‘Stamp It Out’ became a partner of the County Durham Time to Change Hub in 2019 and, will continue to take the work forward, as host, in partnership and led by lived experience, once the hub funding from Time to Change ends in 2020. As well as the funding covering the above-mentioned activities, there will also be match funding for the Anti-Stigma Ambassadors fund. Priority will be given for identified minority group’s; men; children and young people.
The role of the steering group is to facilitate the work stated in the Stamp It Out/Time To Change Hub Action plan, working in partnership and supporting the coordinator in order to meet targets and work on priorities mentioned above.
Who are we?
David Shipman - Chair of the Stamp It Out board of trustees.
My background has included many years working in local authority social services departments, along with family and personal experience of how mental health needs can impact on all of us.
I wanted to get involved in Stamp It Out because I think that it is really important that the negative impact of stigma and discrimination is challenged and that the work is shaped and led by people with lived experience. Everybody at Stamp It Out has been friendly and helpful, so don’t hesitate to get involved.
Who are we? Meet our Trustees
Peter Swan
I have been a trustee for Stamp It Out for around two years. I have been interested in becoming a trustee for a number of reasons. I have personal experience of poor mental health, and I am aware (from experience) that there is still a lot of work to be done when it comes to changing misinformation around poor mental health.
Through my work with Stamp It Out I have created a number of resources including an anti-stigma based comic (Anti-Stigma Kid), an anti-stigma board game, and have designed leaflets for the charity. While I have contributed to the charity as a campaigner, I decided to become a trustee so that I could help contribute to its formal operations and ensure that it remained true to its ethos. The skills that I bring to Stamp It Out include evaluation skills, social media skills and graphic design abilities.
Christine Atkinson
I have been involved with Stamp It Out since it’s inception in 2016. I’m now one of their trustees. I have lived experience of Mental Health difficulties and I am passionate about dispelling the myths of mental health and to continue the journey of fighting against stigma and discrimination. My working background has always at it’s centre enabled others to achieve their full potential in all that they do.
Tom Raine
I joined stamp It Out when it first started and was one of the original members.
My background is from engineering and over many years I have been volunteering and supporting many community projects.
People should know about stigma and discrimination in mental health and that’s why I want to support the work by Stamp It Out and the County Durham Time To Change Hub and why I am also a campaigner.
I hope is that one day all stigma and discrimination will be Stamped Out!
Kevin Cane
Kevin has lived in Newton Aycliffe for most of his life. He has been a footballer in the past and likes hiking in the Lake District, real ale and is a keen collector of original vinyl records.
He has done both voluntary and paid work in the mental health sector and following supporting a close friend experiencing severe mental health problems, he considers himself an advocate in the understanding and the promoting of mental health awareness amongst the wider community. He has seen first hand how debilitating stigma can be especially in industry settings for fear of judgement and rejection. He wants mental health to be as widely talked about as physical health for people to be able to talk openly (if they so wish) and feel that they will be supported and understood.
Jaynie Dixon
Jaynie Dixon lives, works and volunteers in East Durham and is looking forward to getting married in 2025. Jaynie acknowledges that we live in a world where very degrading and damaging words and behaviours are used flippantly every day. Her hopes are that by raising awareness things can change, people can feel empowered to be who they really are, instead of feeling they are lesser ‘labelled’ people. Labels like MAD for living a different way, judging others and deeming them less worthy.
Organisations need to update their archaic policies, from the use of prejudiced words and stigmatised terms. They need to understand how this can deeply harm people and social temperatures. Change needs to happen dramatically.
Being Alf the Kid’s mum, she has been told about all the good he has done and is doing, on raising awareness - so she would also like to do her bit too. She says that if there is one thing any of us can do for the future, it’s to make it kinder!
Our Mission: To promote and protect the health of the public, particularly those living with mental health conditions, in County Durham and the surrounding areas, by educating the public in all areas relating to mental health conditions in order to reduce stigma and discrimination towards people who experience mental health problems and to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of poor mental health.
The Stamp It Out Group became a charity in December 2018 in order to support sustainability. Led by mental health lived experience, and in partnership there is a trustees board. three main delivery partners who are: Investing in Children; The Waddington Street Centre and The Pioneering Care Partnership, a steering group and, a wider membership of organisations.
Our aim is to help bring a change in attitudes in the general population of County Durham towards people of all ages who experience mental health problems.
To promote an environment which will enable people affected by mental health issues to be part of their communities, less isolated and more able to be open about their own mental health issues.
To support real improvements in quality of life of people affected by mental health problems, better chance of inclusion, less likely to be victim of harassment, bullying and assaults, and more likely to seek help in times of need.
To develop sustainable options to continue raising awareness of mental health stigma and discrimination across County Durham.