Highlights: The 4th Annual Mental Health Recovery Event
Location: Alona Hotel, Strathclyde Country Park Date: November 12, 2025 On this day, 155 people gathered to share stories and celebrate the journey of mental health recovery—a process of healing and transformation that enables individuals to live meaningful lives within their chosen communities. Participant Impact & Feedback The event achieved exceptional feedback from those in attendance, highlighting its value as both an educational and supportive environment. Overall Enjoyment: 100% of participants reported that they enjoyed the event. Meeting Expectations: 99% of attendees stated the event met or exceeded their expectations. Educational Value: 94% of people learned something new about the recovery journey. Personal Recovery: 77% of participants felt the event directly helped with their own recovery. Key Activities & Presentations Hosted by Edward Reid, the day featured a mix of talent, fun, and a deep understanding of mental health struggles. Regenfx Youth Stories: Twelve young people shared powerful personal stories detailing their childhoods, the challenges they faced, and their moving hopes for the future. “Trouble in Mind”: A short play by Glen Dickson telling the story of Nina, a woman navigating her past and the struggle to stay sober, followed by a live Q&A. Stigma Free Lanarkshire: Two volunteers used creative expression to share their recovery journeys, including one original song and one powerful poem. Creative Workshops Engaging sessions allowed participants to explore recovery through art, music, and mindfulness. Bazooka Arts: A silk painting workshop where participants created artwork to take home; this art form is known for reducing stress and boosting self-esteem. Soundsational Choir: A moving musical session led by a director who shared his own personal mental health journey. Additional Workshops: The day also included drumming and mindfulness sessions to energise and ground participants. Community Voices Attendees shared their personal reflections on the day’s atmosphere and impact. “Arrived feeling overwhelmed & left feeling uplifted & happy” “Felt safe, didn’t feel judged” “Taking time out to come to the event & place focus on your own mental health without distractions helps all the supportive & educational messages land” Quotes – Event Attendees
Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival 2026
The Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) is a National Festival that has been running since 2012. The festival was developed to promote positive attitudes towards mental health, mental illness, support and recovery, and to effect significant cultural change through the insights and influences of the creative arts. After the success of previous festival campaigns, Lanarkshire is delighted to announce their participation in the 20th Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival. SMHAF 2026 will take place from Monday 19 October to Sunday 8 November. It will explore the theme of Reflections. Reflections invites us to slow down in a world that that is moving so fast it can feel impossible just to keep up with events. How do we take time to reflect when each day’s headlines seem to be bring fresh news of political, economic and environmental upheaval? How can we properly understand our own needs when our lives are seldom calm and charged with uncertainty? Whatever Reflections means to you, we hope you will join us as we mark our 20th Year. We’re inviting you – organisations, artists, communities and individuals – to help us bring our Reflections theme to life, and explore how looking back can help us imagine what comes next. If you have an idea for the festival in Lanarkshire & would like to apply for some funding please complete the proposal form below & return to susan.mcmorrin@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk by 25th May 2026. Download Proposal Form 2026
Flash Reports
Here is a selection of our Flash Reports for you to view and download. Flash Report: SFL – December 24 (PDF) 720.78 KB 1 file(s) Flash Report: Time To Talk Day 2025 (002) (PDF) 538.30 KB 1 file(s) Flash Report: Suicide Prevention Week 2024 (PP) 2.46 MB 1 file(s) Flash Report: SMHAF 2024 Summary (PP) 7.22 MB 1 file(s) Flash Report: MHAW 2024 (PP) 3.46 MB 1 file(s)
New Suicide Prevention Campaign & Website for Scotland
NHS Lanarkshire is supporting Scotland’s new national suicide prevention public awareness campaign, which launched last week. The new national suicide prevention public awareness campaign went live on the same day the Suicide Prevention Scotland’s new website was launched. The campaign is entirely co-produced by people with lived and living experience of suicide, professional and practice experience, and academic insight. It features the voices of four people with lived and living experience of suicide, each of whom share their own deeply personal experiences. The main theme of the campaign is to normalise the idea of having a conversation about suicide and to give people the confidence to ask directly about suicide. New Suicide Prevention Campaign & Website for Scotland | NHS Lanarkshire https://www.suicideprevention.scot/