BPD Awareness Month Events

As you'll probably already know, May 2016 is Borderline Personality Awareness Month. Exactly what it all means out there on Normal street is anyone's guess, but to us it means a larger excuse to publicise BPD and try and show the disorder in a true and positive light. We've timetabled a few things to help us do just that. Some of them involve audience participation, heavy meetings with important people who make policy on Mental Health, and others just because we don't need an excuse to do what we do. To business... Thurs 5th May: Short Video Launch The Launch of our short video. It's aiming to provide a snapshot of people with the diagnosis simply being just like anybody else; which, of course, we are. Fri 13th May: Forward Thinking Mental Health Forum Unlucky for some, but not us! We're meeting with Amanda Solloway MP, Alistair Burt MP (Minister of State for Health), and James Morris MP (Chair of the Cross-Party Group on Mental Health), at the Forward Thinking Mental Health Forum. We are running one of the Break Out Groups, which will be discussing the question 'How can the arts play a bigger role in combatting Mental Health?'. Break Out Groups will then be feeding back to the Forum and the MPs. This will be an excellent opportunity for us to discuss Mental Health issues with people who, ultimately, have the power to help change things. If you'd like to book to attend the event or would like further information, you can email Amanda Solloway or call 01332 725597. We'll provide feedback to you via the website on how things went. Thurs 19th - Sat 21st May: Re-Think Well-Connected Art Exhibition at Derby Quad Loads of art and thought-provoking, as well as creative drop-in sessions on the 20th and 21st. Even if you don't want to interact with anyone, feel free to wander in and have a look at what lots of the fabulous Rethink folk (alongside others - including a few of the Borderline Arts Crew) have created. It's an excellent event and will be well worth a visit. Re-Think are looking for artists to contribute, so if you're interested please email Becky Edwards - steps.inrecovery@rethink.org, or ring 01332 367622. Wed 25th May 1-4pm: BPD Awareness Workshop We'll be running this free creative workshop from our premises - 119 Osmaston Road, Derby. We'll be offering a Certificate in Professional Development (not to be sniffed at). The workshop is usually £75 for working participants, but this time it'll be totally FREE. We run this workshop regularly for organisations and the feedback is always excellent. It's a non-heavy, informative, and carefully thought-out look into BPD from perspectives that aren't book-boring. We include at least one BPD sufferer so there is always a Service User perspective. Let us know as soon as possible via contact@borderlinearts.org if you want to book a place. Sat 28th May: Borderline Arts Art Attack We'll be doing a HUGE twenty minute art creation, which we'll film with a drone from the borders of Space (or twenty feet, whichever's easiest). Anyone of any age who comes along can take part! Then we'll be editing the whole thing into a speeded up montage of such Arty Ferocity that you'll want to sing Ave Maria for a whole hour after watching it. Whatever. All we know is it'll be a lot of fun and we'll laugh a lot during the process. Come along - it's looking likely that Derby NHS will be involved in some way as well. Time and location is to be confirmed very soon. Check on the website nearer the time for exact details. We think that's a pretty good mix of BPD-related shenanigans for May. If you need any more information, please just email us at contact@borderlinearts.org . We'll be only too happy to help. Have a good May everybody. See you soon.