Hello to you all, and Welcome to August’s newsletter – We’re still experiencing very hot weather, so please remember to keep yourselves cool and drink lots of water.

Coordinator News:

Capital were at Broadwater Firestation Carnival on Sat 20th July and had a lovely time in the sunshine, meeting people and spreading the word about Capital.

Milo doing a great job as Capital Mascot.

“A big thank you to all the Peers for their hard work up at Meadowfield Hospital. Working well as a team and doing a brilliant job for Capital.

Would also like to say how very proud of Tabitha we are, for how she has worked hard with the drop in at Sudley Road. So nice to see so many members there. Thank you all."

-Heidi

Hi all, This month at East Grinstead we enjoyed our lovely new room and Welcome Café at the Trinity Church on Lingfield Road. We are spoilt for fun in that room as we have a pool table, table football, music centre, table for arts and crafts, as well as the all-important area for talking and coming together -which has sofas and a generous coffee table. Outside is an on-going Welcome Café for anyone struggling or feeling alone -so it really is a great setting for us to link in as well as meet new people who may like to join, as appropriate.

This month Janice our Membership Engagement Manager came to join us and we had a warm and inspiring time in both the café and the hub room sharing life experience, ideas, mental health tips, volunteering routes and expansions within CAPITAL etc.

At Crawley we met at Starbucks to have a fun change-of-scene and although we decided to go into the meeting room which did become too cramped as so many lovely faces joined -and we have learned for next time to stay at the café seats! - we did have a heart-warming time, welcoming new faces, sharing conversations, David’s quiz and magazine as well as a full shoulder massage perfomed by Tracey on lucky Liz whilst we all copied it on ourselves as best we could then Tracey took us through a self-shoulder, neck, arm and hand massage with breathing which was much appreciated.

We also had Surinder from Menshare talk to us about his support group in Crawley and E Grinstead -an important network for men to share with others in a safe space.

We are now hoping to try a new layout at both hubs with activity tables members are welcome to setup and circulate around as wish -with arts, crafts, relaxation, games, magazine etc as-well as our on-going talking area for 1:1’s, groups, coffee and coming together at the end as a group, have speakers at etc.

We thought we would try this as the groups are getting quite big and can be daunting for new people and this way we can hopefully have a bit of everything!

Look forward to seeing you there!

-Lucy, David, Carol & Co…

Quarterly Peer Support meeting

Last week the quarterly peer support meeting was held in the Conference Room at Langley Green hospital.

The day was brilliantly hosted by Lucy Parsonage, Co-ordinator, Carol Grant and David Wrighton who are peer support workers.

A packed programme which was jammed full of interesting topics, the sharing of best practice and celebrating all of the tremendous work that goes on.

The day was completed by a tour of the wards at Langley Green. Thank you so much for a very well organised, interesting and fascinating day. -Janice

You’re invited to Capital's AGM!

You’re Invited to Capitals AGM

Hear about what’s been going on in 2023/24, celebrate CAPITAL’s work over the year, and meet CAPITAL members, staff, trustees, and supporters.

We’ll go through the formal annual reporting process, finances, and election of trustees plus we’ll be joined by special guest and friend Alison Faulkner, survivor and lived experience researcher who will present her reflections on the challenges facing user led organisations.

To register scan the QR code on the attached or follow this link. If you cannot attend, please send your apologies to enquiries@capitalproject.org.

If you’d like further information, please contact me, and feel free to forward this invite.

CAPITAL Trustees

There are three vacancies to fill on the Trustee Board, which will be done by vote at the AGM on the 30th Aug (see above for details). We have three candidates who have successfully been approved by interview and below are their statements for consideration by the CAPITAL membership. Please take your time to read them and cast your vote at the AGM.

Candidate 1 – Sam Fox

Hello. My name is Sam Fox. I am 51 years old and have lived experience of mental illness from age 10.

In 2016 I decided I wanted to give back to mental health services, charities and other organization’s that have guided and supported me through my mental illness. It led to me being able to manage more independently within the community and live a happier and healthier lifestyle.

I became a Capital Project member in 2014 for 2 years, then went on to become Student voice representative, peer support worker and peer trainer with Recovery College. I learnt skill sets which enabled me to learn how to make decisions, be confident at public speaking and got an insight what being a trustee might involve. Confidentiality, I have always upheld. I am non judgemental and treat all with respect and dignity.

I have always worked within my remit and always sought guidance if unsure of anything.

I am a good listener, communicator, am patient and empathetic.

As Capital Project is peer led, I believe we can all bring our own skills to the project and the skill sets combined can improve, build and grow Capital Project within the community and hospitals.

I hope I can make an impact and as trustee endeavour to listen and work with peers to have their voices heard.

Thank you. Sam Fox

Proposer: Roy Davies.

Seconder: Suki Westmore

Candidate 2 – Lin Gibbs

My name is Lin Gibbs and I'm 58 years old, and have been a member of Capital for at least 8 years.

When I first joined I was scared of just about everything, but after being here for a very short while, I felt as if I was part of something. A feeling I'd never felt before. And because of this after a couple of years, I realised Capital was my adopted family. A family that I actually belonged to and could be myself.

As most of you know, I’ve had mental health issues all of my life, and I feel that because of my lived in experiences I can now come to the groups to help others on their journeys.

I also want to be a Trustee to be able to be a voice for the members, By that I don't mean just telling them everything that's going on, it means asking them for their opinions to all the changes that are going to be happening, and taking their views to the board so that everyone understands why things sometimes have to change.

I for one, didn't want Capital to change, but after listening to everything that's going on with other companies... I've come to realise we'll have to, to keep Capital going.

Another reason is to try and get more funding for Capital, but as things have changed so much over the years, I'll need the other trustees to educate me as to all the new laws regarding this.

If any other members thought of ideas on how to get any more funding, I could also take them to the board, and if viable would try them too.

I would also like to see more members becoming volunteers, trustees etc. And if me being a trustee can help them make that move, I feel that would be a big bonus all around.

The choice is in your hands, members!

Proposer: Roy Davies.

Seconder: Grace Hayles

Candidate 3 – Latoya Labor

Name: Latoya Labor

Age: 46 years old

I have been a CAPITAL member since 2018. I live in Crawley (Northern Locality) with my husband and 2 daughters (11 and 16 years old). I have a BSc in Psychology and MSc in Human Resources Management.

I was a Northern Locality Coordinator and Patient Viewpoint volunteer at Langley Green Hospital for CAPITAL for 4 years.

I am now a Peer Support skills and development coach. I have previous experience working as an HR Advisor, providing advice and guidance to management and staff on employee relations, management issues, and policies and procedures.

I was previously diagnosed with puerperal (postpartum) psychosis and

schizoaffective disorder and spent periods in and out of hospital and accessing mental health services. I was suddenly out of work with low confidence and self-worth. I also felt stigmatised and misunderstood by my own family.

Through CAPITAL I was able to become part of a community/family which focused not on my diagnosis, illness or deficits, but met me where I was with openness, without judgement or assumptions. I felt understood and was able to rebuild my confidence and self-worth. I was able to access education and training which empowered me and gave me a sense of purpose, motivation and hope.

My desire is to contribute to driving forward CAPITAL’s ethos, values, purpose and strategy whilst protecting CAPITAL’s best interests and continued growth and sustainability.

I hope that you will support my application to become a trustee.

Proposed by Roy Davies

Seconded by Grace Hayles

CAPITAL's Creative Pages

Angela from our East Grinstead Hub, wanted to share a story that she had heard on the radio which meant a lot to her.

“The man being interviewed said on his distant travels he hired a small boat from a fisherman. The fisherman had to leave and left his son to organise things and the man soon set out to sea. He soon came across a huge wave that tossed him out the boat altogether. The fisherman’s son saw and swam out and rescued him. The man was freezing and the boy rubbed sticks together and made a fire, climbed up a tree and got a coconut, mixed it with something and made a hot meal.

When the fisherman returned, he asked him ‘did my son look after you?’.

He had to say ‘he saved my life’.

The man realized that with all his university degrees and accolades, he didn’t have the God-given wisdom of this 8 yr old boy”

Thank you so much Angela for sharing it with us. Our Capital creative pages are for anything our members would like to share with us, so please let us know if you have anything at jenna.dickens@capitalproject.org or

lucy.parsonage@capitalproject.org