Sir Anthony Seldon, Buckinghamshire Mind’s Patron and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham, visited Buckinghamshire Mind’s Wellbeing Services in Aylesbury on World Mental Health Day (10th October). Sir Anthony met with our service users and volunteers to find out more about the charity from their perspective.

Sir Anthony sung along to music performed by Buckinghamshire Mind’s Aylesbury therapeutic music group and joined in with drumming performed by our Chesham therapeutic music group. Sir Anthony also enjoyed an art exhibition of work produced by our art groups in Aylesbury, High Wycombe and Chesham.

“I absolutely loved meeting Sir Anthony and learning about the other Bucks Mind groups,” said a service user at the event who attends Buckinghamshire Mind’s Wellbeing Services and Employment Support Service. “It was brilliant.”

Anita Templar-Wilson, volunteer Befriender for Buckinghamshire Mind, said: “It was a pleasure meeting Sir Anthony Seldon, and a lovely opportunity to speak with other volunteers and with service users.”

Sir Anthony Seldon is one of Britain’s leading contemporary historians, educationalists, commentators and political authors. He is author of over 40 books on contemporary history and was the co-founder and first Director of the Institute for Contemporary British History. He is also co-founder of Action for Happiness, Chair of the Comment Awards, a Director of The Royal Shakespeare Company and the President of IPEN (the International Positive Education Network).

“I was very impressed by the breadth of Buckinghamshire Mind’s mental health services and I enjoyed my visit tremendously,” said Sir Anthony. “I particularly enjoyed meeting all the wonderful service users and listening to the music groups perform.”

Also, on World Mental Health Day, Buckinghamshire Mind, in partnership with Time to Change Bucks, held stalls in the Market Square, Aylesbury, and in High Wycombe Library on World Mental Health Day. The stalls aimed to raise awareness, tackle the stigma and discrimination associated with mental health problems and provide information about Buckinghamshire Mind’s mental health services. Time to Change Champions, such as Buckinghamshire Mind’s Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees Martyn Walsh, were available to talk with the public about their lived experience of mental health problems. The stalls were a great success, with lots of interest from local people.

To find out more about Time to Change Buckinghamshire, please click here. For more details of Buckinghamshire Mind’s activities on World Mental Health Day, please click here