On Monday 19th June, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT) were delighted to announce the release of their very own music single in collaboration with mental health arts company, rethinkyourmind. The single is based on a winning poem selected out of over 300 entries to the LPT Yellow Book competition which called for people across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to submit art, photography and poetry inspired by the theme: ‘I feel better when I am..’
Titled “Out of the Blue”, the music single is performed by Leicester band Refuge, led by rethinkyourmind creator, Peter Hirst. It is hoped that the single will inspire people to talk about mental health and promote positive wellbeing.
The music single’s lyrics were adapted from winning poem, ‘Out of the Blue’ by Steve Walton. The music video for the song was created by Leicester-based body concept artist, Emma Fay. The music single can be viewed on LPT’s youtube channel here: https://youtu.be/-_bhLFUj-TE and downloaded from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B071L71T4Q.
The LPT Yellow Book will be launched at a special awards ceremony for 30 winners featured in the book with a special exhibition at The New Walk Gallery and Museum on 5 July from 5pm to 7pm. Media are welcome to attend the event and interview winners including the winner of the new music single.
On having his poem chosen to be the lyrics for the song, Steve Walton, from Scraptoft said: “It feels pretty special. I really believe that the Yellow Book – this book of sunshine – has a role to play in the recovery journey. It’s a wonderfully useful piece of kit in the toolbox to recovery. I am really proud that LPT, my local mental health care Trust, are playing such a pioneering role with this Yellow Book and really hope it inspires other health care Trusts to follow in their footsteps.”
In turn, on having her photograph used for the music single front cover, Joy Gravestock, from Packington, said: “I’m over the moon. The photograph is of my garden, a place of huge solace and restoration for me, and vital to my mental wellbeing, as I have a history of depression and anorexia. I hope that the wonder I experience in the beauty of photograph is translated to those who will use the books and hear the CD.”
Likewise, Siyuan Ren, from
Glenfield, who’s painting has been selected for the back cover, said: “I’m thrilled! My day job requires me to travel all over the world, and I am only calm when I paint. It’s my way to meditate. I support rethinkyourmind because I truly believe that art and poetry can help with mental health.”
There will be 10,000 copies of the LPT Yellow Book, featuring wellbeing support signposting alongside the compilation from the 30 winners, distributed free of charge across local NHS and mental health support groups, as well as local authorities, museums, cafes, and other public places.
Dr Peter Miller, chief executive of LPT, who was one of the judges, said: “Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust has long been a supporter of The Yellow Book. We have made this resource available through our services and the reaction has been really positive. It has been great to work with rethinkyourmind to develop our own version, ‘The LPT Yellow Book 2017’, as an important way of raising the profile of positive mental health to local people.
“I hope that this book will inspire hundreds of people to express themselves, to talk openly about mental health, and to support the wellbeing of others. I am sure that the legacy of the LPT Yellow Book will continue for years to come. The standard of entries was fantastic and I congratulate all those who have been selected as winners.”
Regarding the upcoming LPT Yellow Book 2017, Pete Hirst, rethinkyourmind project manager and creator said: “we are delighted to create the first personalised NHS Yellow Book with LPT. It has been great to work with the Trust that supported me with my mental health. I spent 11 months in hospital at the Bradgate unit over 3 years in my early 20s. Many of the practices that feature in this book have helped maintain my wellbeing. Coupled with the medical support I got from the Trust, the magic began to happen for me!”
Details of all winners and their winning entries can be found here: https://rethinkyourmind.co.uk/the-lpt-yellow-book-2017/
Leicestershire’s winners joined 50 other winners for the national Yellow Book at a special reception hosted by Professor Lord Patel of Bradford at the House of Lords on 7 June. Guest speakers included TV star Ruby Wax, a well-known mental health campaigner, who spoke about her support for the innovative mental health project.