new perspectives - sane · mike oldfield kim parkash mr r m s parsons wendy perriam john perry...

Mental illness affects us all

Name:

Address:

Postcode:

Tel: Email:

I’d like to donate £10 £25 £50 £100 Other £

Please make your cheque/postal order/CAF voucher payable to SANEOR please debit the above amount from my:

Visa/Delta MasterCard Maestro CAF Card

Card No:

Valid From: / Expiry Date: / Issue No: (Maestro only)

Signature: Date: / /

Standing OrderI’d like to donate regularly to SANE. Please send me a Standing Order form:

M M Y Y M M Y Y

Y YM MD D

Credit Card / Cheque / Standing Order

Once completed, please return this form to: SANE Freepost, WD528, London E1 1BRYou can also make a donation by calling SANE on 020 7422 5544. Alternatively, donate online at www.sane.org.uk SANE Registered Charity Number 296572 Please tick here if you DO NOT wish SANE to contact you

giftaid it If you are a UK taxpayer please tick the first box so we can claim back up to 28p for every £1 you give at no extra cost to you.

Yes, I am a UK taxpayer and would like SANE to reclaim the tax on any of the donations I have made in the last four years and any future donations I may make.*


No, I am a non-taxpayer * To qualify for Gift Aid, you must pay an amount of UK Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax at least equal to the tax

that SANE will reclaim on your donations in the appropriate tax year.

Y YM MD D

(Security Code)

Regular donations Setting up a standing order in favour of SANE: regular income allows us to meet immediate needs and plan for the years ahead. £5 each month over the course of a year means that we can provide one hour of emotional support and practical information to three individuals in crisis.

There are several ways in which you can help to fund SANE’s work. Donate in your will A significant part of our income comes from gifts left to SANE in wills. Without the thoughtfulness of those who remember us in this way, we simply couldn’t be there to respond 365 days a year.

One-off donationsA single donation can transform a person’s life. Your kindness can bring comfort and hope to people who feel anxious, depressed or alone. Thank you.

From Ian Hislop to you There are so many charities desperate for funds, and having to try and choose amongst all the deserving organisations clamouring for your support is enough to drive you mad. Whoops. There I go again. It’s easy to make jokes (some of us make a living out of it) but I know that mental illness really isn’t a joke. And when it happens to you or to those you love, it becomes very unfunny indeed. That is why I am asking you to support SANE.

It is one of the most frightening and difficult conditions that people affected in any way can face in their lives. We need to know and understand more about this most debilitating of all conditions, which in some way touches every person in society.

SANE faces up to the challenges it causes, always speaking out for those affected with passion and urgency. Its vision is for a society where mental illness is accepted without stigma, discrimination and exclusion; a society where people receive the personal care and attention they need.

Mental illness causes a great deal of personal distress, relationship difficulties, and social problems; often leaving people feeling vulnerable, confused and alone. The impact can be just as traumatic for those indirectly affected: carers, family, and friends: SANE makes sure their needs are not forgotten either.

The charity relies almost entirely on support from voluntary donations, individuals, trusts, legacies, partnerships and companies.

I am supporting SANE because I think I am guilty of not taking mental health seriously. If you felt you could support them too, that would be great.

Thank you.

IAN HISLOP

Partners Programme Update

Last year we established a new major donor scheme whereby a SANE Partner contributes £1,000 each year for three years. Please get in touch if you would like to find out more via email at [email protected] or call 020 7422 5544.

2010/2011

New perspectivesSaneNews_Cover.indd 1 21/6/10 17:31:35

Once completed, please tear the form from your copy of SANEnews, fold in half and send to our freepost address: SANE FREEPOST, WD528, LONDON E1 1BR. Alternatively you can use the freepost envelope enclosed with this newsletter.

SANE FREEPOST, WD528, LONDON E1 1BR.

Fold along the dotted lone

Tear

alo

ng th

is fo

ld to

rem

ove

the

form

Contents03 SANE’s vision and values “It’s no longer a question of patients being locked in, so

much as being locked out.” Are we heading backwards in mental health care?

04 Shattered lives – homicides and suicides: ‘black spots’ in community care as preventable deaths continue

06 Knowledge heals – research news and therapies in practice

08 - 09 Why? A new focus on suicide prevention “You play back everything in your mind over and over, wondering desperately if there was something more one could have done to prevent it.” Two parents describe their son’s suicide – and its lasting legacy

10 - 11 Volunteers on the frontline – stories from SANE’s stalwarts

12 Funding the future – finding and focusing the finances Community outreach – making a difference in the City of London and Hackney

in the East End

13 Virtuosos and violins – music to our ears: and a surprise guest

14 Sharks and songs – our supporters’ fundraising schemes

15 Back to Bedlam – fascinating facts about the world’s oldest psychiatric hospital

16 - 17 A fighting force for mental health – Alastair Stewart and Joanna Lumley are among SANE’s supporters

18 In the news – the campaign to spare the life of a mentally-ill Briton facing execution in China saw SANE hit the headlines

19 Thanks

20 Have we got news for you – a message from Private Eye editor Ian Hislop

Front cover image ‘Surrender’ by Anthony Cleyndert. He describes the inspiration for ‘Surrender’ by saying: “Anyone who experiences mental illness has to surrender themselves in part to faith in a greater Love.”

Anthony was a beneficiary of a SANE Art Award which enabled him to attend a course at St Martins College of Art and Design in stained glass printing; he now holds exhibitions at Ely Cathedral.

SANE continues to administer a modest Art Award to individuals who qualify. Please contact Wendy Lilly via email at: [email protected]

Marjorie Wallace CBE Board of DirectorsCharles Bracken (Chairman)John Bowis OBEDavid Gladstone CMGIan Hay Davison CBEPatrick MacdougallRob MatthewsThe Hon Mrs Victoria Russell

We were very pleased to welcome The Hon Mrs Victoria Russell who joined the board in September 2009. She is the daughter of Rt Hon The Lord Mottistone CBE, who was the founding Chair of SANE.

SANElineCaller, who suffers from recurring clinical depression, said SANEline had kept him alive through the most difficult times in his life.

“SANEline is my main emergency helpline. Without it I wouldn’t have any support – I’d be dead!”

2Meeting the challenge of mental illness

T hanksSANE PartnersLara Limata-Adams

Charles Bracken (above)Charles Bracken JnrIan Hay Davison CBERenee ForsythSir Simon JenkinsJonathan Miller Michael Palin CBEWilliam G Stewart Dr Paul Woolley

IndividualsTerrence AllenFelicity AmberDavid BarrereRobert BayleyCarol Bedack JonesSusan BedackMr R C BellVerity BengoughMr and Mrs M BicknellRosie BirchJanet BoazM BondMr BoucherMrs J D BoylingMr T B BramleyMr R C BrewerPhilip BrownTim CadburyRichard CarssKevin CorriganLouise Cunnington-WhiteMr M F DanielMr W I de Jong CleyndertMr D J DerxMrs C DolmanMr & Mrs A F EastwoodMichael EatonSue EdyveanJane Ellwood

Mr D FletcherMiss L FlukerDr S L GoldLivia GollanczMiss C K GrewCaroline HillerJessica IrfanLucy JacksonJennifer JankelJames JollyJ N JonesBernard J KestelmanSam LevineBertrand LipworthMr C LongMarieke LydaMrs Y MarksDr Claire MatthewsStella MazzuchelliMadeleine McGrathHenry McIntoshMr D MooreMrs C MorseHarriet Muir-LittleWilliam NagelMs M NolanDavid John OgdenMaria OinnMike OldfieldKim ParkashMr R M S ParsonsWendy PerriamJohn PerryMichael QuinlanDr Hilary Reid EvansMs H RohmanMr & Mrs RudkinJoanna RyzmowskaAlison Mary SegenschmidDavid SelvesMr G ShenkmanMr Patrick and Mrs Jill Sherry and friendsMr J F SidgreavesSacha SkarbekMichael SpanswickJosie SpencerM StevensonM J Stephens

Carole StoneMr D StorerMary TaylorNigel TaylorIan TollettMrs J TomlinsonMartin ToyerPatrick WalshMr Richard WaltersMr P W WarrenMark WarwickDavid and Helen WatsonThomas WeddellClare WhatelyGerry WildmanChristine WilkieRachael WilliamsD T WilsonMrs O R WilsonCarol Woolton

SANE FriendsJennifer AmesRichard DavidsonStephen FayJean GayMary HoodM A ParsonageRobert D Smith

Sponsored eventsDr Jane AtkinsonJames CarringtonHayley Clay-SmithSiska ConcannonDavid and Daniel D’SouzaSophia GillClare HineCharlie MacquakerClare and Dave MatthewsChris McMinnMaria OinnClare RiceEmily SmoorSANE staff and volunteersClare Whately

CompaniesAviva HealthBarclays plcBlanchards Bailey LLPChandler Chicco AgencyEli Lilly & Co LtdInter Steels LtdJanssen-Cilag UKLinklaters; Christopher Coombe - Senior PartnerLithgow Pepper and EldridgeMacdonald OatesPartnerships in Care

Organisations and groupsBlackburn Social Dance ClubCambridge Students’ Rag AppealEdinburgh University Sports UnionMay Hill LodgeRotary Club of City and Shoreditch

Legacies and In MemoriamMr R J AbrahamMr J HassittMrs Joy HollandMrs J PirieMrs Mae PriorMr Richard Robbins MAMrs V Smith

Partnerships42nd StreetYouthNet

Trusts29th May 1961 Charitable TrustAD Charitable TrustAlbert Hunt TrustAlbert van den Bergh TrustThe Alchemy FoundationThe Apollinium Charitable Foundation

The Arnold Burton 1998 Charitable TrustBIG Lottery FundChalcroft Charitable TrustChapman Charitable TrustThe Coutts Charitable TrustThe Cumber Family Charitable TrustDame Violet Wills Will TrustDinning Charitable TrustDonald Forrester TrustThe John Ellerman FoundationGarfield Weston FoundationThe Guiting TrustThe Hamilton Wallace TrustInge TrustThe James Wentworth-Stanley Memorial FundThe MacCabe Family Charitable TrustThe Life Neurological Research TrustCecil Pilkington Charitable Trust Col W W Pilkington Will TrustThe Sir James Reckitt CharityThe Rolfe Charitable TrustThe Souter FoundationThe Sir Jules Thorn Charitable TrustJames Weir FoundationThe Willhett Trust

Local health care partnersNHS City and Hackney

2www.sane.org.uk

SANE newsEditor: Sara Zmertych

I hope you have enjoyed this edi tion of SANE News. I welcome feedback and suggestions on items you would like to see covered in future editions. Please email me at [email protected].

Copyright SANE 2010

Designed by Community Views, a social enterprise enabling mental health recovery

SANE (limited by guarantee)Registered Company Number: 2114937Registered Charity Number: 296572Registered address: 1st Floor Cityside House, 40 Adler Street, London, E1 1EET: 020 7375 1002 F: 020 7375 2162W: www.sane.org.uk

SaneNews_Cover.indd 2 22/6/10 16:33:29

www.sane.org.uk3

Vision and valuesSANE was set up in 1986 following the

overwhelming public response to publication of the Forgotten Illness series in The Times.

Its vision all those years ago was to raise public awareness, excite research and bring more effective professional treatment and compassionate care to everyone affected by mental illness.

Over two decades mental health policy and provision have come a long way, but we at SANE are all too aware of thousands who struggle on quietly and desperately without the help they need. It is unforgivable that families who may be looking after a person who is suicidal are left out in the cold without information, let alone support, on the grounds of confidentiality. Sometimes if there are tragic results, they may never know what happened. As I listen to their stories, the same passion and outrage which led me to found SANE are revived. So what can we do?

We are in contact with over 30,000 people a year and want to be able to continue to offer high quality, up-to-date information and, above all, emotional support to anyone affected by mental health problems. We rely on volunteers who undergo rigorous training and in many cases give hundreds of hours of their free time each year to respond to people in crisis or distress.

SANE also directly supports fundamental neuroscience research alongside studies into treatments and therapies. We are proud to share our Prince of Wales International

SANE is a UK-wide charity set up in 1986 to improve the quality of life for people affected by mental illness. It has three objectives: 1. to raise awareness and combat stigma about

mental illness, educating and campaigning to improve mental health services

2. to provide care and support for people with mental health problems, their families and carers as well as information for other organisations and the public

3. to initiate research into the causes and treatments of serious mental illness such as schizophrenia and depression and the psychological and social impact of mental illness.

Aims and objectives

Centre for SANE Research with the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, which provides Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy training, integrating brain research with meditation techniques.

On a more worrying note, we are already aware of cuts slicing into mental health budgets. As a consultant psychiatrist recently told me: “It’s no longer a question of patients being locked in, so much as being locked out.” In some places available hospital beds have been halved and community services drastically reduced, leaving overworked home treatment teams to pay flying visits to give medication only, with little time for sustained personal care. There will also be pressures to rely still more on inexperienced graduate workers and low intensity interventions, further depriving people of consistent treatment from a skilled and experienced professional.

Over the past years I have got to know many individuals, families and front-line workers. I had high hopes but am now concerned that, despite all the monies and priorities, we may be stepping backwards. To prevent this happening, we must hold to the vision and values which unite those of us who believe that an individual with mental illness can receive a level of understanding which is not prescribed by short-term targets but by complex, long-term need.

SANE’s Chief Executive Marjorie Wallace CBE


Lucy Yates, 20, was stabbed 27 times in a supermarket. Along with major injuries and mental trauma, she was confined to a wheelchair for months. Attacker Samuel Reid-Wentworth, 22, diagnosed with schizophrenia and with long-standing mental health problems, was admitted to a mental health unit and following discharge into the community stopped taking medication and became seriously disturbed. He pleaded guilty to attempted murder.

Ivy Torrie, 82, was killed by her son, Michael, who had a 20-year history of mental illness. His medication had been reduced; relatives noticed he was behaving strangely in the days leading up to the killing.

Gwen Poole, 66, was stabbed to death in a random attack by Martin Davies, 23, a psychiatric patient recently released from an acute unit who claimed that voices had commanded him to kill. He had unsuccessfully sought inpatient care on several occasions.

Shattered livesSuch killings are rare: the most recent figures show that 70 a year are committed by a person with mental illness or disorder or in contact with mental health services within the previous twelve months. Homicides involving strangers number 10 a year.

Our analysis of 69 independent inquiries shows one in three homicides was considered preventable. We comment on such cases so that reactions are not driven by the news headlines alone without being put in perspective - that the majority of people with mental illness are never violent, and the chance of being attacked by a person unknown to you is remote. Assessing the risk a person poses to himself or others can be very difficult, and getting it right requires skill and experience. SANE believes that if a killing occurs as a result of poor risk assessment, under-treatment or lack of treatment, this should be made known in order to learn lessons. We believe that one of the ways to combat stigma is not to ignore these cases, which will inevitably alarm the public, but to explain the circumstances and listen to the families of both the perpetrators and the victims, as well as to professionals.

Also, more than 1,200 people commit suicide each year who have been in contact with mental health services. SANE has had contact with many families who believe the suicide would not have happened had greater care been taken to protect the person at risk.

We believe that each case of suicide or homicide represents a ‘black spot’ in care in the community, preventable with better risk assessment, more effective communication between agencies, and earlier responses to cries for help. To give people confidence in the policy of care in the community, we must expose the fault-lines within the mental health system and try to ensure that, once exposed, steps are taken to prevent further tragedies.

“According to official figures, over 1,200

people in contact with mental health

services commit suicide each year”

Lucy Yates

We are still picking up the pieces of a fractured system

5www.sane.org.uk

With the advent of the new Government, we understand that a review will be undertaken of the national strategy for mental health published in recent months. We will be working with Ministers to seek to ensure that future plans provide for more effective and responsive care for those with enduring mental illness. We will be pressing for the strategy review to examine:

• the adequacy of the numbers of beds available to treat people who may need in-patient care

• the policies and arrangements for providing care in the community

• measures to improve information and support to families and carers.

The welcome drive to give people greater access to psychological therapies has resulted in significant investment in services and a widening of the range of therapies to be made available. As well as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), these will now include therapies such as counselling, couples therapy and

brief dynamic therapy. But there are mixed views on

how far the evidence used to support offering these therapies can determine which are most effective and why. In particular, we do not know whether the one-size-fits-all CBT approach is the solution for everyone with anxiety and depression.

In order to identify whether a

therapy is effective, what kind of intervention works for whom and how many people drop out and why, we need a thorough analysis of the experiences and outcomes for individuals, from both the patients’ and the clinicians’ points of view.

SANE will be inviting people to tell us about their experiences of CBT and other therapies. For

further information, email Susanne Gibson at [email protected].

SANE’s Chief Executive has become a lay Trustee of the UK Council for Psychotherapy.

We hope to be working together to help increase access to psychological therapies.

A new strategy for mental health

Greater dignity for patientsSANE has been pleased to take part in several initiatives to improve privacy and dignity for patients in hospital. SANE’s Chief Executive has contributed to a DVD being published on the Department of Health website explaining the importance of same-sex accommodation for patients. She has also been a member of the Advisory Board of Design for Patient Dignity, a collaboration between the Department of Health and Design Council which brought together leading UK designers, manufacturers and frontline healthcare staff to tackle privacy and dignity issues.

“When people are ill they can feel anxious and deprived of their

confidence and self-respect. That is why it is so important to be treated in

a safe and healing environment where trust and dignity can be sustained.”

T herapy for the nation

Andrew Lansley CBE MP, Secretary of State for Health,

on a visit to SANE

Shattered lives

Professor Mark Williams, Director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre: Courses for health professionals

Professor Williams and his team at the Centre, who share POWIC’s premises, are rolling out courses in Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), as interest in the approach grows. As well as psychologists and psychiatrists, they attract occupational therapists, health visitors, physiotherapists and midwives.

Professor Williams says: “The practice is beneficial with supporting anyone who is going through a vulnerable transition “. For information on the courses go to www.octc.co.uk and www.mbct.co.uk.

By combining Eastern meditation with Western problem-solving therapy, MBCT offers techniques to those experiencing recurrent depression that prevent the

Knowledge healsNEWS from Prince of Wales International Centre for SANE Research (POWIC)

downward spiral of negative thoughts which can lead someone to take their own life.

Promoting the value of these mind-tools remains a SANE priority. Despite the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence endorsing Mindfulness practice in the treatment guidelines for depression in 2004 and 2009, only one in 20 GPs prescribes meditation therapy.

Professor Tim Crow on his work on the origins of psychosis

“Together with my team we continue working on our hypothesis that psychosis including both schizophrenia and the affective psychoses is related to those distinctive aspects of the human brain which could be the best contender for explaining our faculty for language.

“A recent magnetic resonance imaging scan of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder shows that these patients have slightly thinner cortices than people without such symptoms and there are some anomalies of asymmetrical

development in the limbic system that mediates the interaction between emotion and speech.

“We are particularly interested in the class of genes present on both the X and the Y chromosomes. One such gene pair was created by a duplication from X to Y 6 million years ago-and has been subject to a number of changes in human evolution in both X and Y copies.

It is a candidate determinant of asymmetry, and therefore of psychosis. It is subject to a type of variation that we would very much like to understand better.”

SANE is the only mental health charity that has raised new funds to build such a centre


A brain scan of a patient with psychosisPOWIC interior

As someone interested in the practice of meditation, Karen was drawn to enrolling on a course of Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). Aimed at people wanting to avoid relapse into recurrent depression, it seemed to fit the bill.

“I wanted to do it because I like the idea of meditation and it sounded practical, offering tools that I could really work with to help with both family and work life. Importantly, it was said to help stave off another relapse. The course

Peace of mindKaren Hart is SANE’s Communications Officer and a keen advocate of Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy

Funding for mental health research is not proportionate to the burden of disease, which the World Health Organisation says is over 15 per cent of the health burden in the developed world. Given that investment in mental health research provides significant benefit in a knowledge based economy and we can all understand the advantage to the economy and society of good mental health, there is a strong case to decrease the funding gap between research and practical need.

was eight weeks, with one group session a week and that sounded manageable.”

Mindfulness-based approaches are derived from the Buddhist practice of meditation,in which practitioners try to experience more fully what is happening at any moment. It’s important to stress that the technique is open and beneficial to everybody, and no commitment to Buddhism is necessary.

During the course, you learn to pay attention in the moment and without making judgements. You become more aware of thoughts, body sensations and emotions and learn to recognise how these constantly change.

The lesson is for the mind not to cling to the emotion or thought, nor to push it away, but let it ‘be’ and in this way it will release its hold on you. This is particularly useful for people who have a tendency to ruminate when depressed.

“You practise again and again. By recognising how things manifest in the mind you learn to see

“ You practise again and again. By recognising how things manifest in the mind you learn to see how they affect the body”

how they affect the body. Slowly you can build up a picture of the triggers, so for example, you realise that something happens and you then feel bad. By being aware of habitual behaviour, you can stop it affecting you in this negative way.

“MBCT is also helpful for addictions, anxiety and managing pain. You can practise being mindful whenever you need to, for example when you’re working you can think about the parts of the body. Focussing on the body can actually reduce anxiety.”

Research will lead to new treatments and will accelerate the development and implementa-tion of preventative strategies in young people who are at risk of mental illness. The UK base in neuroscience, social science and mental health is easily the strongest in Europe; and it links with the potential of the NHS to conduct large scale research, and for industry to develop and make available new treatment: the opportunities are tremendous.

Supporting research is one of the best ways individuals can make a

difference to diseases that they care about. Fifty years ago, cancer was a highly stigmatized and incurable condition. Cancer survival is now common and the research that makes it possible is massively supported by charitable giving.

We need the same message in mental health: the challenges are different but not that different. Science has given us clear current leads to the causation of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression. We are starting to unpick the interactions between

our genes and our environments that explain the onset of mental illness and its course. There has never been a better time to close the gap in research spending between what we currently achieve and what the patients deserve by giving generously to support research.

Professor Goodwin and Marjorie Wallace act as members of the Medical Research Council group reviewing mental health research.

7www.sane.org.uk

Tremendous opportunitiesBy Professor Guy Goodwin, Head of the Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford.


Why? a new focus on suicide prevention

“ This grant enables us to carry out important research that will help provide an evidence base for a community-wide approach to suicide prevention”

Suicide has always been part of the human

condition; yet there have been relatively few

research studies looking at what is in the

mind of the person before they choose to

take their lives.

SANE is embarking on an innovative project

exploring the insights of individuals who have attempted to take their

lives, as well as the perceptions of people

close to those who have attempted or completed suicide.

We hope that this research will provide

us with proposals that can be used in

preventing those who are suicidal from taking

the irrevocable step.

SANE announces study with new perspective on suicide

Current research into completed suicides is almost exclusively medical. There’s little place for the responses of the families, partners and friends of those at risk or who completed the suicide; additionally, the responses of the person who has attempted suicide themselves are lacking. We know some of the risk factors but not enough to predict which people will take their lives.

Yet we in the general public are best placed to help prevent suicides. Insights into the subtle, hidden triggers that can lead to suicide will enable the public as well as professionals to understand better and respond more effectively to people in need.

The three-year research project, A New Focus for Suicide Prevention: Harnessing Personal Experience, aims to lead to new approaches that will benefit the services of 16,000 health and welfare organisations.

It is supported by a magnificent grant of £387,282 for three years from the Big Lottery Fund: the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding.

SANE’s experience is that many suicides can be prevented. We know that examining the role of ‘significant others’ will complement existing research into risk factors.

Outi Horne, SANE’s Research Manager, says: “This grant enables us to carry out important research that will help provide an evidence base for a community-wide approach to suicide prevention. “Our project will focus on the experiences of those who have lived through the suicide or an attempt by a person close to them, as well as those who have attempted suicide themselves, in order to inform policy, service development and public participation in reducing suicides.” SANE will carry out the project, which we hope will generate a new set of concepts for predicting, treating and preventing suicidal behaviour, advised by representatives of beneficiary groups and academic experts in a variety of fields from several UK universities.

Suicide research

9www.sane.org.uk

James Wentworth-

Stanley

Why? a new focus on suicide prevention

His parents’ words say it all: “You play back everything in your mind, over and over, wondering desperately if there was something more one could have done to prevent it”.

In the words of his mother, former Tatler editor Lady Milford Haven: “I will never know what exactly tipped him over the edge…”

James was 21, a talented and popular Old Harrovian and undergraduate; according to his father, Lloyds underwriter Nick Wentworth-Stanley: “A sunny, level-headed young man. Warm, loving, sensitive and without secrets. Or so we thought.”

The family had gathered before Christmas; James arrived late, subdued, but nothing out of the ordinary. A recent minor operation had left him concerned. He brushed aside his parents’ encouragement to visit his GP. The following evening, the sound of a shot stunned the family as they prepared for dinner. James was dead on the ground outside. He had used a gun taken from his father’s gun safe.

There had been no hint of suicidal intent, no history of mental illness, drug taking or heavy drinking. His mother Clare says, “He loved us so much, and knew how much he was loved, but that was not enough to keep him here that night.”

Then a picture of the fatal triggers began to form: James, believing his body had been disfigured by the operation, suffered extreme anxiety and was continuously calling the surgeon for reassurance. Convinced it was a failure, he went to an NHS walk-in clinic admitting his suicidal thoughts. The A&E team ranked his crippling fear on a level with those with bad toothache. He walked out, frustrated and let down.

Over 1 million people commit suicide every year: it is the tenth leading cause of death worldwide and the principal cause of death amongst teenagers and adults under 35 in the UK.

Clare says: “Depression is an illness that should be treated with the same urgency and priority as a physical illness. There is

still a pull-yourself-together attitude if you end up in A & E, as James did”.

Now Nick and Clare have set up the James Wentworth-Stanley Memorial Trust, aiming to raise awareness of the causes and prevalence of suicide and help combat the stigma of mental illness and suicide. SANE has been awarded a research grant from the fund to study the subjective experience of suicidal feelings. The Trust seeks inclusion of mental illness education in student programmes; help for parents and teachers to recognise danger signals; resources for counselling, psychotherapy and more readily accessible help-lines. Research into causes and prevention of suicide amongst young people underpins this work.

Nick says: “I only hope we can save other people from throwing away their lives and putting their families through the worst horror imaginable”.

News no parent ever wants to hearThe sudden, unexpected death of James Wentworth-

Stanley in 2006 left agonising pain and myriad unanswered questions for his family and friends.

If you have experienced suicidal feelings, are over 16 and are interested in taking part in research to help support people who feel suicidal, please visit www.saneresearch.org.uk/SuicidalFeelingsStudy or contact the research team at [email protected]. You may remain anonymous if you prefer.

“ A sunny, level- headed young man. Warm, loving, sensitive and without secrets. Or so we thought.”

Volunteers on the frontline

Meeting the challenge of mental illness10

SANE Services continue to offer one to one emotional

support, information and advice to anyone affected

by mental health problems through SANEline, SANEmail,

SANE Caller Care, the SANE Befriending Service and the

Discussion Board via the SANE website. This integrated

structure allows us the flexibility to adapt to new

services such as texting, instant messaging

and live chat.

SANE selects individuals who can make a commitment to helping people affected by mental illness and who are

able to support the SANE Services team.

We now offer generic training, so that volunteers can work across all our services and have the necessary qualities and skills to adapt to any new services we may offer.

The training comprises a three-day foundation. During the first day students learn how to develop qualities of empathy, warmth and acceptance. They are also briefed about mental health conditions,

treatments, legislation and how to navigate the mental health system.

The following two days are spent in practising skills using telephone and email role-play and in discussing challenging presentations, e.g, suicide and self-harm.

Once volunteers have passed the probation period we continue to monitor their progress and their emotional robustness, providing support where necessary.

With supervision on the phones, the training overall takes 75 hours.

How training for SANE Services has changed

Sharmay Mitchell has been a volunteer since March 2009. Leaving King’s College, London, with an MSc in Health Psychology, she wanted to gain practical experience in clinical work. Alongside the two mornings she

works on SANEmail, she is a researcher at the Institute of Psychiatry looking at first episode psychosis in cannabis users, http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/reprint/195/6/A20.

“I’d like to work as a Clinical Psychology Researcher or a Counsellor; my work at SANE is really helping me decide. The on-the-job learning experience has been invaluable and it definitely helped me land the post at the Institute.”

Sharmay opted for volunteering on SANEmail as the daytime hours give a better fit with these commitments.

Volunteer your way to a career

Margaret Cunningham, now retired, led a varied career spanning the Civil Service, social work in inner London and diplomatic life in Brussels. Mental health issues have surfaced in Margaret’s own family; her mother had bipolar disorder and she herself suffered from post-natal psychosis after the births of her two children. While good care and family support aided her recovery, she emphasises the value of helplines:

“At SANE, the work is providing me with further insights into my own

experience…it is helping me make sense of retirement”.

In keeping with her varied interests, she likes to divide her time with voluntary

gardening for English Heritage at Charles Darwin’s house

in Kent. Asked how she found SANE’s volunteer training, Margaret

says: “Challenging, apposite, necessary and ongoing… [the shifts] they can be immensely satisfying.”

“ With SANEline I know I’ve got somewhere to turn that will help. From calling it over the years I’ve learnt that even though I was ill, I still had a personality and a sense of humour inside me. I wouldn’t have done that without your line encouraging me.”

Volunteering is life-affirming

11www.sane.org.uk

Volunteers on the frontlineDavid Gee is a self-employed business consultant and programme manager in recycling and waste management. He has volunteered for SANE Services for ten years, in which time he has contributed a total of 1,432 hours. Besides supporting SANE he juggles his life as a father and grandfather, and children’s rock climbing instructor.

Initially David was interested in psychology; particularly psychology in the workplace as much of his work centres on selection and recruitment, team development and ‘people management’.

But he says that the real motivation for becoming a SANE Services volunteer was a “desire to do something more worthwhile than my day job; an interest in people and a feeling

that if I could understand other people I might better understand myself”.

David has found the process therapeutic: “Whatever problems I had in my day job or other issues, when I picked up the phone at SANEline all of that went completely out of the window and my focus was on the call.”

As for some guidance for someone contemplating joining, he says: “Think about

your motivation – what you are doing this for. Be committed, be interested in the people you are

talking to, be empathetic rather than sympathetic. Stick with it when it’s a bit scary in the early stages. Appreciate the opportunity you are being given to gain a little insight into someone else’s world.”

Malcolm Beale’s single-minded ambition since his A levels was to be a clinical psychologist. Undeterred by fierce competition for a place on clinical doctorate programmes, Malcolm, a young Eastender, has developed his CV: support worker for people with learning disabilities, running groups for substance misusers and a stint in forensics.

“Volunteering gives useful experience for anyone who wants to follow a career in the health service even if it’s not in mental health. You learn the skill of talking

to patients and carers and you definitely pick up the jargon.”

His advice to new volunteers: “You do need to be robust in terms of knowing your own opinions, which may at times differ from your professional responses, and you need to evaluate yourself for any extreme emotions

which can arise.”

With all this clinical work, what about Malcolm’s spare time? “I’m a keen martial artist: while I was

teaching English in southern China, I trained with a master.”

A little insight into someone else’s world

Add a rung to your career ladder

For over 18 years SANE has trained more than 20,000 volunteers for SANE Services. Currently, we have a force of about 135 active volunteers on our rota. The training is endorsed by the Royal College of

Psychiatrists and accredited by the Open College Network at NVQ level 3 equivalent.

If you are interested in becoming a SANE Services Volunteer, you can visit our website at http://www.sane.org.uk/SANEline/Volunteering for more information or contact Rohima Begum,

Volunteer Welfare Officer, by calling 020 7422 5539 or emailing [email protected]

Every charity relies on its funds and fundraisers. In these tough economic times a good fundraiser is like a skipper steering through the highs and the lows.

Paul Flitcroft was appointed Director of Fundraising & Marketing in 2009 to stand at the helm.

Funding the future

His brief was to design and implement a practical strategy which would set a strong platform for the future.

Paul has a positive outlook. He sees the financial challenges as bringing fresh opportunities for SANE. He says they serve to remind us to connect with the huge pool of goodwill that we’ve already accumulated.

Here, we learn more about Paul and his forecast for SANE.

Where were you working before?My background is in strategy, marketing and business development. Most recently I worked in the technology sector and before that financial services in the UK and abroad. Part of my transition into the charity world was through voluntary work with the Samaritans. Working for SANE very much appealed to me. I have always been interested in psychology, philosophy and health matters.

What do you think is your biggest challenge at SANE?One of SANE’s most compelling achievements has been its ability to help, educate and influence hundreds of thousands of people over a 25-year history. The challenge is to make sure we reach them and communicate effectively.

How would you like to see SANE evolve?SANE’s integrated structure of Services, Research and Campaigning is ideal for a specialist mental health charity: we are really in touch with the daily reality of mental illness. I’d like to see this


holistic approach thrive and grow. Bringing together all our diverse supporters into the ‘SANE Community’ is the way we stay connected to the issues that matter - listening to people with mental health difficulties, donors, artists, volunteers, funders, research participants, campaigners, health professionals and carers.

The experience of each person offers so much. We are delighted that our new website will reinforce this vision.

Here are some of the ways you can participate in the SANE Community:

• Train to become a SANE volunteer. Contact Rohima Begum: 020 7422 5539; [email protected]

• Participate in social research projects. Contact Dr Susanne Gibson: 020 7422 5537; [email protected]

• Lend your voice to our campaigns. Contact Sara Zmertych: 020 7422 5561; [email protected]

• Become a donor or take part in a fundraising event. Contact Jack Lines: 020 7422 5549; [email protected]

SANE has been commissioned by NHS City & Hackney to research why suicide is more prevalent among white men and men from the Turkish and Kurdish communities and what can be done to help. Stephen Hardisty, Joint Mental Health Commissioning Manager for NHS City & Hackney, described the study as “an important piece of work”.

He said:“For me to report evoked a deep sense of sadness for these vulnerable people in our

local communities…[who cannot] express their feelings and seek help.”

SANE’s research team reviewed literature, analysed contact information and interviewed community groups.Initial findings show:

• When suicidal, white men find it hard to connect with other people.

• Suicidal thoughts and behaviour

are associated with finding difficulty in communicating with treatment professionals and others.

• White men are particularly vulnerable after events harming social support networks; e.g. divorce, death of a partner or imprisonment.

• Many suicidal white men feel life is not progressing, they either have no future or it has nothing positive to offer.

Community outreach

“ One of SANE’s most compelling achievements has

been its ability to help, educate and influence hundreds of

thousands of people over a 25-year history”

Virtuosos and violins

13www.sane.org.uk

Guest speaker Cherie Booth QC highlighted the challenges that mental illness presents and ways in which SANE answers the call to action in her speech to mark World Mental Health Day.

Classical music from leading talents entertained guests: young virtuoso violinist Tamsin Waley-Cohen; maestro pianist Ronan Magill and Ukrainian bass-baritone singer Vassily Savenko. Romantic pieces by Chopin and some heart-warming Russian songs made a welcome addition to a cool October evening.

Sculptures by Josie Spencer, the established New York artist, were available to view and buy. Bronze figures were placed around the parkland, adding character to the landscape. Guests enjoyed a gourmet three-course meal before the auction, when auctioneer David Selves pulled in the punters with his quips and friendly banter.

The top prize, a luxury holiday for two in Mexico, was donated by Yucatan holidays, who also pledged £10,000. A signed photo by celebrity photographer David Bennett featuring Nelson Mandela and theatre tickets to popular musicals including Legally Blond and La Clique also helped boost funds.

We were delighted with the success of the evening.

Long-standing SANE trustee David Gladstone and his wife April welcomed guests to a glittering gala evening in their mansion set in the beautiful parkland of Wotton House. They had previously thrown open Wotton for SANE’s Evening with Michael Portillo fundraising event.

Images, clockwise from left:• Chair of Appeals

Susan Bedack, host David Gladstone and “the best-connected woman in Britain”, Vice Patron Carole Stone

• Wotton House

• Virtuoso violinist Tamsin Waley-Cohen

• Surprise guest: former Prime Minister Tony Blair, Cherie Booth QC and Marjorie Wallace

• Renowned pianist Ronan Magill

Photographs by Dave Bennett

Sharks and songsWe have seen an imaginative range of fundraising activities throughout the year. Here we sample a few.

Sophia Gill, an ardent SANE campaigner and research study participant, faced a lifetime fear of water by diving at Blue Planet Aquarium, Cheshire. Not satisfied with one feat of bravery, she took on a further challenge and swam amongst a shiver of circling sharks.

Pushing the boundaries of bravery is especially heroic for Sophia, whose history of self-harm and moving recovery featured in our last edition of SANEnews.

Here’s a bite from the day:

“How did it feel? Horrible! I could sense my breathing was fast and furious, but couldn’t slow it down… Julie, the trainer, was busy pointing out the sharks to us as if merely communicating on land. It was a very strange sensation. I knew I was scared, I could see it in my friends’ eyes that they knew I was scared, and yet here we all were, getting on with it and taking photos! P.S. I did get my revenge -I had fishcakes for dinner!”

James CarringtonJames Carrington, the talented singer/songwriter and longstanding supporter of SANE, held a concert in London’s Bush Hall from which he donated all the profits.

A rising star on the contemporary music circuit, James is best known for his song Ache: his signature tune which featured in the hit shows ER and The O.C.

As well as playing usual favourites, he delighted the concert crowd with a sneak preview of tracks from his new album to be released later this year. Sacha Skarbek, winner of two Ivor Novello Awards and Grammy- nominated songwriter and producer, stepped onto the stage to accompany James at the piano, as well as guest vocalist Lara Cazalet. Highlights from the show included the performance of No Man’s Land – an emotive song about depression - and the stirring Break the Silence.

Can you donate £10?With each £10 donated to SANE we can provide 30 minutes of emotional support to an individual experiencing distress or difficulty due to mental illness. Therefore, when one of our supporters raises £500 it can benefit as many as 50 people who may be lonely and in desperate need. Please help.


Keith Smart, musician and guitar fan, is the delighted buyer. Read his account of the passion that drove him to the auction:

“As a teenager I was fascinated by Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield. It inspired me to compose and record

an instrumental piece using a stylophone and two cassette recorders!

“Many years later I still think Mike’s music is timeless and I am still playing my own music too. By chance I happened to stumble across a photograph of Mike Oldfield’s Fender Telecaster guitar on

the Internet. I read that the guitar that he used to record Tubular Bells was being sold to raise money for SANE.

“I was forced to leave work in my office last year due to ill health and the payment I received bought me the guitar. My wife Francine and I both

admire Mike’s music. This guitar is not just a keepsake though, I have been using it this week in the studio.

“Thank you to all at SANE for helping me acquire this historic instrument”.

The guitar fetched £6,500.

Sale of Mike Oldf ield’s guitar

Tanks, sharks and digital snaps

Back to bedlamThe Bethlem Royal Hospital – ‘Bedlam’ - was the first psychiatric hospital. One of SANE’s special advisors on psychosis, Consultant Psychiatrist and Senior Lecturer Dr James MacCabe, describes its history and role today and the National Psychosis Service that his team offers.

15www.sane.org.uk

HistoryThe Bethlem Royal Hospital is set in 250 acres of parkland on the outskirts of London. It is the oldest and probably the most famous psychiatric hospital in the world. The word Bethlem is one of several medieval corruptions of the original name, “Bethlehem”. The hospital was named “Bedlam” in its most notorious period, and the name survives as a slang word for disruption or confusion.

The Priory of St Mary of Bethlehem was founded in 1247, on the site of the modern Liverpool Street Station in London. It soon started functioning as a hospital, and is thought to have started taking in people with mental disorders sometime before 1357. The hospital moved several times,

including to the site of the modern Imperial War Museum, finally arriving at its current location near Beckenham in Kent in 1930.

Although today it is at the forefront of modern mental health care, the hospital has a sorry history of inhumane and degrading treatments for much of its history, particularly during the 18th Century, when it was a notorious London landmark, charging visitors one penny for the opportunity to stare at the patients.

Current Services Fortunately things have changed since then and the hospital is now the home of the National Psychosis Service of the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust. The National Psychosis Service spec ialises in evidence-based, cutting-edge treatment for people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other similar disorders, particularly where local treatment has been unsuccessful or only partially successful in relieving symptoms. The Service is fully NHS-funded, and anyone receiving NHS treatment can access it free of charge. Referrals can be from the person’s psychiatrist or general practitioner. We can offer advice and second opinions on medication, diagnosis or any other aspect of care. We initially assess everyone who is referred to us at an outpatient appointment, where the person and their family consult with a consultant psychiatrist.

In some cases, we are able to offer admission to our inpatient service at the Bethlem Royal Hospital. As well as providing the latest medical treatments, we have a strong focus on psychological treatments, rehabilitation and recovery, and reducing the risk of readmission through exploring what has led to breakdowns in the past and how to avoid this happening in future. The doctors, nurses, pharmacists and psychologists who work in the service are experts in their field, with the majority also undertaking research into the causes of psychotic disorders, and the effectiveness of both existing and new treatments. Anyone referred to our unit has the opportunity of participating in clinical trials of new treatments that we are assessing on the unit. We also have a carers’ support group which meets once a month. We are always happy to hear from anyone who is interested in accessing our service or finding out more about it. You are welcome to contact us for more information on 020 3228 4271 or by post at National Psychosis Unit, Bethlem Royal Hospital, Monks Orchard Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 3BF.

Women and schizophrenia: a call for research participantsResearch, conducted through Middlesex University, is investigating whether counseling and psychotherapy impact on the rehabilitation/recovery of women diagnosed with schizophrenia. The aim is to learn how counselors might improve their services. Women with schizophrenia who have past experience of individual, one-to-one

counseling or psychotherapy (not cognitive behavioural therapy, psychoanalysis or psychoanalytic therapy) are invited to take part.

For more information contact Roz Hewitt via email at: [email protected]; or phone her on 020 8340 4824.

Bethlem Royal Hospital and grounds

“ The doctors, nurses, pharmacists and psychologists who work in the service are experts in their field, with the majority also undertaking research into the causes

of psychotic disorders…”

A fighting force for mental health


Famous personalities who are friends and Vice Patrons of SANE are speaking up for those whose voices are so often not heard. We are delighted that they give their time and talent for greater public understanding.

Jane Asher “Where SANE is so invaluable is in

not only providing someone to talk to who understands and can offer encouragement, but also in giving the kind of practical information

that is needed.”

Barry Cryer“The crazier the world gets,

the more we need SANE. They are completely involved with

the people they help. Their slogan should be ‘with SANE

you are never alone’, and I can vouch for that.”

Lynda Bellingham“SANE is vital to sanity in the way society deals with mental health.”

Rory Bremner“Whenever another tragedy

involving mental illness hits the headlines, I know that SANE will be

out there, putting it into context, raising people’s awareness of the issues and explaining the

importance of their work for all those involved. SANE offers hope that mental illness will find a way out of the darkness and neglect

from which it has suffered.”

BBC AppealWe are thrilled that the BBC has chosen SANE for the Radio 4 Appeal to be aired on Sunday 11 July 2010. Rory Bremner has agreed to make the appeal on our behalf. We hope you will tell everyone you know, so that it will bring in substantial donations.

17www.sane.org.uk

A fighting force for mental healthFellow Vice Patrons:• The Rt. Hon. The Lord Kinnock

• Professor Colin Blakemore FRS Hon FRCP

Rowan Atkinson

Cherie Booth QC

Frank Bruno MBE

Michael Buerk

Stephanie Cole OBE

Barry Cryer OBE

Dame Judi Dench CH DBE

Edward Fox OBE

Sir David Frost OBE

Barry Humphries AO CBE

Virginia Ironside

Sir Jeremy Isaacs

Gary Kemp

Ross Kemp

Nick Mason

Ian McShane

Anna Massey CBE

Sir Jonathan Miller CBE

David Mitchell

James Naughtie

Trevor Phillips

Tim Pigott-Smith

Claire Rayner OBE

Griff Rhys Jones

Nick Ross

Timothy Spall OBE

Juliet Stevenson CBE

Fay Weldon CBE FRSI

Victoria Wood CBE

Joanna Lumley OBE“I have always admired SANE’s

independent stance and support the charity’s ongoing battle to ensure better rights and care

for people with mental health problems.”

Alastair Stewart OBE“Ignorance and prejudice are terrifying partners. SANE has

always bravely and consistently battled against both and held high the banners of care and

compassion.”

Michael Palin CBE“I know how much help SANE

gives to those who become lost in the uncharted territory of

mental illness. It is important in difficult times that people feel

they are not alone.”

Carole Stone“As someone whose brother

suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, I am very pleased

to be a patron of SANE. I only wish it had been available to me

and my family in those days.”

Frank Bruno MBE, a candid spokesperson on his own mental health difficulties.


Akmal ShaikhSANE campaigned to support Akmal Shaikh, who faced execution in China for drug smuggling. The father of three from North London, who suffered from bipolar disorder, appeared to have been duped to carry a briefcase containing heroin through customs.

SANE campaigned alongside groups such as legal action charity Reprieve for clemency due to Mr Shaikh’s obvious mental health problems. SANE’s Chief Executive appeared on BBC TV and radio, Channel 4 and Sky.

“ a brutal and sad day for the rights of mentally ill people everywhere”

Despite high-level representations, Mr Shaikh became the first EU national to be executed in China for more than 50 years. SANE commented that this was “a brutal and sad day for the rights of mentally ill people everywhere”.

CannabisConcern over the damaging effects of cannabis, particularly skunk, continued to be reflected in the media following its reclassification in January 2009. We were interviewed

for BBC1 soon after, while a letter responding to the furore over Julie Myerson’s book The Lost Child, in which the author documented her young son’s cannabis habit, was published in The Sunday Times.

Self-harmFollowing the publication of SANE’s research into self-harm, the Chief Executive appeared on BBC Radio 4’s All in the Mind, to discuss its findings and debate the best treatment strategies. The research exploded many of the myths surrounding self harm, such as that it is attention-seeking, a failed suicide bid or behaviour restricted to teenage girls. The report also recommended a more permissive approach to treatment, in which self-harmers are encouraged to feel better about their behaviour, in order to break the cycle.

In the newsPro-anorexia websites SANE welcomed an ITV crew to its offices to film an interview by the presenter Fearne Cotton for a one-hour primetime special, The Truth About Anorexia, on the proliferation of pro-eating disorder websites. The in-depth discussion drew upon SANE’s own research, which found that young people use such sites as a substitute for social contact and emotional support from family and friends. The show reached an audience of some 5 million viewers.

…STOP PRESS…STOP PRESS…STOP PRESS…STOP PRESS…STOP PRESS

Mental health cuts We are daily receiving reports of cuts in mental health services - from patients, families, professionals and health organisations. We hear of hospital and community provision pared back or put on hold, and trained and experienced professionals rationed. We are concerned about the damaging effects this will have, especially for people with more severe mental illness.

With the Royal College of Psychiatrists and others, we will seek to stop these harmful cuts and ask anyone who knows of developments in their area that they believe will be detrimental to care and treatment to let us know by contacting Sara Zmertych at [email protected]

New website We’re launching our new website in the summer, offering visitors many more opportunities to join in SANE’s work. You can take part in research, add your voice to our campaigns, share mental health experiences, get support via the SANE Support Forum, learn about mental health, sign up for volunteering and make donations.

www.sane.org.uk will incorporate video technology, blogging and make it easy to share information via social media.

Charity of the Year We’ve been chosen as Charity of the Year by healthcare communications consultancy Chandler Chicco Companies (CCC) for a year-long collaboration. Staff will donate 500 hours of their time – worth £70,000 – to boost awareness, fundraising and volunteering. Fiona Hall, CCC’s European Managing Director: “We have long admired SANE’s work and look forward to a productive year ahead.”




Tear

alo

ng th

is fo

ld to

rem

ove

the

form








in the East End






19 Thanks
























2www.sane.org.uk



Copyright SANE 2010




Mental illness affects us all

Name:

Address:

Postcode:

Tel: Email:

I’d like to donate £10 £25 £50 £100 Other £

Please make your cheque/postal order/CAF voucher payable to SANEOR please debit the above amount from my:

Visa/Delta MasterCard Maestro CAF Card

Card No:

Valid From: / Expiry Date: / Issue No: (Maestro only)


Standing OrderI’d like to donate regularly to SANE. Please send me a Standing Order form:

M M Y Y M M Y Y

Y YM MD D

Credit Card / Cheque / Standing Order

Once completed, please return this form to: SANE Freepost, WD528, London E1 1BRYou can also make a donation by calling SANE on 020 7422 5544. Alternatively, donate online at www.sane.org.uk SANE Registered Charity Number 296572 Please tick here if you DO NOT wish SANE to contact you

giftaid it If you are a UK taxpayer please tick the first box so we can claim back up to 28p for every £1 you give at no extra cost to you.

Yes, I am a UK taxpayer and would like SANE to reclaim the tax on any of the donations I have made in the last four years and any future donations I may make.*


No, I am a non-taxpayer * To qualify for Gift Aid, you must pay an amount of UK Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax at least equal to the tax

that SANE will reclaim on your donations in the appropriate tax year.

Y YM MD D

(Security Code)

Regular donations Setting up a standing order in favour of SANE: regular income allows us to meet immediate needs and plan for the years ahead. £5 each month over the course of a year means that we can provide one hour of emotional support and practical information to three individuals in crisis.

There are several ways in which you can help to fund SANE’s work. Donate in your will A significant part of our income comes from gifts left to SANE in wills. Without the thoughtfulness of those who remember us in this way, we simply couldn’t be there to respond 365 days a year.

One-off donationsA single donation can transform a person’s life. Your kindness can bring comfort and hope to people who feel anxious, depressed or alone. Thank you.

From Ian Hislop to you There are so many charities desperate for funds, and having to try and choose amongst all the deserving organisations clamouring for your support is enough to drive you mad. Whoops. There I go again. It’s easy to make jokes (some of us make a living out of it) but I know that mental illness really isn’t a joke. And when it happens to you or to those you love, it becomes very unfunny indeed. That is why I am asking you to support SANE.

It is one of the most frightening and difficult conditions that people affected in any way can face in their lives. We need to know and understand more about this most debilitating of all conditions, which in some way touches every person in society.

SANE faces up to the challenges it causes, always speaking out for those affected with passion and urgency. Its vision is for a society where mental illness is accepted without stigma, discrimination and exclusion; a society where people receive the personal care and attention they need.

Mental illness causes a great deal of personal distress, relationship difficulties, and social problems; often leaving people feeling vulnerable, confused and alone. The impact can be just as traumatic for those indirectly affected: carers, family, and friends: SANE makes sure their needs are not forgotten either.

The charity relies almost entirely on support from voluntary donations, individuals, trusts, legacies, partnerships and companies.

I am supporting SANE because I think I am guilty of not taking mental health seriously. If you felt you could support them too, that would be great.

Thank you.

IAN HISLOP

Partners Programme Update

Last year we established a new major donor scheme whereby a SANE Partner contributes £1,000 each year for three years. Please get in touch if you would like to find out more via email at [email protected] or call 020 7422 5544.

2010/2011

New perspectivesSaneNews_Cover.indd 1 21/6/10 17:31:35




Tear

alo

ng th

is fo

ld to

rem

ove

the

form








in the East End






19 Thanks
























2www.sane.org.uk



Copyright SANE 2010




new perspectives - sane · mike oldfield kim parkash mr r m s parsons wendy perriam john perry...

Documents