UCLAN Music Used To Raise Awareness Of Mental Health Issues

Dec, 11 2015

~Our mental health is of prime concern. Whether we work, raise a family or live alone, looking after our mental health prevents us from future conditions later in life such as PTSD, depression or raised blood pressure.

Music can be an effective tool to counteract debilitating mental health conditions as the mind is focused on the soothing quality of music ranging from folk to jazz or soft rock to blues.

On November 26th UCLAN staged an evening that was dedicated to music and raising awareness of mental health by means of stigma and discrimination. This was a CCGUK based event and acts took to the stage to perform a series of songs and meet like minded people who have battled with mental health throughout the majority of their adult life.

Acts that performed included:-

* World Wise Samba Drummers.
* Rapper RazorRawks
* Session musician Aziz Ibrahim.

There was also a series of stalls that represented businesses, organisations and health and social care.

The Rapper Razor Rawks delivered his message in his rap vocal about his personal experience of mental health in an honest and frank way. It was his music that helped him to overcome his mental health condition.

Aziz Ibrahim  has performed with such celebrated artists as the Stone Roses, Simply Red and Paul Weller. Beyond his music though he delves deep into his philanthropic charity work and is a lead ambassador for one of the largest charities in the world. He also gives his time to the homeless and many hospices across the region.

The highlight for everyone who attended though was the performance of Aziz and Dave Neita on stage. Dave is a Rastafarian poet and barrister, he is from London and was a key note speaker at the conference the following day.

Niaomi Timperley, MC   for the conference had these great words of joy from the overall response to the evening,

“ Tonight has been amazing. I feel inspired, enthused and really, really excited about tomorrow.”

Russell Hogarth, chair of the CCGUK, had these brief but succinct words to summarize the night,

“ Fabulous night, loved it”.

And Aziz Ibrahim had these positive words of wisdom,

“ It was therapy all the way”.

Well done to everyone involved. This event demonstrates that music can really reach the heart of it’s audience and with a clear defining message of mental health brought to the mainstream, it should help to reduce the stigma and discrimination commonly found in today’s judgemental world.