Saeed

The Mental Health Festival continues apace...

Last night we had a really successful film night at FACT. Six short films on a mental health theme by local film makers, followed by the classic, ‘Donnie Darko’.

Today has been Workshop Wednesday and we’ve run a whole raft of workshops at both Central Library and the Museum of Liverpool - Gentle Yoga; Mindfulness for Recovery; Solution Focused Conversations; Health Barriers Facing Asylum Seeking Women; BME Mental Health and Access to Talking Therapies; Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP); Mindful Writing; Flow Arts; Singing, and Music Making For All.

All went well in the end, but the day almost got off to a shaky start when the yoga instructor wasn’t able to make it due to the traditional ‘unforeseen circumstances’, and our stupendous Project Manager, Nici, managed to rustle up a replacement at ultra-short notice.

And this is our knight in comfortable clothing... Saeed Olayiwola of SO Health. What a lovely person. Our group of morning yogis certainly looked blissed out when they emerged from his class! I tried to persuade him to bust some moves for the camera but he just dissolved into giggles!

I’m also including a picture of Ema Quinn, who not only ran the Mindfulness for Recovery workshop but also manages The Choir With No Name - the choir for people affected by homelessness - and who ran the Singing workshop along with a previous Blip subject of mine, Mersey Wylie https://www.blipfoto.com/entry/2099948133730487066

After the workshops there was just time for a bowl of soup at The Egg before scampering up Hardman Street to the Open Mic Night at The Magnet which our pals at Mellowtone had organised as their contribution to the festival. Thanks, guys!

I particularly enjoyed the excellent fiddle player, Adam - also pictured in my Extras.

And so to bed!

Today’s tune is a new one by those great favourites of mine, The Young ‘Uns. It actually fits much better, thematically, with my previous Blip, but the official video has only just ‘gone live’, so here it is now... ‘Be The Man’ tells the story of Matt Ogston and the religious and cultural homophobia which led to the suicide of Naz, his partner of 13 years. The video features Matt himself and I find it incredibly moving www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhZFrVMV0tI

(Happy Birthday to Ma Booknerd! X)