Our staff, patients and local school children work together to create inspiring display to mark World Mental Health Day

As a provider of community and inpatient mental health services in Hull and East Yorkshire, we decided to team up with our Trust charity, Health Stars, to invite our staff, patients and local school children to design bunting, creating a unique piece of artwork for public display and to mark World Mental Health Day.  

This engagement provided a non-stigmatising activity for participants to discuss their thoughts on mental health, resilience, and their own general wellbeing, aimed to encourage this taking part to talk about what good mental health looks like.  

World Mental Health Day was created by the World Federation of Mental Health and is marked on October 10 every year. It’s a day to unite in our efforts to improve the mental health of people around the world through health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma.  

The health benefits of participatory arts are widely recognised, with a growing evidence base. Research shows that engagement with arts and crafts may reduce anxiety and stress reactions and can be used directly to improve clinical outcomes.  

Local schools including Beverley High School, Sirius Academy and Frederick Holmes took part in the activity, creating designs inspired by what mental health means to them, how it impacts their life, self-care ideas or an expression of how they are feeling right now.   

Health Stars funded the craft packs and worked in partnership with ScrapStore Hull, a registered charity and shop providing creative art and craft resources for children and young people, to make the event possible. Packs were delivered to 14 inpatient mental health and learning disability units on World Mental Health Day to provide the resources for people to take part in the activity.  

Bunting designs provided an inspiring decorative feature at our Annual Members Meeting on Wednesday 18 October. A public and staff winner was chosen and received vouchers as their prize. 

Thank you to everyone who got involved and made this creative event such a brilliant success.