The background for this blog has been changed.

Yesterday I changed some of the layout for this blog, including the background image.

I hope it looks okay. Feel free to let us know otherwise.

Edit: The latest poem 'Song of a Psychiatric Survivor' has also been added to the Creative Bank.

Song of a Psychiatric Survivor (poem)

Recently I was sectioned for the fifth time in the past five years. I wrote the following poem during that period. ~ Nicola Edwards.


Song of a Psychiatric Survivor

They want to have control.
They want to always maintain the power. 

From the moment I was born,
Right up until my final hour. 

I've been beaten, I've raped;
At times I feel as though I'm lucky to be alive. 

But in the words of Gloria Gaynor
I know 'I will survive.'

The above poem will be added to the Creative Bank.

The FYM campaign took part in it's first public event in April this year...

Last month the Free Your Mind mental health campaign, aimed at helping to battle stigma towards mental illness by being creative, took part in it's first public event, which was an art exhibition called 'Broken Paths' at Croydon's Fairfield Halls.

Broken Paths organised by Imagine mental health charity's Croydon branch, and was also aimed at helping prevent stigma, prejudice and discrimination towards mental illnesses

The exhibition was held in the 'Sun Lounge' gallery at Fairfield Halls in Croydon and consisted of art, poetry, creative writing, and photography, all of which were works from some of the artists within South London's mental health community. Free Your Mind had six poems, displayed as graphic art, featured within the exhibit - all six of the featured poems were written by FYM's Nicola Edwards and can be found in the 'Creative Bank'.

The feedback received from the 'Broken Paths' art exhibition has been, and I know will be, very beneficial to the future plans and development of the Free Your Mind campaign. Over the next coming months our most immediate plans are to see the FYM team grow and develop.

We also hope that Broken Paths is the first of many public events which will include the involvement of the Free Your Mind mental health anti-stigma campaign.

Previous Blog Post: Upcoming 'Broken Paths' art exhibition at Croydon's Fairfield Halls.