Rethink Your Mind: Worcestershire's Lucy clicks into top spot of national contest

CREATIVE LUCY CLICKS INTO TOP SPOT

IN POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH PROJECT

TALENTED teenager Lucy Whitehouse’s unmade bed cleaned up in a national competition to celebrate mental health.

The 19 year-old A Level student’s stunning shot of the morning sun streaming through her bedroom curtains was picked for the cover of acoustic band Refuge’s new single for awareness raising project Rethink Your Mind.

“I still can’t believe it. Things like this just don’t happen to me,” says thrilled Lucy, who is studying Photography, Three Dimensional Design and English Language at Worcester Sixth Form College ahead of a jewellery and silversmithing degree at Birmingham University.

“I’m always on the look out for good photos and thought this one was quite cool, but I never expected to win.”

Her photograph was selected by a star-studded judging panel, including acclaimed artists Gary Hodges Steven McLoughlin and Sally Waterman and photographers Jenny Escritt and Keith Cooper. 

As well as seeing her work enshrined on the CD cover, Lucy gets an iPad and will join five other winners at the May 1 presentation at the House of Lords, hosted by project supporter Professor Lord Patel of Bradford OBE.

Her photograph will also feature on the www.rethinkyourmind.co.uk website and in a hardback book, aimed at providing a valuable mental health help guide that will link up support organisations with the people who need them most. 

Nationwide organisations, mental health groups and NHS Trusts, including the Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, are given a free platform in the project, launched by Midlands-based community interest company SISO (Safe Inside, Safe Outside) and Citizens’ Eye.

Rethink Your Mind is the brainchild of SISO Development Worker and Refuge lead singer Peter Hirst, who hopes the project will get people talking positively about mental health.

His band Refuge and urban fusion artist Rubie Colt’s July 1 releases also feature winning lyrics. 

Lucy, who snapped her triumphant shot with a Nikon D3100 digital SLR camera, is thrilled to be getting her first iPad, and to being part of a project that promotes mental health.

“If someone has a physical illness, people feel sorry for them, but because it’s something they can’t see, and probably don’t understand, they make judgements,” says Lucy, who lives near Worcester.

“Some of the greatest, high achieving people in history have had mental health issues, but still people are made to feel like failures and that they will struggle to succeed. We need to break down that barrier.”

“Rethink Your Mind is all about celebrating creativity, shattering the stigmas and reaching the thousands of people who may feel like they’re suffering alone,” adds Peter, who has Bipolar.

“We have been inspired by the submitted wonderful words and artwork, and delighted that Lucy’s lovely picture will be on our new CD.”

The hardback book, which includes 20 pages of SISO recovery material and a foreword by Professor Lord Patel of Bradford OBE, will be made available to all supporting NHS Trusts.

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. For more information, please email  lynne.powell@crucialpr.com">lynne.powell@crucialpr.com

2. The six winners are:  Andy Gardiner , Tiverton, Devon (Rubie Colt CD cover artwork); David Holloway Bedford (B side Rubie Colt CD Poem and artwork in book);  Saiqa Parveen, Halifax (B side Refuge CD Poem); Stephanie Rose, Bo‘ness, West Lothian, Scotland (A side Refuge CD Lyrics); Lucy Whitehouse, Worcs (Refuge CD cover artwork); Ella Zellaby, Rochester, Kent  (A side Rubie Colt CD Lyrics).

3. There are 40 other poems and artworks selected for the hardback book. A full list can be found on the website www.rethinkyourmind.co.uk

4. The full list of judges is: Artist Gary Hodges: Poet and Performer Jean Binta Breeze; Photographer and Printmaker Jenny Escritt; Steven McLoughlin artist, Keith Cooper Photographer  Poet and Performer Lydia Towsey; Poet and Performer Adam Horovitz; Artist Sally Waterman. 

5. SISO empowers mental health service users to become valued, active members of their communities and works to reduce stigma associated with mental health. SISO promotes self-management, hope and optimism. For more information please log onto www.s-i-s-o.org.uk

6. For more information about Citizens’ Eye, please log onto www.citizenseye.org