No-Label-Required-Spring-2010

January 2010
NO LABEL REQUIRED
The Magazine For R F Service Users - Issue Number 6 - January 20 1 0
Richmond Fellowship Service User Magazine | www.richmondfellowship.org.uk | [email protected] | Tel: 020 7697 3317
Welcome to the January 2010
edition of No Label Required!
Inside we have an interview with former boxing heavyweight champion of the world, Frank
Bruno, several new features and articles on our 50th anniversary celebrations around the
country since our public launch in October. Don’t forget, this magazine is for you. Send us
your stories, artwork, interests, in fact anything that you think people will be interested in.
Contents
RF ON THE 4TH PLINTH
WHEN CLIFF MET FRANK
TALKING DEPRESSION
LAUNCH RECEPTION AT THE BALTIC
POWERFUL PERFORMANCES
DISAPPOINTMENT INTO CELEBRATION
A MAGICAL EVENING AMONGST THE REEDS
DOUBLE CELEBRATION
OUTSIDE IN
OUT AND ABOUT IN LIVERPOOL
SCOUSE RECIPE
HOROSCOPES
FILM REVIEWS
RECIPES FOR UNDER A TENNER
RF’S REBRAND PRAISED
IN MY HUMBLE OPINION
3
4
6
7
8
9
9
10
11
12
14
15
16
17
18
20
Attention Thames!
15th April 2010 is Service User day
Prepare for a fun filled day with lots of activities,
workshops, some performances and a free lunch!
More detailed information will be coming soon,
but for now, please note:
Thursday 15th April 2010
10am until 5pm
Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ
We are looking for as much involvement as possible,
so if you have any queries or would like to get involved,
please contact Nellie at Head Office on: 020 7697 3324
or email: [email protected]
Rt Hon. Andy Burnham MP, Secretary of State for Health and Labour MP for Leigh, opening RF’s
landmark Service Reuben’s Court and Leigh Community Resettlement Service on 4th September 2009.
2
th
RF on the 4 plinth
Last summer, sculptor Antony Gormley invited the people of the UK to help create
an astonishing living monument - to occupy the empty Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar
Square in London, a space normally reserved for statues of Kings and Generals.
‘They will become an image of themselves, and a representation of the whole of humanity.
Every hour, 24 hours a day, for 100 days without a break, a different person will make the
Plinth their own. Those selected (by random draws) can use their time on the plinth as they like.
One & Other has been open to anyone and everyone from any corner of the UK, 16 or over, living or
staying in the UK. You can see what’s happening live at www.oneandother.co.uk., and you can look up
previous plinthers’ hours which are available in full on the website – everything they do and say is recorded’.
Rebeka Lord (left), an employment advisor who works
at RF Redhill and is also an artist had a place for one
hour on the 4th plinth in Trafalgar Square on Friday
28th August. She was equipped with RF balloons and
invited people from RF as well as friends to be there.
“It felt as if it was over very quickly. It was very
peaceful up there, you’re lost up there in your own
world. Although I usually feel embarrassed to be the
centre of attention, I’m very glad I did it.
My motivation? Don’t know really – didn’t think I would
get on it when I signed up – but I’m glad I did – so few
people have had the chance to be up there. I loved
one hilarious moment when I threw down a few of the
paper images and two girls were running after it in the
wind screeching with laughter.”
Rebeka Lord on the 4th Plinth
Daphne Ingham’s (right) hour of fame at 4am on
Saturday 10th October on the 4th plinth in Trafalgar
Square was an inspiring and powerful performance.
To everyones delight, 10th October was also World
Mental Health Day.
She weaved together RF, recovery and the challenges
and rewards of open air swimming seamlessly, and to
the delight of the crowd delivered her swimming
exploits wearing a one-piece costume, swimming cap
and goggles!
Thank you all for your messages of support which
Daphne read out from the plinth.
Daphne Ingham in Trafalgar Square
3
WHEN CLIFF MET FRANK
Cliff Hollingbery travelled to London to meet Frank Bruno and to ask
questions about how his life has been affected by Mental Illness.
He was spending lots of money, going walk about in
the middle of the night and directing the traffic in the
road outside his house. His eldest daughter Nicola
had been saying for some time that she thought
something was wrong with her Dad, she had
questioned the changes in his behaviour. She had
been staying with Frank after his marriage had broken
down because she was so worried about him.
One morning in September 2003, Frank had become
upset and angry at his home, the Police were called
and he was sectioned and taken to Goodmayes
Hospital for treatment. It took quite a few police to get
Frank to the hospital and he had to be heavily sedated.
Frank Bruno chatting with Service Users
The first thing I noticed, as Frank entered the room,
was his size, he is even bigger than he appears on
the TV, this may sound like a strange thing to say,
but you don’t really get an idea of someone’s size
from the television!
He was smiling and laughing, his laugh is very
deep and hearing it just made me laugh. He seemed
happy and confident as he sat down in front of us.
I remember thinking, that’s Frank Bruno!
I asked Frank about when he first became unwell; he
explained that things had been going wrong for him
since losing his World Title to Mike Tyson in 1996.
“I decided to retire from boxing soon after losing
in Las Vegas, but didn’t know what I was going to do
next. I found it very hard not being in the ring, I’d been
boxing for 14 years”.
1998 his family persuaded him to see a psychiatrist,
“one minute I was up, the next minute I was down”,
he was diagnosed with manic depression (now called
Bipolar), although it wasn’t until September 2003 that
he was taken in to hospital. Frank spoke about being
afraid, not understanding what Bipolar meant.
He started working as a DJ, traveling all over the country,
he used his work to stop his mind thinking, he was
trying to burn himself out. Although he was acting in
pantomimes, appearing on TV shows and DJ-ing, he had
somehow lost his way. He had stopped working out,
wasn’t eating properly, people were shocked at how thin
he’d got. Frank admitted that he was having problems,
he’d been acting strangely for quite some time.
4
Frank went on to talk about his time in hospital. He
said that he was happy there and knew that he was
in the right place.
He wanted help and he wanted to understand exactly
what his illness was. He spoke about how well he had
been treated by all the Staff, he wishes that he could
visit them to thank them properly for all they did for
him, but he still finds it too upsetting to go back.
I could see that Frank found it difficult to talk about
his illness. I asked Frank about his motivation when
he was in hospital. “My main motivation was and still
is my kids”.
Cliff Hollingbery
Did You Know?
“Media coverage of Frank Bruno's problems
raised controversy, the principal accusations
were gross intrusion and insensitivity. Particular
criticism was aimed at The Sun, whose headline
in the first editions the next day read "Bonkers
Bruno Locked Up".
Second editions retracted the headline and
attempted to portray a more sympathetic
attitude towards Bruno and mental health in
general. As an attempt at atonement, the paper
established a charity fund for the victims of
mental illness, although some mental health
charities (including the RF) condemned The
Sun's latter action that day as being grossly
cynical in the light of the former”.
D?
N EW R F B RAN
“It makes you it”
e
think, I can mak
r
se
U
ce
vi
Ser
“Most of my life I’ve been told what to do:
In reform school, on the building site, in the
gym, on the stage. But in the hospital at
Goodmayes, they asked what I wanted to do”
5
TALKING DEPRESSION
Lynne Firmager
This type of depression is usually referred to as
‘endogenous’ – that is without any obvious causes,
as opposed to ‘reactive’ which results from unhappy
life events such as bereavement or any other traumatic
experiences. 85% of people who experience a
depressive episode will do so again in the future.
There is some evidence that depression may have
a genetic influence, meaning vulnerability can
be inherited.
Treatment is usually antidepressants, psychotherapy
or cognitive behavioural therapy, all of which can
produce significant relief. “(My GP) ...was marvellous
and at last, after a lifetime of covering up and
struggling on, I got the specialist help I needed.”
We all get the blues sometimes but depression
as a diagnosis is something quite different.
The clinically depressed will typically have been
experiencing symptoms for weeks, months and even
in some cases years. Sufferers report being lethargic,
Many GP’s surgeries also employ community
psychiatric nurses to provide support through the
therapeutic process. This can be very helpful while one
finds oneself on long waiting lists for therapy or just to
have a listening ear. They can also help you to find
local support groups and organisations.
“I ended up sleeping a lot, hiding curled up under the covers on bad days
or hiding away in a chair in a corner of my bedroom, unable to face even
my house, doing just the necessities and in fact, not wanting to go on.”
disinterested or unable to find pleasure in anything.
Many experience a significant increase or decrease in
appetite and lose or gain weight. Women are two or
three times more likely to suffer depression than men.
“Depression is a debilitating illness, it wrecks lives,
I can feel the onset of a new episode before it arrives;
I become confused, the mind goes fuzzy and all
motivation drifts away.” Neil Seany-Smith, Poole.
A major depressive episode is characterised by a
persistently sad or anxious or empty mood, feelings of
hopelessness and pessimism, and a loss of emotional
expression. Sleep disturbance and/or insomnia are
common, as are early morning waking and a lack of
energy. Some people experience problems
concentrating or remembering things and making
decisions while others find themselves unusually
restless or irritable. “I ended up sleeping a lot, hiding
curled up under the covers on bad days or hiding
away in a chair in a corner of my bedroom, unable to
face even my house, doing just the necessities and in
fact, not wanting to go on.” Anonymous, Wiltshire.
In some cases patients initially present themselves
to their GP complaining of physical problems such
as headaches or other chronic pains that do not
respond to treatment. The most serious symptom
of depression is frequent thoughts of suicide
and/or suicide attempts.
6
“(My CPN) ...was unbelievable. She visited me,
listened to my despair and to tons and tons of
negativity. Then I didn’t feel alone. Over the weeks she
supported me, prodded me into action and helped me
build up my confidence. Then she put me in touch with
Richmond Fellowship.”
The good news is that with proper treatment four
out of five patients improve with time.
Launch
Reception
at
the
baltic
North East reception at the Baltic Centre, Gateshead, 20 October
th
1 in 4 exhibit
NEW RF
BRAND?
“It says I’
alive
and kickm
ing!”
Service U
ser
Our formal launch reception was held at the
stunning Baltic Centre in Gateshead Quays.
Attended by Service Users, Staff, local
commissioners and dignitaries including the
Mayor of Sunderland and his wife, the evening
was a great success.
Stephanie de la Haye, a recently appointed Board
member, spoke on behalf of the Board and read
out a selection of the hundreds of messages
of congratulation we have received for our 50th.
The event featured an exhibit ‘1 in 4’ inspired by
Antony Gormley’s Field. This comprised 360 clay
figures, 1 in 4 of which
were painted blue to symbolise the number
of people who will experience mental health
problems at some point in their lives.
The exhibit, which was created by Service Users,
is now on a grand tour of our other receptions
around the country.
A special thank you to Carole Hall and her Staff
who worked so hard, and made the venue look
wonderful on the night with our new marketing
and display materials.
Mark Thorp
7
PowerfuL performances
The 2nd October 2009 saw a very
special event held at the Unity
Theatre in Liverpool to celebrate
50 years of Richmond Fellowship
and to coincide with World Mental
Health Day.
The event was introduced by
ex-Brookside actress Eithne Brown
(aka Chrissy Rogers), and was
attended by Service Users, Staff,
Maggie Hysel and various other
invited dignitaries. In all there were
approximately 150 people
in attendance.
The main highlight of the day was
a very powerful 35 minute play
called “Branded” which explored
the impact of a variety of mental
health problems and the stigma
which surrounds them. The play
was written by our very own Tracy
Aston from Liverpool DISH
following interviews and workshops
with Service Users and discussions
with Staff. Four of our Service
Users’ journeys were read during
the play by actors. They provided
great insight into what it is like to
live with a mental health problem
and highlighted the distances
people had travelled in recovering
their lives and effectively managing
their problems. Service Users
involved in the play felt that all the
issues they had wished to see
explored had been included and
effectively woven together.
The play itself told the stories of five
different people and how they had
been labelled with various terms.
The first was Billy who had been
diagnosed with bi-polar affective
disorder at the age of twenty and
suffered the effects of stigma from
Staff on the psychiatric ward.
Second up was Joe; after losing his
jobs, first from Liverpool docks and
later when MFI closed down, he
went on to suffer bouts of
depression for many years. Next we
had Sue who was diagnosed with
schizophrenia following years of
mental domestic abuse. Sue has
since become a Support Worker,
despite previously being
stigmatised by an employer. Louise,
a survivor of childhood sexual abuse
was diagnosed with schizoid
affective disorder at the age of
eighteen and is now fighting to
keep her baby. The final story to be
told, was that of Mary, who had her
baby taken away from her when she
became pregnant outside of
marriage in Ireland, which led to her
developing schizophrenia.
This last story was for me the most
powerful of them all and I am sure
there were more than a few
members of the audience who shed
a tear or two after this performance.
The young actors who performed
were fantastic and very convincing
in their portrayals of each person.
Overall the play was was extremely
powerful and certainly got the
message across about stigma and
its effects on people with mental
health problems.
When the play was finished there
was a performance by local
percussion troupe BeatLife which
included Service Users and Staff.
All percussionists wore a specially
made t-shirt bearing the words
‘BeatLife Beat Stigma’.
This was then followed by a
buffet where our Chief Executive,
Maggie Hysel, launched the new
Richmond Fellowship logo with
a toast of champagne and the
slicing of a specially made
50th Anniversary cake.
Chris Crellin
BeatLife, Service Users & Staff
8
DisapPointment into celebration
Reception for Service Users in the Winter Marquee, Home House, London on 10th November.
In typical RF style we managed
to turn a disappointment into
a celebration!
This reception was due to be
attended by Rt Hon Andy Burnham
MP, Secretary of State for Health,
to be presented with RF’s giant
Birthday card and cut a birthday
cake. As he was due to arrive,
Maggie Hysel received a call from
his office to tell her he was on a
3-line whip to vote.
So John Gatward, our Chair and
Maggie stood in for the Minister,
were presented with the card full of
messages from Services all around
the country and cut the cake with
Service Users. Everyone present
signed another giant Birthday card
as a record of the evening.
50th birthday card presentation
Members of the Service Users Panel
and No Label Required Editorial Board who attended thoroughly enjoyed the
evening, and the opportunity to mix informally with RF’s Board. And you’ll be glad
to hear the Minister has rearranged another meeting with us!
NEW RF BRAN D?
“It says hope, yeah!”
ES Client
By Mark Thorp
a magical evening amongst the reedS
Suffolk Reception at Snape Maltings on the 3rd December
We hosted our Suffolk reception in the beautiful setting of the Aldeburgh Music Festival in early December, for
Service Users, Staff, local commissioners and dignitaries. There were feature artworks by Service Users, a pianist,
the 1 in 4 exhibit was on display and BeatLife who travelled down with Liverpool Service Users joined with Suffolk
Service Users and Staff to play their very distinctive music.
The famous Snape Maltings Reed Beds
and Barbara Hepworth’s sculpture were
dramatically illuminated for the evening.
The event was very well attended, with
an even mix of RF Staff, Service Users,
RF Board Members and local dignitaries.
BeatLife got everyone dancing and clapping,
the atmosphere was lively and the Service
Users artwork was admired by everyone.
A great event, and great to see everyone
mixing together, chatting, laughing and
clapping!
Liverpool and Suffolk performing together
A big thanks to Julie Mayhew, her Staff
and to all involved with the organisation
of the Suffolk reception.
9
Didn’t we do well?
DOUBLE CELEBRATION
Queens Park and The Old Moat Horticultural
Services in Surrey, hosted two very special
events in one week.
NVQ Presentation
On Wednesday 2nd December, Nigel Goldie a
Non-Executive Director of Richmond Fellowship very
kindly agreed to present certificates to seven of the
people attending the Service who, following a year
of intensive portfolio and practical work, have attained
their NVQ level 1 in Horticulture.
The presentation was followed by a buffet lunch
which, judging by the rapid way the food disappeared
was greatly appreciated by all those who attended.
Congratulations goes to all those who achieved
their award.
Richmond Fellowship 50th Anniversary
Saturday 5th December was a day that all Staff and
Clients at The Old Moat Garden Centre had decided
to celebrate Richmond Fellowships 50th anniversary.
To publicise the day, local radio ran a feature and an
article was run in the local paper. We also delivered
2,000 flyers by hand and post to The Mayor,
councillors and other dignitaries as well as local
schools and members of the public living close by,
inviting them to join us at The Moat for a mulled fruit
10
punch, mince pies and to purchase their Christmas
tree and receive a 10% discount on the tree.
We had at least 240 customers visit the Garden
Centre. Each person was given an RF bag or pen and
this gave us the opportunity to talk about Richmond
Fellowship and the ethos behind the Service. Everyone
without exception who was approached were very
appreciative of the Service that Queens Park and
The Old Moat provided on behalf of Richmond
Fellowship within the community. Our sales for the
day were a record (which we have since broken) of
£2,918 and contributed to us selling out of Xmas
Trees by the 14th December (another record broken).
My thanks for the day have to go to the Staff and
Service Users who gave up their time to work on
that Saturday. I think without exception a great day
was had by all.
Queens Park and The Old Moat Service Users
NEW RF BRAN D?
“For me, it says the future
can be brighter and hopeful”
Service User
Outside In
Exhibition, Pallant House, Chichester
Howard Patterson at Outside In exhibition
The term ‘outsider art’ is often
used to describe art produced
outside of the mainstream
professional art world, by people
with little or no formal training
in the subject and/or those
marginalised by disability
or mental health problems.
These artists, despite the talent
evident in their work, rarely have the
opportunity to exhibit in the traditional
setting of a professional gallery.
In 2006 Pallant House Gallery in
Chichester set up the ‘Outside In’
project. Each year artists are invited
to submit their work for
consideration for inclusion in the
yearly ‘Outside In’ exhibition, which
is held at the gallery each summer.
It also offers a series of awards
to the contributors including the
chance to have a residency or solo
show at the gallery. Some of the
pieces of work are also up for sale.
In its first year the competition was
open to artists in Sussex and
included around a hundred artists.
This year it was expanded to cover
the whole of the south east and the
gallery received over 800 entries.
Some of those entries came from
artists from Richmond Fellowship’s
Art Matters Service in Earlswood,
Surrey. Four artists from Art Matters
had their work accepted into the
exhibition and some also sold.
Two trips to view the show were
arranged for Service Users which
were thoroughly enjoyed. The gallery
produced a companion booklet to
accompany the show in which each
artwork was reproduced and the
artists given the opportunity to write
a few lines about their work and
why they feel themselves to be
marginalised artists.
One of the Art Matters artists
included in the show also has some
of his work hanging in reception at
Richmond Fellowship head office.
Ed Berry
David MacKenzie-Dewhirst,
creative lead at Art Matters said
how delighted the Service was
that so many of its Service Users
had work included in the exhibition
and how much Service Users were
looking forward to entering work
next year.
Lynne Firmager
11
Out and About in Liverpool
As part of a new regular series, each issue we will be bringing
you the delights of a different area around the country.
This issue I want to introduce you to Liverpool.
“OH NO! It’s just going to be about the Beatles and
football!” I can hear you all shouting. True, they do
both play a large part in the heritage of Liverpool,
but there is so much more to the area than that
and I hope after reading this you will agree with me.
If you are looking for a great night out, a peaceful walk
through shaded woodland, a cruise on the river or wish
to see some of the best architecture in the world then
Liverpool has it. There are more listed buildings,
museums and galleries in Liverpool than any other
city in the UK except London.
Where better to start our journey of discovery than
from one of the most iconic waterfronts in the world?
The Pier Head is dominated by a trio of buildings
- the Royal Liver Building, with its iconic Liver Birds
perched atop, is probably the most famous of the
“Three Graces”, the other two of which are the Cunard
Building and the Port of Liverpool Building. These
buildings stand as a testament to the great wealth in
the city during the late nineteenth and early twentieth
century. Built in a variety of architectural styles, they
are recognised as being the symbol of Maritime
Liverpool, and are regarded by many as contributing
to one of the most impressive waterfronts in the world.
The whole docklands area, which includes the Three
Graces and Albert Dock, has been given UNESCO
World Heritage Site status. One of the best ways to
view the waterfront is by taking a cruise on one of the
famous Mersey ferries which Gerry Marsden sang
about. Opened by Prince Albert in 1846, the Albert
Dock includes the largest group of Grade 1 listed
buildings in the UK. In recent years the Albert Dock
has been transformed into a major tourist attraction
and is home to award winning visitor attractions such
as Tate Liverpool,
BugWorld
Experience,
Yellow Duck
Tours,
12
The Beatles Story, Shiverpool Ghost Tours,
The Merseyside Maritime Museum and the new
International Slavery Museum.
As well as having two football teams Liverpool is one
of the few cities to have two cathedrals, the Anglican
and the Metropolitan, which are linked by the
appropriately named Hope Street. The Anglican
Cathedral, which was constructed between 1904 and
1978, is the largest Cathedral in Britain and the fifth
largest in the world. The Roman Catholic Metropolitan
Cathedral was constructed between 1962 and 1967
and is known locally as “Paddy’s Wigwam”.
The commercial district is centred around the Castle
Street, Dale Street and Old Hall Street areas of the
city, with many of the area’s roads still following their
medieval layout. The oldest building in the area is the
Grade 1 listed Liverpool Town Hall, which is located
at the top of Castle Street and dates from 1754.
Often regarded as the city’s finest piece of Georgian
architecture, the building is noted as one of the most
extravagantly decorated civic buildings anywhere
in Britain.
Also on Castle Street is the Grade I listed Bank of
England Building, constructed between 1845-1848,
as one of only three provincial branches of the national
bank. Amongst the other noted buildings in the area
are the Tower Buildings, Albion House, the Municipal
Buildings and Oriel Chambers which are considered
to be one of the earliest Modernist style buildings ever
built. The area around William Brown Street is referred
to as the city’s ‘Cultural Quarter’, owing to the
presence of numerous civic buildings, including the
William Brown Library, Walker Art Gallery, Picton
Reading Rooms and World Museum Liverpool.
The area is dominated by neo-classical
architecture, of which the most
prominent, St George’s Hall, is widely
regarded as the best example of a
neo-classical building anywhere in
Europe. A Grade I listed building, it was constructed
between 1840 and 1855 to serve a variety of civic
functions in the city and its doors are inscribed with
“S.P.Q.L.” (Latin senatus populusque Liverpudliensis),
meaning “the senate and people of Liverpool”. William
Brown Street is also home to numerous public
monuments and sculptures, including Wellington’s
Column and the Steble Fountain.
Many others are located around the area, particularly
in St John’s Gardens, which were specifically
developed for this purpose. A short walk away from
here you will find the National Conservation Centre
which showcases the work which the conservators
do for the museums with exhibitions and hands on
demonstrations. For contemporary art there are a
number of galleries throughout the city.
Probably the best known is The Bluecoat which is the
oldest building in Liverpool city centre and the oldest
arts venue of its kind in the UK. Other venues include
N EW R F B RAN
D?
of the theatres
“It makes me feel
around the city.
po
si
ti
ve,
hopeful and full
of en
The Everyman,
Service User ergy”
which is situated
between the two
cathedrals, concentrates on world premiers of new
plays by Liverpool writers and actors. The Liverpool
Playhouse is one of the oldest rep theatres in the
country. The Unity theatre provides a mix of drama,
dance, comedy, music and art. There are various other
fringe theatre groups throughout the city. The largest
venue is the Echo Arena which has played host to
some of the biggest names and events in
entertainment since it opened.
Music plays a very big part in the culture of Liverpool
and is so much more than just The Beatles even
though the main tourist attractions are geared up to tie
in with the Fab Four. Liverpool is officially the UK’s
Capital of Pop.
Music plays a very big part in the culture of
Liverpool and is so much more than just The
Beatles even though the main tourist attractions
are geared up to tie in with the Fab Four.
Liverpool is officially the UK’s Capital of Pop.
FACT (The Foundation for Art and Creative
Technology), the Open Eye photographic gallery,
The Blackie in Chinatown, and on Rodney Street,
Mr Hardman’s Home Photographic Studio,
the former home and business of acclaimed
photographer Edward Chambre Hardman between
1948-1988 which contains his studio, darkroom,
living quarters and exhibitions of his work.
This is reflected in the huge amount of venues that
host live music, you can find live muse music any time
of the day or night in Liverpool’s bars and clubs.
These clubs have been the training ground for many
top artists including the likes of Frankie Goes To
Hollywood, Echo And The Bunnymen, Space, The
Coral, Atomic Kitten and, of course, The Beatles.
One of the more unusual attractions to visit is the
Williamson Tunnels which consist of a labyrinth of
tunnels in the Edge Hill area which were built under
the direction of the eccentric businessman Joseph
Williamson between the early 1800s and 1840, for no
reason other than to give employment to local men.
Part of the labyrinth of tunnels has been opened to the
public as a heritage centre.
Every August sees the hosting of the Matthew Street
festival which attracts thousand of visitors to see and
listen to all the fantastic bands that come to play
throughout the weekend. But it’s not just pop music
that we excel at, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Orchestra is world-renowned, and offers an
outstanding programme of classical music at its
beautiful art-deco hall. You can also see world music,
folk, blues and high-quality pop acts there.
The Liverpool Empire is probably the best known
Chris Crellin
13
Scouse recipe
NEW RF BRAN D?
Chris Crellin
History
Scouse was brought to Liverpool
by Northern European sailors, it
was originally called Labskause.
This was finally shortened to
Skause and over time the spelling
changed to the version we have
today, Scouse.
A pot of Scouse slow cooking
Of course no visit to Liverpool
would be complete without
trying a bowl of the local
delicacy, ‘Scouse’ is one of
those great traditions that
goes back years to the days
when Liverpool was a bustling
sea port.
Scouse is a lamb stew that has
been handed down between
generations of Liverpudlians. The
word comes from Lobscouse, a
stew eaten by sailors in Northern
Europe that became popular in
ports like Liverpool.
Over the centuries, the dish has
become so intertwined with
Liverpool that the local accent
and dialect have come to be
known as Scouse. Meanwhile,
natives of the city are referred to
as Scousers.
Cheap to Make
Traditionally, Scouse was made
using leftovers from a joint of
meat from the start of the week.
But it’s now perfectly acceptable
to use fresh ingredients, as with
the recipe below.
It’s still a cost-effective recipe, as
one pan of Scouse will go a long
way. The dish can be refrigerated,
re-heated and even added to,
providing more than just one
meal.
The dish can be served
immediately. However, it usually
has more flavour after it has been
stored in the fridge overnight and
reheated. Traditionally, scouse is
served with pickled beetroot or
red cabbage, and white bread
and butter.
14
The people who ate Scouse were
all generally sailors and their
families and eventually all sailors
within Liverpool were referred to
as Scousers. Time has now taken
its turn and everyone from the
region of Liverpool is known
as a Scouser.
Scouse holds a place in the
heart of most Liverpudlians as
the taste of their hometown and
is still regularly eaten today by
a great number of families,
including my own.
“When I was ill, I didn’t
want to live. Sparky
reminds
me of passion for lif
e”
ES Client
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4-6 people
Half a Pound of Stewing Steak
Half a Pound of Lambs Breast
A Large Onion
1lb of Carrots
5lb of Potatoes
2 Oxo Cubes
2 Teaspoons of Vegetable Oil
Worcester Sauce
Salt and Pepper
Water
HOW TO COOK
Takes 4 hours of slow cooking
Cut the meat into large cubes
and fry in the vegetable oil until
lightly browned all over. You
may wish to add some
Worcester Sauce at this point
for added flavour.
There are records showing that
it was also served to the inmates
of the Birkenhead workhouse way
back in 1864. The recipe was
much simpler then than today’s
refined version but was
predominantly the same staple
ingredients - meat, vegetables
and potatoes.
Transfer the meat to a large
saucepan and add the onion
that should have been chopped
into large chunks. Follow this
by chopping the carrot into
slices and place this on the
meat. Peel and then finely dice
1lb of the potatoes and place
on top of the carrots.
Scouse can be ready made and
kept for up to 2 days. Keep it
covered in a refrigerator and
reheat in a saucepan. Most
people prefer the added depth
of flavour that reheating adds.
Fill the pan with cold water until
it is half full. Break up the Oxo
cubes and sprinkle into the
water. Add salt and pepper for
seasoning. Let the pan simmer
gently, stirring occasionally.
The large pieces of onion will
start to break up and the potato
will become soft and will make
the final sauce thick.
Blind Scouse was a variation on
the above recipe and was eaten
by the poorer people as it was
cheaper to make because it did
not contain meat.
Variations
The vegetarian option is known
as “blind scouse”. This is
achieved by merely omitting
the meat from the recipe.
There is no definitive scouse
recipe. It varies between
households, but I hope you like
my version of it. The dish can
also be made with beef.
Simmer for a total of two hours,
then add the remaining
potatoes that should have been
peeled and roughly chopped,
along with a few splashes of
Worcester Sauce. Then simmer
for another two hours.
Serve piping hot with red
cabbage, beetroot, pickled
onions and crusty bread.
Horoscopes
CAPR ICOR N
Hit it all you want, but the
lift will take as long as it
will
take no matter how force
fully you
press the button. Hair ca
n be red.
Hair can be blue. You ha
ve some
hair. And I have some too
. Hilarity
may ensue this week if
you decide
to hire a clown on Thurs
day night.
PISCE S
AQUARIUS
Your footsteps will
seem louder today as
you break in new shoes. Write
lots of letters today and you’ll
appreciate the finer art of
stamp licking. If some things
start to appear impossible, it
may be time to invent robots.
Find some candles, tonight
will be filled with darkness.
ARIES
TAUR US
You can’t star in your own television show
if you’ve got no talent. Just something to
keep in mind - no particular reference to you.
The word “Wobble” might mean something to you
today that it simply hasn’t meant before. Getting more
money may improve your financial situation. Avoid
smashing into other vehicles when driving today.
G E M IN I
Apply suntan lotio
n when lying
motionless on the
beach for
more than eight ho
urs. Don’t leave yo
ur
money lying around
where bad people
can steal it. Eatin
g food may supply
much-needed nutri
ents. A job could
provide a useful so
urce of income.
A hairy back
may trouble yo
u this week,
especially if it’
s not your
hairy back that
’s in question.
All the best pl
ans go awry,
so please mak
e sure you’re
ready for any su
rprises.
Changing your
lifestyle and
underwear are
always a
good start. Act
daft today,
help people cl
ose to you
smile, and feel
the healing
power of laug
hter.
sh for cleaner
Use toothpaste and a bru
help you
teeth. Using words may
ng socially
itti
Em
.
hts
communicate your thoug
intimate moment.
an
oil
sp
uld
unacceptable noises co
l.
isible could prove usefu
The ability to become inv
LEO
VIRGO
Don’t trust strangers
who offer to take
your money and double it.
Regular breathing may help
provide oxygen to the brain.
Using the steering wheel
while driving will help get you
where you want to go. It’s
going to be one of those
days, I really, really apologise.
ngs
Life will throw many thi
ng
mi
co
at you over the
luding a book-shelf
inc
s,
month
ld have
which you probably shou
ly to the
firm
re
ensured was fixed mo
eaters.
sw
ts,
hir
wall. Pants, socks, t-s
obe.
rdr
wa
ur
yo
These are all parts of
CANCE R
nd
and dogs arou
Chasing cats
r midnight is
the streets afte
endear
e best way to
probably not th
otato
P
.
rs
neighbou
yourself to new
ave you
le
d
an
ll today
ca
ay
m
en
sm
sale
cing
doorstep. Dan
a spud on your
ay to lose
w
t
ea
is a gr
iry
fa
a
e
lik
nd
arou
legs. Most
ngthen those
re
st
d
an
t
gh
wei
going
u’re doing are
of the things yo
up now.
ve
gi
to
no need
s
e’
er
th
so
l,
wel
LI B RA
The crysta
l ball whic
h I sometim
fortunes fo
es use for
r
those like
beyond re
divining
yourself...
pair. I can
is smashe
s
e
e
bloody. Bu
b
it
s
d
o
f
your future
t I can’t te
, and they
ll w
it might no
look
t be blood hether it’s your bloo
d. Actually,
at all, but
a red sock
. I’m not su
re.
SAGITARI US
SCOR PIO
times
Think of a number. Now
.
that number by eighteen
ur
yo
t
tha
t
dic
I can confidently pre
with “Golfing
number does not rhyme
tly received
en
rec
Umbrella”. You have
there was a
ich
wh
some equipment for
s manual a quick
manual. Please give thi
blems later.
read so as to avoid pro
Images that appear on
your eyeballs are an aft
ereffect of going out on the
razzle for 4 nights runnin
You may be better off tak
g.
ing charge of your own
laundry today
for reasons that the sta
rs do not make clear. Th
e night may feel
like a safe time to parad
e naked through the loc
al streets,
however, you may find
there are some that op
pose your freedom.
The Editorial Board
15
Chris Crellin
UP, UP and away! Film reviews
he made to her. Then,
when he inadvertently hits
a construction worker,
he is forced to go to a
retirement home. But before
they can take him, he and his
house fly away. However he
has a stowaway aboard. An
eight year old boy named
Russell, who is trying to get
an assisting the elderly
badge. After a storm throws
them around for a while, they
find themselves landing on a
great plateau across a large
ravine facing Paradise Falls.
Together, they embark on an
adventure where they
encounter talking dogs, an
evil villain and a rare bird
named Kevin.
This month I thought I would
bring you a review of a couple
of the films which I have been
to see recently. They are both 3D
animations which I watched with
my 11 year old son.
Title: Up
Starring: Ed Asner
Release date: 15th Feb 2010
SRP: £19.99 (DVD)
£23.99/£26.99 (BD)
The first one is ‘Up’ which is a
comedy-adventure film produced by
Pixar Animation Studios and
distributed by Walt Disney Pictures.
This is the tenth film from Pixar and
the studio’s first to be presented in
Disney Digital 3-D. The film centres
around a grumpy old man named
Carl Fredricksen and a young boy
named Russell who fly to South
America in a floating house
suspended from helium balloons.
The story starts when young Carl
Fredrickson meets a girl named
Ellie. They both dream of going to
a Lost Land in South America.
70 years later, Ellie has died. Carl
remembers the promise
16
Visually, this is a treat and
while I was sceptical about
the use of 3D to begin with, it is
built into the story so seamlessly
that it really is worth the effort to
seek it out. At the same time, I can’t
help feeling the 2D version could
be even better because the 3D
glasses had the effect of dimming
the picture. The use of colour
in the film is especially
noteworthy, with various
palettes used according to
mood, character and phase
of the story. Character
voicing and music are also
spot on. Up is truly a film for
all ages.
This film is hilarious. Without
a doubt the funniest film that
Pixar has ever made, each
and every character in Up
provides their own bit of
humour. Dug the dog is
especially hilarious every
single time that he “opens his
mouth”, and yet still proves to
be a key part of this
emotional roller coaster ride.
This isn’t slapstick humour,
although there are some
lovely visual gags, but
deeper, more thoughtful. At times
Up is even touching and poignant.
The movie also does a terrific job
at making you feel a sense of
wonder, and you just buy into the
adventure of these two characters.
I love Up. Go see it now, as my
review just can’t do it justice.
Not only is it extremely entertaining,
but also hilarious and beautifully
told throughout.
To quote John Campea of
TheMovieBlog.com, “The only
negative thing I have to say about
this movie is that it ended.”
Title: Cloudy with a Chance
of Meatballs
Starring: Anna Faris
Release date: 25th Jan 2010
SRP: £19.99 (DVD) £22.99 (BD)
My second choice is ‘Cloudy with
a Chance of Meatballs’, which is
loosely based on the children’s
book of the same name by Judi
Barrett and Ron Barrett which
illustrates a world where giant
pancakes and pasta fall from the
sky as a scientist tries to solve
world hunger. However, things
go terribly wrong when excess
amounts of food overload cities
and towns. Described as the most
delicious event since macaroni
met cheese, the film focuses on
a town where food falls from the
sky like rain.
Flint Lockwood is a young
enthusiastic inventor who had
always wanted to invent something
awesome ever since he was young.
He started to make inventions such
as Spray-On Shoes formula (which
are unable to be removed, leaving
his feet stuck in them permanently),
hair unbalder and walking
televisions. However, people
only laughed or picked on Flint,
but he did not give up.
Due to the rest of the world
realizing that sardines are “Super
Gross”, people in Swallow Falls are
forced to eat the sardines which
they used to export. Flint invents
a machine that can make water
molecules form into food, and that
is when the problems really begin.
Cloudy With A Chance of
Meatballs is visually inventive
and has some neat running gags.
But its characterisations are a little
disappointing: Flint is a particularly
uninspiring protagonist.
This was much better than
expected. It was creative,
extremely fun, and paid reference
to everything from “Independence
Day” to “The Twilight Zone”.
There are countless laugh-out-loud
moments that will appeal to both
adults and children alike. The
animation and visual style of the
film isn’t up to the stunning beauty
of the latest Pixar offerings but it
certainly shows a similar level
of ingeniousness, creativity
and originality.
Really, you need the heart and
mind of a child for this, but if you
can summon those up, you will be
impressed. Great family film, great
film to see with your friends, great
film to see by yourself, great film
all together.
Highly recommended.
The food gags go down a treat.
recipes for under a tenner
Three Italian Vegetarian Courses For Under £10?
Impress your mates! It CAN be done...
Pasta with Roasted
Sweet Pepper Sauce
Tomato Soup with Basil
You will need;
1 & 1/2 lb of tomatoes, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 and 1/2 tbsp of olive oil
1 clove of garlic, crushed
(or more if you love garlic!)
2 tsp of chopped fresh basil
10 floz vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to season
Heat the olive oil and brown the
onions, add garlic, basil and
tomatoes, then add the vegetable
stock, simmer for 25 minutes, sieve
or blend, then serve with more
chopped fresh basil as garnish.
Chocolate Mousse
You will need;
8oz plain dessert chocolate
4 eggs, separate yolks & whites
3 tbsp of rum or brandy
You will need;
1 lb pasta spirals or quills
2 lb sweet red, yellow and
orange peppers
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
1 tbs of fresh chopped basil
4 tbsp of olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper to season
Chop the peppers into strips of
approximately an inch wide, lay skin
side up and put under a very hot
grill until the skin begins to blister.
It will then be easy to remove the
skins, which can be bitter.
Heat the olive oil and add the
crushed garlic, onion, tomatoes
and basil, cover and cook gently
for 5 minutes.
Add the peppers and cook for a
further 10 minutes, turning up the
heat for the last few minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook the pasta following packet
directions, drain and stir in the
pepper sauce. Serve with
grated parmesan and chopped
fresh parsley.
Place a glass basin over a pan
of simmering water and break the
chocolate into small pieces and
place in the bowl.
Stir until smoothly melted and
remove from heat. Beat the egg
yolks and add to the chocolate
mixture. Leave to cool for
20 minutes.
Beat the egg whites until
they make soft peaks and
fold it into the chocolate
mixture along with
the tablespoon
of rum or brandy.
Spoon into dishes,
cover with cling film
and chill for 2 hours.
If this is all too much trouble...
You will need;
1 telephone
1 takeaway menu
Lynne Firmager
17
RF’s rebrand praised
We were delighted to be featured in Third Sector Magazine’s ‘At Work’
section under Communications Brand Report. We are reproducing the full
article with kind permission from Third Sector Magazine.
Case study: the Richmond Fellowship
By Kate Youde, Third Sector, 8 December 2009
The mental health charity rebranded this year to
mark its 50th anniversary. What did our expert think?
‘Healthy Rebrand radiates positivity’
The Richmond Fellowship is one of the voluntary
sector's largest specialist providers of mental health
care, working with more than 6,000 people.
Dutch theology student Elly Jansen founded the
organisation in 1959, when she invited Long Grove
Hospital patients to live with her in the community in
Richmond, Surrey. Today, 850 Staff members provide
more than 100 Services in housing, care, employment
and community support across the UK.
The charity recruited the communications consultancy
Firesong Consulting to carry out a complete rebrand
to mark its 50th anniversary this year and better reflect
its broad range of Services. Work also began on a
new website. The Richmond Fellowship unveiled the
results in October to mark World Mental Health Day.
The approach
Firesong Consulting conducted a 'brand audit' in May,
looking at the Richmond Fellowship now and where it
was heading. The consultancy held workshops across
England with 52 members of Staff and Service Users,
and interviewed commissioners, GPs and the charity's
board members. The results, which indicated that the
recovery journey of Service Users was at the heart of
the Richmond Fellowship's ethos, were used to
develop 30 ideas for a new identity.
The proposals
The top two ideas were then subjected to 'Reality
Checks'. Firesong Consulting held workshops with
43 Staff members and Service Users, organised focus
groups with Employment Services Staff and Clients,
spoke to commissioners and the charity's board and
conducted a written consultation with Clients of
employment and job-retention Services.
‘...an accessible identity that will help raise awaren
The new RF promotional t-shirts are the height of fashion!
18
Out of 108 people interviewed, 84 endorsed the
new logo of a red 'dude' standing with his arms raised
and emanating sparks, which symbolise hope. It was
designed to bring to life the charity's strapline,
"Making Recovery Reality", which was introduced in
2006. The rejected logo had a more corporate feel.
EXPERT VIEW
David Jenkinson, Creative director, Interbrand
These bold, colourful, Keith Haring-inspired
graphics use an iconic 1980s style to create
a friendly approach to a weighty issue.
The predominantly primary colour palette,
playful characters and strong humanised font
create an accessible identity that will help
raise awareness of a subject that is all too
often misunderstood.
The effect
The charity says the logo's focus on the positive
aspects of mental health encourages Service Users
to behave in a more upbeat way. It also reflects its
new mission statement: "We encourage, support
and challenge people with mental health problems
on their recovery journey."
The organisation has adopted a corresponding
change in attitude at its weekly feedback sessions,
concentrating on positive rather than negative
developments. Firesong Consulting also removed
jargon in brochures and leaflets to match the
streamlined brand identity.
Whether the brief was to evolve the illustrated
people from the old identity or not, the bold
lines, vivid colours and expressive figures carry
strong messages of life and go beyond the
industry norms of photographs of smiley,
happy people on the road to recovery.
It would be interesting to know what effect the
rebrand actually has in terms of awareness,
but a funky range of t-shirts you can actually
see people wearing with pride is a good start.
SCORE
Creativity: 4 Delivery: 4 TOTAL: 8 out of 10
ess of a subject that is all too often misunderstood.’
19
In my humble opinion
At the risk of sounding like an old crank, despite
being only thirty, what on earth has happened
to good manners these days?
People seem to zoom about perpetually in a tearing
hurry, so concerned with what they are doing that they
forget that there are such things as other humans.
Woe betide those not in a hurry, for they shall be
trampled underfoot. This need for speed also
manifests itself in a willingness to allow those with
manners to stand aside to let others by or hold doors
open for seemingly infinite periods of time.
Perhaps they presume there are people employed
specifically to hold the door open for them? One need
not note that we door holders are not rewarded with
a thank you.
A lot of people hate shopping, and we all want to get
in and out of the supermarket in as little time as
possible, but do people really need to attempt to run
one another down with their trolleys?
There is a secret totalitarian part of me that believes
a shopping trolley driving competency test should
be mandatory. I can’t be the only person to have been
whacked in the heels with one of these for not
shopping fast enough for the person behind.
Meet the Editorial Board
Cliff Hollingbery - Ex Service User Fenland
Cliff is from Elm near Wisbech. He has been a
member of the Editorial Board for over 2 years
and is a member of the national panel.
Sarah Parker - From Cambridge and a
student at Cambridge Regional College
studying Art & Design. Sarah has three
children two of which have just finished
university, the other is about to start sixth form.
Chris Crellin - Service User with Newsham
Drive, Liverpool. Chris has lived with Mental
Health Problems for over 20 years. Actively
Involved in Service User Involvement. A single
father with an eleven year old son. Working on
a website for Service Users.
Barbara Taylor - Ex Service User of Tower
House, Chester. Now living in her own flat with
floating support, she feels her recovery is all
down to the RF.
Lynne Firmager - Service User from Redhill
Art Matters in Horley. She works part time & is
saving up to do her Masters Degree in art.
The views expressed in this Magazine are those of the authors and
not necessarily those of the Richmond Fellowship organisation.
20
Beware also of the person ahead of you, who is liable
to stop suddenly, swing their cart around and knock
you flat because in their universe there is only them,
and the likelihood of another person being behind
them is so remote it hasn’t even crossed their mind.
So please people! Remember you exist in a
populated universe, let the person holding the door
open for the last sixteen people go and take a turn
yourself, be spatially aware while piloting shopping
trolleys and for heaven’s sake say PLEASE and
THANK YOU occasionally.
Lynne Firmager
Callin
g all
RF Ser
Do y
vice U
about ou have an
sers
y new
Richm
s or v
ond F
you h
i
e
e
w
l
l
a
o
s
ve be
Why n
en inv wship even
olved
t
else y ot send us
in? s
ou thin
your a
rtw
k
No La may be of in ork, or any
bel Re
t
quired terest or he hing
Pleas
lp to
reade
e
s
e
nd the
rs.
The E
d
m
i
by po
Richm torial Bo
st to:
a
ond F
ellows rd, No Lab
e
h
Londo ip, 80 Hol l Required,
or em
lo
n, N7
ail: nlr
8JG way Road,
@rich
mond
Don’t
fellow
for
ship.o
and th get to inclu
rg.uk
de you
e nam
e of yo
r name
Thank
u
r servic
s, The
e!
Editor
ial Bo
ard.