A flashmob, a marketplace and high-profile speakers: THINKphysical kicks off in style

The THINKphysical: Manchester Mental Health Festival launch event was an exciting and informative day which took place in the wonderful surroundings of Manchester Town Hall on 15 June 2015. [caption id="attachment_13571" align="aligncenter" width="500"] The launch event in full swing.[/caption] The event was attended by a fantastic mix of academics, healthcare professionals, charity organisations, service users, carers and the general public who were able to learn about the physical health issues facing people with severe and enduring mental illness. High-profile keynote speakers (Prof Ruth Boaden, Dr Tim Bradshaw, Prof Simon Gilbody, Prof Karina Lovell, Rachel Kelly, Dr David Shiers, Prof Jo Smith and Prof Alison Yung) were on hand to share their passion about mental health, as well as their knowledge and experience. The day also featured the premier of a series of short films produced by Recovery Castle and Mental Health Warrior (the latter on behalf of Man Up Let’s Talk Mental Health), two of Manchester's most innovative organisations in raising awareness of mental health issues. Attendees were also able to learn from the marketplace of information stalls and from the posters on display around the venue, the latter featuring work produced by university graduates and postgraduates and other academic organisations with a mental health theme of work. The highlight of the event came with the premier of a video featuring footage of a flash mob dance filmed around Greater Manchester. THINKphysical: Manchester Mental Health Festival is a week-long series of events that aim to increase awareness of the importance of good physical health for people with severe mental illness. A number of events still have tickets remaining; please visit Eventbrite for more information.

Date Published: 16/06/2015