Episode 1 - Getting To Know Recovery Devon

In this episode, the Recovery Devon 2020 staff team give a whistle-stop tour of current projects, and share how they each joined the community.

Along the way, they share stories of what recovery means to them personally, as well as some Recovery Devon history, daft jokes, and even an incredibly cheesy ad break.

Find out more about us at www.recoverydevon.co.uk

_______________________________________
Recovery Devon believes in the importance of giving people a platform to share what has been helpful in their personal recovery; rather than endorsing a particular approach, we offer varied perspectives so that people can discover what is helpful to them.

Transcript

spk_1:   0:09
Welcome to Recovery. Devon Podcast. Where a community interest company working to support mental health recovery in Devon our focus. Invite people with ideas of all kinds, which explore mental health and what it means to be fully human.

spk_0:   0:22
The Recovery Devon Podcast Episode one. Getting to Know Recovery Devon In this episode, the current staff team introduced themselves in conversation. You'll hear from Chief Executive Officer James Wooldridge, director Mike Smith and community development workers in Flint and Sammy Golding. They'll share what drew them to recovery, Devon, and take a whistle stop tour of everything currently on offer to support Devon's mental health. Along the way, they'll talk about what recovery means to them personally and explain how you can get involved. This conversation was recorded on Zoom during the Corona virus locked down, so apologies for the poor sound quality in places. So here we are, all together, all our very first podcast. How did we find ourselves here?

spk_1:   1:14
Only knows waning expertise of the system they're obviously on. We've been producing video and all sorts of content on a lot of people demanding, wanting that content, so we're just trying to find new ways that will help people connect New ways to get our message out are the reason

spk_2:   1:35
Andi Also shortly before this current situation develops, we held a development day in Exeter where we invited many people connected to recovery Devil Anse new people as well. It was suggested that maybe recovery that could come up with I can't stand on this is our very first. So what? We're addressing that point that those people made on hoping many people find them interesting.

spk_3:   1:59
I think we were hoping that it would almost be like a stepping stone for people to enter into that, like a mental health community. So in the development day, a lot of people spoke about wanting to join groups or join courses. But not being quite there yet confidence wise or having a bit of social anxiety. And so we kind of wanted to produce something that was a stepping stone so that people could listen and learn and, you know, maybe even join in with at some point so that then they could gain their confidence and then maybe use it to join a group that interested that interested them.

spk_2:   2:35
And another point about podcast is that they're accessible at any time. So once we shared it, then people can access it that they're in leisure on also then goes on to form useful resource going forward. So connecting with our community in the way that's accessible and terrible.

spk_0:   2:54
I remember a lovely thing. Our last development day recovery. Devon meetings tend to be open and anybody's welcome to come and join you don't have tto be a member. They don't have to know much about this. I can just turn up off the street, really enjoying in of quite a few people there said that the thing that I liked about the idea of the podcast is that sometimes if you're quite early in your recovery or your recovery is not doing so well that particular day. Accessing information through audio is much, much easier than digesting written information. A short podcast might be a nice, easy and introduction to recovery.

spk_1:   3:30
Speaking of which,

spk_0:   3:32
speaking of which

spk_1:   3:34
way, No, do it standing up. There may be some people out there who aren't quite sure what recovery is in the in the way that we mean it. So recovery in the way it relates to mental health and I don't know anybody who is better equipped to answer that question. That Jane. So I wonder if you'd be willing to just give us a moment on what he views. Recovery has to start with,

spk_2:   3:58
and for me, recoveries, lots of things, and it's hard to sum it up in one easy centres. For me personally, it's a lot about having hope, having choices, having opportunities. But also agency on DH. That's agency or control over our own lives and for me, a big part of my recovery as being being able to work and contribute, but also have a certain amount of control and direction over where my life's going on so it doesn't need lots of things it doesn't cure. It, for me is living a meaningful and useful life alongside the symptoms that sometimes come with mental health challenges. My my own description of what recovery is will be very different to some other peoples, and that's absolutely fine.

spk_1:   4:50
This, again is a personal feeling, not necessarily a recovery, Devon endorsed feeling, But I struggle with a lot of traditional therapies because they appear to be, say, diagnosing why it is that you don't work quite right and then trying to fix that. Andi, I think that recovery is much more about trying to work out what is a healthy way of being for you. We do as an offer in that process rather than as a patient. So rather than putting out a book and saying this is what makes a happy, healthy human being were gonna make you that on which I think is rather impersonal recovery is much more about the real You finding a way to help you work as you feel you can in the world that makes sense.

spk_0:   5:38
Said tell of it.

spk_3:   5:40
Yeah, definitely. How about you? Something was coming for you. I think the one word that sums up recovery for me is process on DH. When I was at the very start of my recovery journey, people would always say to me, trust the process and I would hate it. I would hate the saying, but that is true. And it is a process, and it is a journey. And it is all of those cliche sayings, not just the good ones, you know, all of them. It's all of them just kind of tangled up in a in a in a bundle. And I think the most important thing for me to say about recovery is it. It's different for everyone. It's know about their rosy storeys and the light at the end of the tunnel. It can be about living with symptoms and, like James said, finding hope on DH control over that. Sometimes the sense of our recovery is different, for everyone can be quite isolating and a bit daunting. But just because it's different for over one doesn't mean that you're alone in it. And the biggest thing that I say to anybody that's starting a recovery journey is that you're not alone in it and to reach out and to talk to people on. That's where the important to not be alone in your recovery process or journey or whatever cliche you want to call it.

spk_1:   6:55
Thank you for pointing that out because it makes me feel like my sentiment was very personal and about the individual. But I think that the Connexion and being connected to your sort of community is incredibly important for for health, Really? So yeah,

spk_2:   7:10
yeah, definitely on. Then what about you

spk_0:   7:12
and your thoughts on recovery? I like that song is mentioned community because very often when my mental health is being poor is being something from outside of May that triggered something inside of me that's activated my recovery. So whether it's an idea or a Connexion with somebody else that's helped me to access new resources inside myself, I think it's that such a recovery is such a lovely combination of the individual and the communal, and that's what makes it so special. So I first felt the word recovery when I was a community mental health worker. Andi, I admit, when I first heard recovery blood to mental health, that made me a bit cross because I thought people were trying to suggest that you would recover and get better. And then everything would be fine on by people like me who live with more pervasive, sort of lifelong mental illness on DH that seems unrealistic and unachievable, but I've come to see recovery is being a bit like when you're learning to ride a bike, so you're aiming in a certain direction, but you're wobbling all over the place sometimes, and other times you, Khun, just clearly get to your destination. So recovery for me is a bit like Justin your course all the time.

spk_2:   8:22
That's good them. And also it's OK to fall off sometimes

spk_0:   8:26
if indeed, yeah, with a great big question about in sometimes, but But that's that's the red thing is that that's that's more everything on DH recovery is a daily protests for me is not sometimes in our town our process and remind myself each day on my balance. How, how steady is my bike today? There any bumps in the road coming gets good analogy, not staying balanced on the bank on place. I

spk_3:   8:49
like them thought of them. Every time you adjust your course, or every time you fall off that bike, there's an extra level of learning about yourself. What water is that you need or what it what it is that encouraged the adjustment

spk_0:   9:04
and that's when you can start to learn from others, is where you can see somebody else. This cycling technique go. There's something upon their battles to get up the hill. That's a good idea. I'll get that you've been e u. It's very is deeply personal in on internal but invites you to look outside your environment and Highland people are peddling.

spk_1:   9:23
This definition of recovery was brought to you by rally bicycle thing basically pointed out there were not, in fact sponsored by anything to Booth rally by school on other bicycle available.

spk_3:   9:39
You're backpedalling now.

spk_1:   9:40
Um, I know it's not scrapping plans. This is too much.

spk_2:   9:47
Okay, so recovery. Devon, you know, I think it's purpose right from the very start has been to support on, create and enable opportunities for recovery across that and beyond. For that matter, recovery, Devon has a worldwide reputation for being at the forefront of the recovery approach. Every hadn't started around putting on the Conference on recovery back in 2003 Onda. Although we grew from being a small group of people, it was on that conference we've met just because they shared an interest in recovery, it proves to be a more constituted group on DH. We then developed ourselves as a community interest company. Currently, I would say our focus is very much on what we can do online on. You'll hear about that in the moment as well.

spk_0:   10:40
So talking of creating opportunities are Mike, could you tell us a bit about the development fund that's been going for about five years now, hasn't it? How does that work?

spk_1:   10:50
Well, the development fund through from us realising that well, we were trying to apply for funding to help us support people. That was often a huge undertaking. Complicated forms quietly off targets to achieve it all just felt quite intimidating. So we save on da goto us for that to be. If you're a much smaller project you were tryingto funding, it must be quite daunting. So we wanted to develop something that was much easier. Now it's become something that we're very much looking for people with a creative or interesting way off enabling recovery. So we've had quite a lot of creative workshops arts on DH film movement. But we also have yo their retreats in the countryside, all manner of things. And it's this more interesting and creative way of approaching mental well being that interests us. Think

spk_0:   11:41
there's this small parts of funding on that can really ignite a small idea and turn it into a great big hold. A terrible analogy, way

spk_1:   11:55
E. But now I think you're I think that one of the lovely things with the Development fund is finding out the that there's so much energy out there already. It's not a matter of trying to encourage people to be interested. It's the fact that the interest is already there. The world might. In the touch paper, everything's ready to go. It just needs that little bit of momentum on the small amount of funding could be enough to just get a little equipment or enables from travel volunteer expenses. And suddenly a community project is ready to go

spk_0:   12:29
nto. You don't have to be in like an organisation debates. Often when you apply for funding, you need to show what your purpose is and have all of your policies and procedures in place that you can just be just be one person who has got an idea to do something in your community on you can. Still you've got just as much of a chance, is that, say of the charity organisation E. I

spk_3:   12:50
think that's what's so great about the development fund because it can be quite empowering for someone that, um on a recovery. Jenny themselves. We've lived experience that wants to that's at the point where they want to give back or they want to connect with people on DH that, like you said that just that little part of funding Khun start something for them that can continue and Khun, Khun grow or could just be an experience for them. So I think it could be a really empowering thing toe get involved in.

spk_2:   13:19
You know, I think there's some really good in important points there. I mean, way very much encouraged people with their own, lived in personal experience of mental health challenges to apply. We wanted to encourage people may never, ever find the funding. Before I had a great idea and just weren't sure had to get it off the ground. One of the things we've done in previous years was too partner at a sort of mental from recovery, really. Devon, with the project lead as well. So we we could offer as much or as much was needed, requested some more throughout the life span of the project. And it's surprising how some of the projects grew When I'm thinking off, for example, is are happy to share cards, uh, which went from being just an idea from a lady who works with the elderly as well. They have combating loneliness. And then

spk_0:   14:08
people are asking for happy to fare cards all over the country now, are they? Well, they certainly were before social distancing came into place. But they have their day again, I'm sure. So we did have plans to put on a conference this summer, too. Tickly recovery rise in 2020. Mike, do you want to talk a bit about the vision for that? No, no.

spk_1:   14:27
E s. I know Megan, it's much more of a con festival or festive, commendable or a something or other rival because a lot of the time, obviously mentally ill health is difficult and distressing, But also, it could be an incredible soft for inspiration, creativity and ideas. So rather than viewing having an episode of mentally ill health as being the end of it all laterally, often it's the very beginning. So what we wanted was to have an event where we were celebrating some of the more wonderful things that came from struggling with your well being, as such as music are creative DIY poetry writing. So we organised on event. Obviously we didn't see things coming, Tio, but it was originally intended to be for 2020 in July at the university, where we would have music. We have guest speakers and workshops on DH again. One of the big differences is the work tops were about giving skills about showing people how things were made happen, such as a drum workshop. It wasn't about sitting around playing drums but discussing perhaps how they raised funds to buy the drums, how they organised their sessions, how they get people involved s so that other people might then be able to go out and hold their own workshop. So kind of seeding, hopefully other projects to be able to take place. Andi, I was dreadfully excited about it. At the risk of preempting something for later on, we are going to have an online version of the event in any case. So any musicians or artists and so forth, obviously people we've already connected with Will faII in contact with. But there's a lot of people, fairy music and so on online, and we just kind of like toe pull some of that together with a focus on mental health.

spk_0:   16:18
Lovely. We're in a really good place. Toe Teo put that online because recovery Devon had already started to move towards online offerings and we found a cause might developing our fabulous website, which is on about It's the deterioration Now. Thank you very much. Mike, on DH. I've got involved with recovery. Devon, we're helping out with social media, So we got really strong following on Facebook. Twitter starting Winston covers all that. What we sent me,

spk_3:   16:44
we are you have We're starting Teo edge into instagram TV, which are not really sure what it's all about. What we're learning is Ugo

spk_1:   16:55
that's kind of becoming our motto. I think those things are unfolding, that learning as we go way

spk_2:   17:04
it's interesting is because when we were talking about how we were gonna hold a meeting, it's an opportunity for us really to make use of some of these new platforms. One of the things that I'm we've spoken about as being something I'd like to see it for us. Devon is a sort of recovery community so that we can help build and nurture community relationships. I think one of the problems with mental health is that we can often she is being something bay deal with over there, so mental health becomes something Oh, yeah. Well, you know, Milhouse services do with all that on DH, actually, what recovery, Devon quite firmly believe, is that, Rick, mental health is everyone's responsibility, and that includes everyone in each other in each of our communities. We feel that if communities take increased responsibility for their health, both physical and mental, for that matter, then way have individuals who can thrive in those communities rather than feel excluded or discriminated against and be forced to get their support elsewhere.

spk_1:   18:12
It was true, Andi, talking off community, I wonder why they're em. And Sam could give us a few minutes on what they were doing just before and how they've carried on with community development, which is trying to get connected people.

spk_3:   18:26
Yeah, well, we've tried Teo, adapt what we're doing online s so that we can reach more people. So em and I are their community development workers. And we started in January so weirdly still feel quite new to the post because it's it's changed, and we're again, we're learning as we go. So before it was more about going into communities and speaking to people and trying to sign post two different things that were out that front groups for people. Now it's more about reaching out to people online. It was Emma's idea, actually, to make our Facebook page a Corona virus free page so that it wass somewhere for people to go that was safe online. That wouldn't be overwhelming with statistics and stuff like that. So on we're now producing ah dailies or recovery. Devon dailies We've got about in the thirties now, frank of short every day, videos that we put up a 12 o'clock mid day every day for over from a variety of different peoples. You've got the recovery, Devon Teen. And then we've got some people from different organisations that we've had re boot the roots. Rebecca Horton has done some creative writing. Max Cohen has just had his video up today, and it's on a range of things. So we've got from keeping structure in your day, Teo befriending insomnia to daily exercise, to know following advice to knowing what's good for you. There's loads on there, and it's all on our Facebook page, and I'm gonna stop talking now because I'm leaving Nothing for Emma today. So I thought it was nice to hear

spk_0:   20:08
James stop. Amazing. They're just endorsing the daily. So the top part wasn't it? I think that's that's a really lovely thing about not only the dailies, but even this podcast is because we've had to adapt and do things really quickly on the fly. People are seeing us. Is just human beings having a go on things not always being perfect, polished. And I think that's a really healthy thing. Actually, I think it's and it's done. This person told me an awful lot of good toe. Just have to let him get on and produce something.

spk_1:   20:34
Podcast in your underpants is definitely a winner, and I'm going to carry on doing it.

spk_0:   20:38
I never thought you might.

spk_1:   20:40
I don't switch your video on now. Expended

spk_2:   20:44
e. I think that's a really good point, and I think what recovery doesn't has its are. There's always have our is lived experience, both throughout its leadership. Andi its values as well. We try Teo very much have a cross as Nora's professionals for those people, people

spk_1:   21:05
way do very well and not coming across as professionals.

spk_2:   21:09
Well, yeah, you specialise in. Yeah, but you know what I'm saying? I think the fact we come across, Hopefully is human and humans with vulnerabilities as weather strengths, I think, actually is part of the reason. But so we're still going all these years later on the 2000 three's quite a while ago.

spk_3:   21:30
So, James, can you tell

spk_0:   21:32
us about how you came to be with every defence chief executive? How did you get involved

spk_2:   21:37
to chief executive has been strange because I actually had to fill in a form for companies, houses, mistakenly put managing director is that a street executive and have battled with these details ever since. Neither of which kind of feel suitable for someone who at the time was the only employee of this community interests can boot. It seemed rather grand total. But going back to how you became involved, I was there pretty much in the early days. But when I more seriously became involved was when I've been in hospital and actually a secure hospital for a little while after quite a serious relapse, and I realised that people were going to be queuing up to employ someone with quite a serious mental health diagnosis. I went self employed on DH. I started a small kind of consultancy, if you like, which was offering training on recovery based on my own person experiences. So I went around the country getting talks, etcetera. But one of the most important links I made was with recovery, Devon and in particular, one of the founders, Dr Blane Roberts. So I came along to a few of the early meetings with a view to ah, not only learning about recovery and making collection to the community, but also learning more about recovery, Devon and how it works. And then, as I did so, opportunities came my way. I started working with Devon Parts to trust quite extensively in their induction programme, et cetera on DH. Then my business slowly took off on DH. I got work with mind and rethink as well, and then going to more and more recovery. Deb meeting The opportunity eventually came when my predecessor, Lyndon Lyndon, stepped down as lead from recovery. Devon. So the opportunity came to apply for that position, which I did on was successful on. That was about I think it was about seven years ago. Now we often call it a community of people of goodwill. We sense that within recovery. Death. There was a lot of goodwill that comes with, but it's both from our main funders, that trust, but also from the community we work with from within the management group Off recovery. Devon, this Well, there was a great deal of good. Well,

spk_1:   23:51
thank you, James. While we're doing this now, in order of who joined recovered every when. So that brings us to em to tell us about how she got involved.

spk_0:   23:59
So I wasa community mental health worker a long time ago now, being nine years ago. And I was supporting a guy in top ness who'd heard about this open meeting to do with mental health recovery on Could he go along? It was my job to help himto get out into the community a little bit more s. So of course I said yes. I was delighted that you wanted her to go out. Now do something. I've never heard of recovery Devon before, and it was in the mansion hosting topless on DH. There were about 40 people sitting in a massive circle on the meeting opened with everybody saying why they were there on one moment. That really stuck with me Wass, a consultant psychiatrist, to introduce herself. I then sitting right beside her, was a fella who, who's psychosis, was very active on that day, was really distressed in struggling on. He said openly that it was the first time that he got out of bed for three or four months and he made the effort to come to this open meeting, and I'll never forget that. That very, very small, polished professional sitting next to somebody who is really in the throes of distress on that just seem to speak to me about her. Recovery is for everybody. You know, it doesn't matter what your station is in life. By the grace of God go I and things can change. I'm totally rambling enough muscle point.

spk_1:   25:16
Okay, I think

spk_2:   25:22
that's a good boy. Them that you make there because I'm just to eject slightly on it's you or your slot. But I want to say about recovery. Then there's always believed in no them and us, just us. And I think what you've illustrated. There is a perfect example of that on. We agree that everyone has and expertise of their own be in their own experience, will be in something they studied or got qualifications,

spk_0:   25:48
and I'm asking people to bring their own expertise. Is exactly what happened next, James, Because Andi I spotted this is back when Ginger Lynn was trying the open meetings. I just loved what recovery Devon were doing. But I did spot that they didn't really have much of a presence on social media. They did, but they just said we didn't have time to invest in that, and I could see that this was going back to 2011. Now I could see that that was really beginning to take off. So I offered. Firstly is a volunteer to look after their social media pages on. Then, as the years went by recovery. Devon, we're able to talk to me a little bit of freelance work, which really helped me out on and then threw some personal difficulties of my mental health, and my partner became severely mentally ill on go on stage and recovery. Devon continue to stay in touch with me until I agree to work as much or as little as I felt able to dio what up until 2019 when the community development worker role became available and I applies in on Got It. And that was a really happy day for me. And that was the end of a 10 year journey with recovery Devil in this and the start of a whole new face. So, you know, I'm a living example of recovery different, really opening the doors for anybody and allowing them to come in and join their own pace. Andi, think Mike, we cross paths about six years ago, but the

spk_1:   27:07
right and naturally so because you were doing the social media on DH, I became interested in rather mundane way, I'm afraid, because I have been involved in all manner of work with people I sometimes felt it has in some youth work on. But it ended up being digital, so I might teach people how to improve their maths but actually do it by using music production or something like that. So digital media more widely. Andi, I left that because frankly, I was knackered on DH, exhausted by it all on was doing my own Web business. But at the same time, I felt like I really kind of moved completely away from a job with real purpose to just a job, and then the popped up that recovery. Devon, we're looking for somebody down about that website and I thought, Oh, Aiken, fete away from the immediate demands of what one might call a frontline mental health work but still be doing something that is a bit more meaningful for me. So I applied for the job on. Luckily, I was able to pretend I was somebody else, but long enough that recovery dealing with daft enough to give me a job on the left, more or less where I started out. And I think about yes, it's just It's really nice, because at the end of day I do do the website but also then get to the strange things like write little jingles for podcast on DH, do video editing and produce leaflets or whatever is going on, which is another part of what I enjoy about it is that rather than having a dogmatic job role where you're in a nine, you leave at five and you do the jobs on your list, and that's it. Actually, it's a chance to say, Oh, I happen to be good at this. I will use my skills for something useful anyway. Then we come, Teo. Only in terms of long deputy with recovery. Devon, the baby of the group almost reasons employee Sammy who, actually, if I remember rightly, you're now being the community development is actually your second involvement with every level

spk_3:   29:11
it is. Yes. So it was a couple of years ago as 2018 that I approached recovery. Devon, I lived in the ex difficult a while, but I was just starting to approach people from my other job. So I'm also a movement psychotherapist, and I was looking for workshops. Ah, two day for different companies and mental health. I was kind of the client group that I wanted to do more work in. So I spoke to James and he invited me along. Teo, I think it was one of your annual meetings on DH. I ran a movement therapy workshop, which I'm hoping when Well, for me went well. I can't speak for anybody that actually participated. I don't know if I scott them or they're still dancing in their living rooms. Now, who knows? But

spk_1:   29:55
wait, you can't be too bad.

spk_3:   30:00
It was good to know, but yeah, they? The meeting was was just amazing. And I love the feel of recovery, Devon. And like I said, the mixture of people that were there and just how everybody was equal, even the recovery Devin team were equal to the people that were there. And so then when I saw the community development worker roll advertised, I mean that you went for it. And I thought, Well, this is too good to be true are not gonna get this, But I went for the presentation, and, uh, I remember James saying to me that the panel wondering if I was gonna do my interview in interpretive dance, which

spk_1:   30:35
I would love, that

spk_3:   30:36
it did immediately relax, May and made me laugh. And I thought, you know what? If I could have gotten away with that, that would've been great. Would have saved me a lot of prep time. So, yeah, I did that did. The interview was very nervous. It on got the phone call from James that evening to say I got the job on DH. It was amazing. I feel very grateful to be part of recovery. Devon, I've only been part of recovery Devin since January when the roll started but haven't haven't looked back And I'm loving every single second. Yes, and my my Storey is a little bit short of the new guys and it's only just started, but I hope it continues for a while.

spk_1:   31:13
Well, so do way for me. I'm slightly curiously distance sometimes because I love what I do is on the computer. I don't meet with being quite as much, but I can see the work that gets done on DH. You really grabbed hold of the website so you can that post for that. You've been asking about the cafe, so we started meeting with people Ondas. Soon as the situation changed, it wasn't like Well, I can't do my job now, so let's just let me know when it's passing. It was all hands on deck whom we've rapidly got. As we said, the dailies, new social media, more weight content going up. Fate has been brilliant on DH. I can't imagine two better people release form teams.

spk_2:   31:52
You know, I really echo that, Mike. I echo that because when I think that it was only J. Marie the first that you both started officially in your rolls of community Burma workers were now what just at the end of April's? That's for months. And when I consider what's been achieved in that a relatively short amount of time, it's nothing short of astounding. I just would like to extend my thanks would also French from the board for all you've done in your two roles. In a short space of time,

spk_1:   32:19
I have been darkness, joining with the podcast

spk_3:   32:24
it great role to have, because I feel like I can really put myself in it. It was great working with them, and she's into systematic movement as well. And it feels like I can do both things. You know, I'm not a movement. Therapists were recovery, Devon, but when I mentioned that, actually, all movement would be great in that event. You guys listen and and it it feels like I'm valued as a whole person, not just a job role, which is amazing. It's incredible to have found that

spk_0:   32:49
thing for me, and I think James talking about a sprint is more to skip something. I said more than once that after we've had a meeting, we've skipped across the car park afterwards, your happiness is just don't believe that Wade got the opportunity to get involved in. And with that, I'd like to extend to anybody that's listening. Who thinks How can I? Can I get a piece of this into something I'd like to be like storing them with on DH? Coming coming up? A look at all of our social media and I'll blow that. We really, genuinely, when we're allowed to be happy to meet up with you over a cup of tea in a cafe somewhere and just getting what you're about, what you'd like to bring what you got toe. Until then, there's lots of ways to get involved online. Things like our recovery. Devon Daisy chain Well, trying to be from home.

spk_1:   33:33
That's great. Could you tell us more about these daisy chains? In highly professional and polished and for

spk_0:   33:47
the Daisy is the recovery Devon mascot Just like recovery. It's the flower that can grow anywhere, and it doesn't discriminate about where it sets down its rubes. So recovery Devon or inviting you to take part in our Devon Daisy chain. If you'd like to show solidarity and raise awareness of mental health issues during locked down Why not do it with daisies? Maybe your Amar senator or crucial? Maybe your home schooling and looking for a new project to keep the kids occupied? Maybe you're a budding artist or sculptor. However you choose to make your daisies. We'd love to see them in your windows, on your fences or in your gardens. Being at home doesn't have to mean being out of touch with your community, so join in. Enjoy getting creative on giving passes by something to smile about. To get involved, Join our Facebook group, The Recovery Devon Daisy Chain or email, Social and Recovery. Devon dot co dot UK But worksheets with patterns and ideas I can't wait to see what you come up with. Send us a photo and be part of the recovery. Devon Daisy Chain way Thanks

spk_2:   34:59
very much for the podcast.

spk_0:   35:02
So it's important that people can get involved in a way that feels comfortable for them in a point that they feel happy, too. Andre, we partner with the Devon Recovery Learning Community who offer courses for anybody. They're completely free of charge. There's no referral process. You, khun, just refer yourself on so there will be a partner about us and Sammy. You've actually delivered some courses through the RLC, haven't you?

spk_3:   35:29
Yeah, so I'm one of their tutors. Like he said, they every resource, you sign up, you don't need any referral. You just go on their website, have a look at their prospectus, which they I think there's two a year that they Patel and they're fairly big. Prospectus is they have a lot of different courses. Khun B. T. Go and attend a talk about that medication or what is recovery talks about psychosis, talks about setting up a peer support network, and then you have more practical courses like woodworking. Climbing, I think, is one cake making bread making on DH. Then you have some more creative ones on DH. More practical ones like mindfulness skills. There weren't the course that I lied is I cannot remember now, but I'm not a movement for well being, too. That's a five week course I run. We normally get quite a big group of people on. We just explore how movement can help with living well. Obviously, it's not running at the moment because official distancing, but it'll be back up at some point and Yeah, it's just a brilliant thing to know about because, like you say, they are free, you don't you don't need to be referred, and you can pick which ones you want, and there's just a whole range and you get to meet a whole variety of different people on there.

spk_1:   36:39
It's also worth knowing that they changed things around a little bit. So they are putting on an awful lot of online courses on resources that you could get in the short term, that you don't even need to sign up for a lot of it because it's just sign. Posting needs two things online, entertaining and nicely even day or that are good for your well being or supportive moment or another.

spk_0:   37:00
We've been insulated TRL see about how we can collaborate through this time. One rule and locked down as well. On one suggestion is being compiling storeys of people's experiences a block down on, Of course, complying storeys is something that recovery Devon has always done. We've got to absolutely lovely anthologies of work. One of them is the Almost Storms, which was published about eight million years ago. Now Andre is a compilation of people's experiences of living through recovery, getting their lives back on track, two degree big toe to manage their mental health. Better through recovery. On the companion edition is riding the Storms, which is anthology off people who are in the throes of mental distress on how they manage active mental illness. So there might be crusty in the future for another inflammatory. But in the meantime, representing storeys is is a really important part of recovery. Devon on DH While we don't necessarily and dorsal of the storeys that we put out there, we do feel it's important that voices that don't ordinarily get her to be a platform. That's probably about

spk_2:   38:08
and can I also say him on top of that? But the books are made available for free. If you wish the water, then you can order them from our website. If you go to involvement that come down to our bookshop, there's, ah, simple form to fill in. We accept payments via PayPal, and that would be just the cover postage. Writing the storms is Grazia. It's a gritty or anthology. Some of the themes and subjects and content of our Booker are quite quite tough to read

spk_0:   38:38
it. Sometimes somebody's Storey, that an opportunity arises to create something. And that's why there's an awful lot of small grassroots projects out. There was probably something in the time that people listening from that they didn't even know was there. And that's one of the reasons why we've partnered up with a wonderful organisation called Adorable who are building a community map so that people can quickly see who is offering support of all kinds are not, not necessarily conventional support, even buy them opportunities to be creative or community groups on their patch. So a doddle is the community and trust company that's been running for some years now. Fantastic medical Jackie, who I'm hoping, will invite to talk about what she does on a podcast all by herself, but just to give people an idea. If you have something that you want to you want for your community, know about then you Khun, visit the adultery website on DH fine up, and we have our own recovery, Devon section of a total Now, is that right, Mike?

spk_1:   39:33
We're building a section. Yeah, I mean, they're also working with action to prevent two aside. You've got there in section they're calling the map off So it's ah, both kind of international thing, not international star A national thing s o You confined resources anywhere but you're able to search and they were able to narrow down that so so that you can find things only in your area. Also, that you confine support of a specific kind of Connexion search for something that his art spaced. We've searched for something that focuses on depression or you concerts for a small group taken very particular about what you need But the best place to find it is a dog on the organ is a d o d d l e of dull old calls. One word Ondas. We say it's free to sign up, and you can, even by enough information on it, that you have your own Web page. So for small organisations that can't afford away presents, it's quite a good substitute.

spk_3:   40:27
So with all this going

spk_0:   40:27
on, what have we got coming up in the future we get? Are we giving ourselves more? Protects todo What's next? Guys are

spk_1:   40:33
always more

spk_3:   40:36
We'll never stark

spk_1:   40:39
mentioned very briefly that we're doing the recovery there rising 2020 online instead. So if anybody wants to submit ideas for that, but we haven't given up on recovery twenties with either physical one about just shifted it to next year s O June 20 states 2021 at the university. It's gonna be at the Forum, which is, frankly, a stunning venue in its own right on DH. As we say, we can't be exact about it, because now it's another year away. But the original plan was to have all manner of things meditation, tense llamas and birds of prey for people who prefer to connect with nature of our life through to the work starts we mentioned before, which we'll both be teaching people how to do stuff on. Then, as the evening wears on, we will have a barbecue on DH also bands and entertainment. So it's kind of a mixture of conference and festival

spk_3:   41:29
were also quite keen to hear from other people. So I've just done a daily of asking How can we help? Quite a lot of the projects that we've we've done at the moment have been because we still want to carry on reaching out to people, and we want to adapt. It's been kind of a lot of internal decisions that we've made, which have bean really great at the moment. But it's really important to ask the community as well. And it's something that I'm quite keen to focus on. Is that actually what other people think? What do you guys think? What do you think that we could be doing more off? Or what do you think we could be doing that we're just not doing at the moment? You know, we are here for the mental health community, so we're putting it out to the mental health community. Of what? How can we help? What? What can we do?

spk_1:   42:10
Yeah, just to add to that a lot of the time, if you're trying to apply for funding funds and much more likely to be secured, it all working in partnership. This is why we are so keen on working in partnership. So it's kind of a two way street, not just asking people for ideas, but actually, if you are able to connect with us, those ideas might then have enough momentum to happen. So we've got all manner of things. We have a resource library of useful information. We've got our website which has got news on it. We've got our Facebook page where people connect. We've got the dailies were developing these podcasts s. So there's a lot of avenues we can get project information out there, so act like a sort of publicity agent if you like. A lot of expertise in house on, also quite nice were quite welcoming. And just have a conversation about one of these you're trying to do and we'll see whether there's some way in which we can make it

spk_0:   43:01
hard to talk about some of the upcoming podcast subjects that were hoping to help so I might kick off with Vega tests. We've started to run a series of talks experience called Phoenix Knights. We have the more planned, and we managed to just squeeze one in about four days before lock down, which is a good hair see sits on, are probably getting bored talking about recovery. Three dreams, and luckily we put a microphone on him. So when you have that talk recorded so that simple cars that's coming up, I think Mikey got put trust on way, too.

spk_1:   43:30
I'm afraid so. Yeah, on again. I suppose it was just really be an extension of what I talked about earlier with tears that for me, a therapeutic approach that looks at connecting outwards. There are a lot of therapy looks at the individual, and you go inside your own head and you decide what's what's wrong with you and so on. It's just a look at the eye right here about to be switching that around on, looking outside of the South in order to try and find Will be.

spk_0:   43:57
We've had lots of office from partners to put to provide bits and books for Pod Costa's well. But if anybody listening would like to get involved, then you know, Please do get in touch for this. And I wonder if we might just go around the four of us now and say on different ways that people can get in touch so far. Stop quiz Facebook and social media. So we have our Facebook page. Www. No, that's not what is it all

spk_1:   44:20
way? Have a blast from the year 2000 there, I think

spk_0:   44:26
way. So we have our Facebook page, which is just called recovery. Devon playing simple on in there We've got a couple of groups. We got our every doesn't Daisy chain group where you can come and chant until craft and share pictures of any daisy is that you want to work in your window was on Twitter. So come say latest Twitter on we know happen instagram account to try to get down with the kids a little bit more. So my teenager is helping me to get onto instagram much. First time isn't brilliant. So social media on place to connect with us some angel to maybe talk about

spk_3:   44:59
how people get in touch with community development. Yes, and for us, it's it's fairly simple. You just we've got any about address, which is community recovery. Devon dot co dot UK. It's on our website. It's on the block place that we've that we've been putting up on are really becoming Devon Facebook page as well. So yeah, please do get in touch with us because, um, otherwise it's just gonna be us talking on this podcast. And, uh,

spk_1:   45:23
no, I don't want that

spk_2:   45:27
on yesterday in terms that you want to get in touch with me at recovery, Devon. Then use the main email address which is recovery. Devon, actually mel dot com. We do also have the main telephone number, which is 07824161192 Just to add to that that the telephone isn't manned 24 7 we tend to use it. Mohr of a voicemail. So

spk_1:   45:54
that's just say that we are looking at getting a pay platform to their host. A podcast. They're called podcast, but really, they're just somebody talking. What done record themselves. So podcast is a bit of a fancy name that could make you go Well, I don't know how to do that. If you can record your own voice, which if you have a phone or anything else like that, you could make a podcast. In fact, if you have some of yourself recorded saying something you think is useful and focused on wellbeing, we're happy to just top and tail it with some sort of introduction on but on our platform. So it's a way of getting you out there,

spk_0:   46:28
but it's very much for listening to our first podcast on. Remember that everything that you've heard here today on DH started with somebody at some point in their recovery process. Just having a go on putting something out there. I

spk_1:   46:40
think that's like, Do that clear, Teo,

spk_0:   46:48
you know about professional. That may

spk_1:   46:49
be so.

spk_0:   46:50
But if you'd like to join in, please to get in touch for this. Well, that's all from us, by way of instructions. So thanks for being with us.

spk_2:   46:57
Thank you. Bye bye. Bye.

spk_1:   47:01
Thank you for listening. If you have ideas which explore mental health directly or an imaginative ways, perhaps you'd like to create our next podcast. If you don't know how or don't have any equipment for recording, we'll do what we can to help simply contact us. Our email is community at recovery, devon dot co dot UK

spk_2:   47:21
Recovery. Devon is a community interest company supported by the Devon Partnership Trust.