West London Mental Health Trust is hoping to produce a collection of personal recovery narratives to either put together in a publication/booklet and on the trust internal intranet and the external website. (It will be possible for contributors to choose which, or both). The thinking behind this, is that there is no more powerful way of influencing and inspiring others. Those they would hope would benefit from this would be a range of people including, most importantly, other service users on their journey and also for families, friends and workers.

They hope it might enable people to know better how to support the journeys of others and themselves, led by personal expertise. Very importantly, we anticipate a positive benefit to the authors, either from the act of producing the work or the potential involvement to influence and change. It has proved more complex to draw these together than anticipated and it is important that the opportunity to contribute is offered as widely as possible. To that end, I would invite you submit your story in any publishable format. This could be a written narrative but might be a piece of artwork, photographs or even a film. I am probably restricted in my thinking by my own artistic limitations but I am sure you are not!! The aim is to demonstrate that recovery happens, albeit for many with difficulties and setbacks along the way at times. Also, that it brings new possibilities and inspiration. It is not the aim to hide the fact that for many it is a difficult path and for others it has been more straightforward.

Clearly there will need to be an editorial process both for handling volume and for matters of confidentiality and appropriateness for publication.

There will also be a form to sign to give agreements for work to be included and this is being developed at the moment.

If you have something you’d like published, please contact Sally Gomme by 1^st December 2014 either by email to: [email protected] or by post to: Sally Gomme, West London Mental Health NHS Trust, 1, Armstrong Way, UB2 4SA. Or to make a different arrangement please call her on 07966 566 699