6th August 2009

Politics Coffee Morning at MindWise, Portadown

MindWise one of the provinces leading mental health charities hosted a coffee morning on 6th August 2009 at their Resource Centre on Carleton Street in Portadown.

The event was part of the charity’s Politics programme, a three year project funded by the Electoral Commission which aims to raise awareness and create understanding of political processes whilst encouraging those that have had experience of severe mental illness to engage in local politics.

At the event, Mayor of Craigavon, Councillor Meta Crozier, Jerome Mullen, Honorary Polish Consul for Northern Ireland, Councillor George Savage MLA and Stephen Smith, Chair of Craigavon Intercultural Programme took time to talk about their own experiences of how they came to become involved in their own local government or civic positions and to give an overview of what their role entails.

Following on from these short-presentations, other guests at the coffee morning who included mental health professionals and individuals who access mental health services were able to engage with the civic representatives to gain further insight into local government and political processes and to highlight their experience of living with a severe mental illness.

Speaking at the event, Mr Joice Mathew, Team Leader at the Portadown Reseouce Centre,  said “I am delighted with how this event has gone, I know that all those who came along to today have found the event very interesting and informative and it has been very empowering for those that access Rethink services to have the opportunity to voice some of the difficulties they encounter on a daily basis to individuals who have local political influence. My thanks go to all of the local political representatives for taking the time not only to attend this event and inform us all about their roles, but also by attending for showing their support for the significant social issue of mental illness which will affect 1 in 4 of the population at some point in their lives”.

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