UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL
Media release
Mind out for mental health

To mark World Mental Health Day [Thursday, October 10] Bristol University's Students' Union is running an awareness-raising campaign to encourage people to adopt a positive attitude towards mental illnesses.

Fiona Cook, Students' Union Vice-President, who has responsibility for welfare, will be in the foyer of the Hawthorns, Woodland Road today [Thursday, October 10] from 11.30 am to 1 pm with leaflets and a display about mental health.

The Students' Union will also be hosting the "1 in 4" photographic exhibition from Friday 18 to Thursday October 31.

The exhibition, by Brian Moody, is a collection of black and white portraits of people who have experienced mental health problems and who want to challenge the stigma and discrimination that still surrounds one of society's last taboos. Each photo is accompanied by a frank personal account of mental distress together with other people's reactions.

Fiona Cook, said: 'Students can be very vulnerable during their time at university. It's probably also an unknown fact that one in four people will encounter a mental health problem within the course of a year.

'We hope to get the message across that people from all walks of life suffer from mental illness. Sufferers are not 'freaks' or 'failures' but ordinary, and often very talented, individuals.'

The exhibition, which is open to the public, can be previewed online at www.mindout.org.uk/1in4

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Email: public-relations@bristol.ac.uk
Copyright: 2002 The University of Bristol, UK
Updated: Thursday, 10-Oct-2002 16:28:17 BST