St Helens is playing host to a cultural extravaganza - Hedstrong 07 - to mark World Mental Health Day (October 10th).
Hedstrong07 is a community led initiative responding to this year's theme for World Mental Health Day, which is 'Mental Health in a Changing World - The Impact of Culture and Diversity'.

The Mental Health Forum and the Mental Health Carers' Group have again teamed up with St. Helens Council and Halton & St Helens PCT to organise a series of free culture celebrations in the town centre. These kick off on October 10th with a festival at Church Square where there will be a day of creative workshops and performances from the organisers of the annual community based UNITY festival. Visitors will have the chance to try their hand at Brazilian meninos drumming, jamming sessions and creative art workshops and acclaimed South Asian dancers Upasana and Manchester's Speakeasy comedians and poets will take to the stage.

On October 13th there will be a celebration of the cultural diversity of St Helens at the Citadel Arts Centre with performances from headline band A Certain Ratio, the Fairey Band and the Luna Band.

Mental Health Forum and Carers' Group representative Karen Machin said: "This year's World Mental Health Day celebrations in St. Helens will be the biggest yet and we thank the Council and PCT for their continued support with organising and funding the event."

Cllr Suzanne Knight, the Council's Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health, added: "This year's celebrations are an opportunity for local people to come together to celebrate our growing cultural diversity and to learn more about how this can enrich all our lives."

For more information about Hedstrong07 visit www.myspace.com/hedstrong07 or contact Mark Swift, Health Improvement Specialist, Mental Health & Wellbeing, Halton & St Helens PCT on 01744 697433.

To find out more about World Mental Health Day visit the World Federation for Mental Health website www.wmfh.org