Community mental health services in Fraddon, Camborne and Bodmin are opening their doors to showcase the support provided.

Mental health fairs are being held from 10am to 4pm at Boundervean Day Resource centre, Camborne  on Tuesday, May 14, at Fraddon Village Hall  on Wednesday, May 15, and at Trelil Court, Bodmin  on Thursday, May 16.

Crafts made by the users of Boundervean resource centre ( )

Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is staging the fairs to mark Mental Health Awareness Week.

The events form part of the Trust's commitment to amplify the voices of people who use services, as well as addressing stigma around mental health and signposting support.  

The fairs will bring together more than 13 voluntary sector organisations including Pentreath, Sport in Mind, Music for Good, Healthy Cornwall and Cornwall Mind.

Members of the Trust’s Talking Therapies, perinatal and complex emotional difficulties services will also have stalls.  

Sarah-Lou Skitt, the head of nursing and allied professionals for the community mental health team, said: “Admitting to and asking for support for mental health issues takes courage.

“In bringing together members of local mental health charity sector organisations and NHS specialists in one relaxed space, we hope that people can have informal discussions about the support they need.”  

As well as signposting support, the fairs will be an opportunity to have fun.

Sarah-Lou said: “These days are about celebrating. The journey to recovery can be hard when you have mental health challenges.

“We want to celebrate that hard work and the people and organisations that support the process.  

“People who use our services have spent weeks preparing decorations. There is a real buzz around these events.

“Local organisations have donated raffle prizes. We are hoping the sun will be shining, we can be outside, and people can enjoy a Cornish cream team with us.”

Music for Good are running music workshops and local artists are running art and gardening sessions to aid the celebrations.

Resource centre recovery worker Zannagh Hatton said: “We want to remind people that whilst mental health is bringing us together at these events, we are all so much more than our mental health.

“We can all benefit from creating art, making music, and spending time chatting over lunch or a cream tea."