Merki Waters

Today was one of the centrepiece events of Liverpool Mental Health Festival 2016 - our big celebration in Williamson Square.

I arrived at about 8am to find Nici, Sarah and Malou already there, the stage under construction and the market stalls and marquee assembled. So I hightailed it over to BBC Radio Merseyside (yes, again!) for a live appearance on the Breakfast Show and a chance to promote the day's activities.

Back on the Square I was in time to join in with the Beat The Blues drummers (what larks!) - I think I've found my vocation. Once I started drumming I just couldn't stop! What a terrific stress-buster it is!

By 10am there were 30 or so stalls and information tables up and running providing a huge range of advice and support - and the day had begun in earnest. From then until 5pm we had a wonderful programme of performances on stage and in the square itself, including Thom Morecroft, Yellowhouse, 20 Stories High, Mamatung, Movema, Lyons and La Zel, the Mad for It Choir, Freefall Circus and Wirral Roller Derby. Also featured was today's Blip subject, Merki Waters, who played this song amongst several others... www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfTiOLmKwD4

The rain held off, the sun even shone from time to time, and between everyone involved we conducted thousands of conversations about mental health with the people of Liverpool.

There was also a full-programme of activities throughout the day at Central Library (including massages, blood pressure testing and advice from the CAB) - thanks to Nikki for overseeing all those events. And thanks to all at the Young Person's Advisory Service (YPAS) for hosting a day of activities for young people too.

It's been a very busy and very tiring week. And there's still another week of activities to go. But I'm really proud of what we've achieved so far and I'm also really proud of the whole team who've put it all together.