2nd August 2002

Mental Health Media has been awarded around £240,000 by The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund and the King's Fund for two exciting new projects which will further its innovative work with mental health service users.

Over a two year period, approximately £200,000 from The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund will enable Mental Health Media to create a new video and internet project aimed at young people.

The stigma associated with mental health issues can often be overwhelming, and can prevent young people from seeking help until they are in crisis.

By creative use of video and the internet, Mental Health Media will provide young people with resources that will encourage open discussion and promote greater awareness of mental health issues.

From the King's Fund, Mental Health Media will receive around £40,000 for a project which will assess video boxes as an effective way of involving mental health service users in evaluations of services.

Through its video production work and pilot video schemes, Mental Health Media has found that video, particularly when interviewers themselves have direct experience of using mental health services, are an excellent method of enabling people to talk openly and honestly about their concerns and issues. This project seeks to establish whether video boxes add value to existing evaluation methods.

The findings from the project will be published in a report that will be distributed nationally, with advice on how to carry out a video box evaluation and where to get support and information from experienced advisors.

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Notes for Editors

1. For further details regarding this press release please contact Katie Brudenell or Kate Summerside on 020 7700 8171/8172

2. Mental Health Media is a voluntary organisation, which works with the media to promote people's voices in order to reduce the discrimination and prejudice surrounding mental health and learning difficulties.

3. Dr Andrew Purkis OBE, Chief Executive of The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund commented:

'Like Diana, Princess of Wales, the Fund tries to support people who might otherwise be neglected or stigmatized. This grants portfolio supports some brave work helping those who can find themselves isolated. Five years on we are proud to be using our inspiring name to help change the lives of some of the most disadvantaged people in the UK.'

For further information regarding The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, please contact Tamasin Adams on 020 7902 5506.

4. King's Fund Chief Executive Rabbi Julia Neuberger commented:

"I am delighted the King's Fund is able to support Mental Health Media in its evaluation of video boxes. It is vital that mental health service users have a say in how services are run. Without their active involvement, services will never fully meet their needs. Video boxes are a promising way of contributing to that goal."

For more information about the King's Fund please contact Andrew Bell on 020 7307 2585 or 07831 554931.