Happy May and Hello to Spring. Hopefully the sunshine will stay as it’s always such a mood lifter. Please see details below on how to share things with us for our Capital Creative pages and also please see our diary for all the events that you could join in with this month.

Coordinator News:

A wonderful insight into being a Capital Peer Worker from Richard Love, who celebrates 12 years working for Capital:

“I am a Capital Peer Worker, Peer Support Specialist, Peer Trainer, I was a Staff Governor at SPFT for 3 years.

It all began when I became a Capital member in 2008. I don't remember how I was invited, yet I was invited to a "Capital meeting " at the Salvation army Hall in Bognor Regis. There I met like-minded people, kind, caring and friendly. There was a sense of togetherness, empathy and understanding. I was hooked.

To cut a long story short my first engagement with Capital started with Patients View Point (PVP). This gave me an insight, an overview of what it's like to work on a "ward". Fast forward a couple of years, I then obtained work for Capital Project Trust as a Peer Support worker, working at Meadowfield Hospital in Worthing and Langley Green Hospital in Crawley, before relocating to working on Oaklands ward in Chichester in 2012 and where I still am today.

Working for Capital Project Trust as a Peer Support worker (now known as a Capital Peer Worker) gave me the confidence and ambition to apply for work with Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, obtaining roles such as a Peer Support specialist, Peer trainer and Staff Governor. I will be forever grateful to Capital Project Trust for these opportunities.

At one point I had a serious mental illness, with no home to go to and now thanks to Capital I work 5 days a week, have a nice home, a nice car and I'm with my soul mate – Cat, we have been together for over 16 years.

I have observed other transformations within Capital Project as well from members who have engaged with Capital, so to speak, the most dynamic story that comes to mind is the story of Lisa Paffett. Whom tried to take her own life and then became a patient on Oaklands ward in 2016. Clearly Lisa went through a lot of suffering. As a Peer Support worker back then and Lisa being a patient at that time, we established rapport and a close working relationship. Suffice to say, Lisa healed, recovered and then became a Capital member and she just flourished and bloomed, she became a Peer Support worker (Capital Peer Worker) and excelled at that position and then landed the position of Capital Locality Co-ordinator and became my Boss. What a success story Lisa is!!!

Capital Project Trust makes Dreams come true...Thank you Capital.”

-Richard Love.

CAPITAL's Creative Pages

Welcome to May’s Creative & Wellbeing Pages, where we share all things therapeutic, expressive and helpful for our struggles and wellbeing. Spring (should be ) at last getting underway, with its reminders that things often get colder, darker and more exhausting just before we get those breakthroughs we have worked for! Change is rarely easy, but with our willingness and mutual support, we can enjoy the spoils of summer.

Please send all ideas to lucy.parsonage@capitalproject.org and jenna.dickens@capitalproject.org by the end of the second to last week in every month.

A Splash of Art

-Tom – Crawley Hub

Self Help and Knowledge

Michael, a Crawley Hub member, went on a beautiful walk in Tilgate Park, He goes on these walks because he finds them incredibly therapeutic and they keep him well.

Perhaps there is somewhere local to you, where you could go for a walk and feel connected to nature, like Michael has.

Random Bits and Creative Bobs

A couple of lovely photos from Lucy our Northern Coordinator, happy room arrangements in her home.

Do you have areas in your home that are perfect for sitting and reading or reflecting?

Localities

Unfortunately due to staff shortage at the moment, there will not be localities held this month for Western or AAW.

Capital Birthdays

We had a couple of birthdays celebrated at one of our Capital Connections groups in April – Tabitha and Ruth, over the page you’ll see a photo of them both and photos of the new tattoos Tabitha got for her birthday.