A Cricklewood charity has launched a new initiative to support people with mental health issues.
Brent Thrive is the latest project from charity Ashford Place in Ashford Road.
It will see a community of people in Brent with lived experience of mental health difficulties and who are looking to get involved with community action to work together towards change.
Participants meet regularly on Zoom, and on September 18, MP Dawn Butler joined their discussion around mental health difficulties and services in Brent.
The Brent Thrive community is made up of people from several groups, including Mencap Disability Rights and Politics, Ashford Place Wellbeing, Brent Black Thrive, Mentoring Project and B3-together.
One member, who did not wish to be named, said: “We bring a wealth of knowledge with regards to what does and doesn’t work well in our community.
“We are an untapped resource and we want to share ideas and pool resources in a creative way with mental health organisations.”
Ms Butler invited the group to draw up a manifesto detailing the recurring problems, which she will take to lead council members.
The Brent Central MP said: “It was my pleasure to recently meet with Brent Thrive and to hear first-hand from this community about their experiences of mental health services in Brent.
“The work that they do in organising at a grassroots level to effect change in and improve local mental health services is absolutely vital.
“This work is needed now more than ever with the dreadful impact that Covid-19 has had upon the mental health of so many.”
It would be her pleasure, she said, “to take forward their concerns and to work with them to improve local mental health services”.
Danny Maher, chief executive of Ashford Place, thanked the MP for “supporting this very important initiative”.
He added: “The meeting was a soulful and warm meeting where people felt comfortable enough to be vulnerable in sharing their experiences with Dawn Butler. There was a passionate conversation around living with mental health difficulties and access to services in Brent
“People with lived experience and those providing mental health services can together achieve a world-class mental health service in Brent.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here