Huge thank you to Cathryn from Spark for going above and beyond! And to Paula Wheeler and Katy Cleece for making this happen.

#recovery
#creativity
#healing
#comedy
#selfdevelopment
#addictsinrecovery
#performing
#improvisation

Some feedback from one manager at Spark:

"What a brilliant day! The confidence of the service users truly shone through, and I couldn’t be prouder of the work you’ve done with them. Your dedication and impact are evident, and it’s inspiring to see the difference you’re making."

Big thank you to NIHR Research Delivery Network and NHS England and especially Nichola Verstraelen and the team.

Special mention to Katy Cleece for having had a professional perve on me online after seeing me at an event that has led to these wonderful collaborations.

I'm honoured to have been part of this project and to have been asked to host and facilitate the event.

I got to speak briefly about the Comedy based work that I deliver with community groups and gave a little flavour.

At the event was a real mix of people from the NHS, academics, researchers, commissioners+ people from voluntary community faith and social enterprise groups (VCFSEs). Having such diversity of people come together and have space to listen and learn from each other's experience was very powerful.

This event celebrated the achievements of the North West REN projects and sharing what they had learned in their research. The day really highlighted the power in coproduction and having the voice heard of people from these amazing community groups.

I'm looking forward to 2 more days working with groups of students doing Comedy Workshops how movement can be good for our mental health.

#mentalhealth
#motivationalspeaker
#schooltalk
#youngpeople
#comedy
#choice
#youthempowerment

I delivered a fun interactive set of talks exploring what choices we do and don't have in life. I also shared my story about my own mental health journey and how addiction has played out for me. The students represented the school beautifully, and all the staff were so welcoming.