.
It comprises Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Restore, Oxfordshire Mind, Response, Connection Support and Elmore Community Service.
Find out more at www.omhp.org.uk
Published: 18 July 2019