MENTAL health patients will get the chance to showcase their artistic talents in Salford Mad Pride this summer.

Salford Mad Pride 18 is an event celebrating creativity and a chance to spread awareness about the community groups who offer support to people with mental health issues.

The day will include performances of dance, music and poetry, a bouncy castle, face painting, mind-fullness exercises and a focus on arts and crafts.

The theme of the event will be based on the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland.

The theme of the event is based on The Mad Hatter

Event facilitators say that this is to allow people to realise the stereotypes of madness associated with mental health issues are not necessarily a bad thing.

Sarah Whitehead, one of the facilitators for Salford Mad Pride 18, said the event is to show people how mental health issues do not make them less valuable to the community.

She added: “Bringing people together to meet each other on a human level as people, and sharing and learning from each other really grows community.

“What we’re trying to say is; lets see people for the talents that they bring and the unique abilities that their mental illnesses often give them.”

The event is organised by a partnership of local people and mental health organisations including Salford Poverty Truth Commission, Community Pride Community Interest Company and Salford Community and Voluntary Services with the support of Salford City Council, Walk the Plank, Academy of Fun, Ordsall Community Arts, Mind in Salford, Salford Clinical Commissioning Group and many more.

Ms Whitehead said: “It has all come from the community; its lead by people with experience of mental health issues.

“It’s very different in that its not an event thats been created by an agency or the council- its come from the grass roots.”

The event organisers are hoping to attract the attention of The Voice judge, will-i-am because he has openly talked about his own experience with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Ms Whitehead said: “He spoke about it really positively and said that it gave him the talents that he’s got and made him as creative as he is.”

The event is free, for people of all ages and you do not need to be affected by mental health to get involved.

Salford Mad Pride 18 will be held from 11am- 3pm on Saturday June 9 in Victoria Park, Swinton.

Featured image used with permission via. 

Other images and tweets used with permission from Sara Whitehead and Salford Mad Pride 18. 

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