CSV Make a Difference Day is the biggest day of direct volunteering in the UK and activities take place up until Saturday 5th November. Supported by Barclays community investment programme, it is a flagship event during the Year of the Volunteer and encourages people to give time instead of money to improve their local communities.

Ex psychiatrist, Dr Stephen Eckersley, will be one of the members donating his work. As a sufferer of hypomania, he started becoming involved in art when he was in hospital with severe depression and now his paintings sell for over £100 each.

"Art has given me a role in life," said Stephen. "I had to stop working as a consultant psychiatrist because of my illness and I felt lost about what to do with my life. I reached a real low a few years ago and ended up in hospital being treated with electroconvulsive therapy. I got involved in an art therapy class there and I found it really helped me deal with my depression."

"Often people with mental illnesses are very artistic. Having started my passion for art in hospital I thought, perhaps my paintings could inspire other patients to explore their creative sides, as well as brightening up the walls in the hospital."

Mariana Ware, PRA Day Care Coordinator said: "PRA supports adults experiencing or recovering from long term mental illness by developing new or existing skills, unlocking their potential and increasing their sense of self-worth and self esteem."

"Many of the members of the centre donating their art work are ex-patients of the hospital so they really feel passionate about sharing their work. It will give them the chance to really make a difference to other people's lives and help challenge people's perceptions of mental illness."

ENDS

Further press information: Olivia Ware/ Esther Freeman, CSV Make a Difference Day Press Office on 020 7812 0039/35 or email: oware@csv.org.uk efreeman@csv.org.uk Out of office hours: 07870 689 347

Latest press releases: www.csv.org.uk/press


Notes for Editors

  1. CSV Make a Difference Day takes place on Saturday 29 October 2005, and activities take part a week either side. Nearly 100,000 people are expected to give time rather than money to improve their local community. The campaign is organised by CSV (Community Service Volunteers) and supported by Barclays community investment programme and the Home Office Active Communities Directorate.
  2. CSV (Community Service Volunteers) is the UK's leading volunteering and training organisation and creates opportunities for people to play an active part in the life of their community through volunteering, training and community action. Each year 164,000 people give 4.1 million hours of their time as volunteers through CSV.
  3. Year of the Volunteer 2005 is owned by volunteers, led by a partnership between Community Service Volunteers (CSV) and the Volunteering England Consortium, and supported by the Home Office. To find out more about events and activities during the Year of the Volunteer 2005, please visit the official website at www.yearofthevolunteer.org
  4. Barclays PLC actively encourages employee involvement through its Employee Volunteering grant giving, Volunteer 2day time giving and £ for £ match-funding schemes, as well as encouraging the wider public to do the same through supporting flagship projects such as CSV Make a Difference Day and Barclays Spaces for Sports.
  5. "We actively encourage our employees to give their time and effort to local charities, urban regeneration, fundraising and all forms of volunteering. We are proud of their efforts and not a little humbled by them." Matt Barrett, Group Chairman.
  6. Over 20,000 Barclays employees from around the world took part in community activities in 2004. Nearly 14,000 Barclays employees took part in Make a Difference Day activities alone, including staff in Africa and Spain. Volunteering projects ranged from mentoring, clearing beaches to gardening, painting and decorating.
  7. Barclays takes its social and environmental responsibilities seriously, supporting social and financial inclusion both nationally and at grass roots level to make a real and lasting difference to the community. In 2004 the bank continued to be one of the UK's top corporate contributors, making a global commitment of £31.9m and one in three Barclays employees volunteered for their local communities.
  8. PRA is a self-help organization in partnership with patients, relatives, friends and professionals and in association with statutory social services and health authorities. PRA pioneered community care for the mentally ill through dynamic initiatives that originated in Hackney and spread to the neighbouring boroughs. The work is based on Groupwork as therapy, evoking leadership and personality development as part of the recovery process from the despair of mental illness. When PRA commenced in 1958 there was no community care, now it is a widespread strategy in most communities. PRA is a driving force in the compassionate activation of people suffering and/or recovering from mental health issues to engage with the community. PRA's concept of day centres, work programmes, residential care, counseling and opportunities for creative expression such as the art studios and gallery, are no longer seen as innovative but as a basic resource.
  9. For further information see social responsibility at http://www.barclays.com. Media enquiries contact: Sarah Davis, Sponsorship PR Manager, Barclays PLC on 020 7116 6095.