Ashford Place, the Cricklewood-based charity, held a mental health, arts, music and film festival at the Kiln Theatre in Kilburn recently.
The event started with some words from Brian Dalton, CEO of Irish in Britain. This is followed by a welcome from Brent Mayor Cllr Ryan Hack.
The event was compered by Michael O’Hare.
Things got going with a warm-up singalong led by London-based singer and guitarist, Jamie Whellington.
There was then a poetry recital featuring Wil, a mental health survivor followed by a presentation of short films by Wondering Minds CIC. Wondering Minds CIC is a a London- based Community Interest Company (CIC) founded in May 2021.
Its mission is to explore and provide creative, community led interventions to address mental health challenges particularly through storytelling, art and nature- based experiences.
Cady Stone, an abstract painter, presented his visual art that reflects his journey through mental health recovery.
Danny Maher, CEO of Ashford Place, chaired a Q and A session with Wil, Wondering CIC and Cady Stone.
There was music featuring some musicians from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’ s Resound Programme.
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s Resound Programme is a community and education initiative designed to bring orchestral music to a wide range of people.
There was stand up comedy by Steve Taylor.
There was a performance by Joy Dementia Choir which is made up of people living with dementia and their families.
There was also a performance from Ashford Place’s Singing for Wellbeing Choir.
There was storytelling from Chris Mullins, a client of Ashford Place who hails from Northern Ireland and uses storytelling to help with his wellbeing.
There was music from Victoria Lamb or Vicky Vibes as she is known. Vicky has suffered from psychosis and depression since childhood but is inspired by Outsider Music.
The day of entertainment was brought to a close with traditional Irish music led by Karen Ryan of Irish Music and Dance London.
Danny Maher, CEO of Ashford Place, told The Irish World: “We’re very happy with a very good turnout here at the Kiln in Kilburn.
“I think we promoted the view that arts in health should be funded, should be supported by central and local government, should be available to local people as a means of helping them with their well being and for people that have mental health challenges to help them with their recovery.
“We had a lot of Irish content and it’s wonderful to see.
“Everybody knows the depth of art in music, songs, dance in the Irish community and we want to share that with other communities because we know that it’s fun.
“We all feel good being part of it and it’s just good for our mental health and indeed, our physical health because we’re dancing a lot as well and jumping around.”
The day continued the message of Ashford Place’s previous Shout festivals and Shout Sport which took place earlier this year.
“It’s all the same message.
“There’s an increase in mental health problems.
“We all know that from the news and from our own conversations and it is local charities like ours, we had great help from our funders like the Irish government and JJ Rhatigans, we were able to push this agenda and create more opportunities for people to experience the arts or if they’re artists themselves to develop their particular art and at the same time help them to improve their well being and mental health.
“Our motto is wellbeing through the arts and that’s going to be one of the key messages at Ashford Place for the coming years.”
Asked if the festival will return Danny said: “This was a test case now so I think it worked well.
“We’ll go away and look at it in detail, see if there’s any lessons we need to learn and if there are interested parties out there, happy to work with them and do this again because I think it’s important.”
Michael O’Hare said: “I was delighted to be part of it all.
““It was a fantastic day.
“I learned a lot about people’s stories and the trauma they carry and the loads they carry in their lives.
“It was a fantastic day to have such a great event and I hope that Danny and Ashford Place it going well, keep it going for another session next year.
“Hopefully that will be the case.”
Renee Gallagher from Ashford Place said: “It’s been fantastic.
“We’ve had a great turnout and we’re delighted to see lots of our service users here and the amount of bravery and the performance and talent that they have and the talent that we’re nurturing with them, with some of our groups.
“It’s great to see our older Irish community come and support our younger performers and service users as they’re a very good example of community cohesion and how their friendships means that they don’t live feeling that they’re so socially isolated.”
Lola Pickford of the Singing for Wellbeing Choir, said: “We’re just very proud of everybody. They did a really good job.
“They all had fun as well which was the most important thing, I think.”
On the choir Lola added: “It’s just a fun thing to do together.
“We get together once a week and just have a bit of a laugh.
“We don’t take it too seriously but I think it’s a very special thing to do.”
Renee adds: “It’s always open for new members and to qualify, you have to be told at least once in your life that you shouldn’t be singing or have made somebody cry with your singing.”