On Wednesday 12 February, I went along to the launch of Charlotte Mitchell's Memoir that has been produced with the support of CAPS Independent Advocacy, which provides collective and individual advocacy fur users of mental health services in Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian. You can read about the launch event in this Facebook post from CAPS Advocacy.
Charlotte comes along to one of my writing groups and, along with several members of the group I was keen to support her at this event.
I've now read this short book too. It outlines Charlotte's life, starting with her early love of nature:
"I still vividly remember the walks we took up Ben Lomond with its gurgling stream and waterfall. There were traces of hedgehogs though I did not call them hedgehogs but Mrs Tiggy-Winkle after Beatrix Potter's book"
The account then follows her to her studies in Switzerland through to her struggles with her mental health. Life may have been difficult for Charlotte but she has always committed to helping other people. She has been active in the self advocacy movement since 2006 and recently completed a Professional Development Award - Mental Health and Peer Work. She has also been a craft teacher for disabled children and a political and environmental activist. An example of her activism is when "the incinerator at Powderhall was spewing out particles which were landing on parked cars in the neighbourhood. We wrote to the council asking them to deal with this."
This memoir is an inspiring example of how someone can cope with mental health issues and use their experience to help others.
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