A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM

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And we sat eloquently beside the Stratford River; a pre-stage buzz
hummed in the quintessential Shakespearean town.
The BME 'Satellite' user group warmed to each others company.

Basking in the early spring heat, some sipped a light beer whilst others
refreshed with a sweet Malibu and soft drinks.
Diversity, ethnicity and culture was having its finest hour as it was

about to interlock with the nostalgic folly; poetic genius and power of

the genius kind. 'Why Shakespeare?' we asked, and what emotional

resonance could it afford to a British- Indian sensibility?
'Power... Choice and experience. A re-enactment
of the human drive and its powers and limitations'

And as the conversation flowed regarding power, identity and a

sense of place and who we all were in the collapsing modern age; we

turned our attention to the moon that was hanging in the blue sky

like a lost pearl. We felt eclipsed in its presence, a mythic air of fantasy

and adventure was roaming amongst the pre -performance chatter

in the bustling beer garden of the ‘Dirty Duck’
Shakespeare was roaming! Like the suspended moon that was pulling

our emotions in a mythic charm of fantasy awaiting.
... And thus we entered the courtyard as a bewitching nocturnal light

ushered us inside like artisans of old.

…Excited chatter, illuminated faces; the crowds were embracing

themselves in a pre- euphoric trance; and we were guilty of this sinful

excitement. Shakespeare and diversity, welcome to a true sense of

modernity.


... The moon from the outside had wandered in as if by enchantment.

The stage sets were fantastical and the focus group along with the crowds

at large were gripped even before the show was unleashed…The lights soon

faded...The crowds began to murmur...And a trance like narcotic ambiance

prevailed.The show burst onto the stage, with venomous awe, with an

audacity of power, history and poetic grace... what one would expect

from a Shakespeare play.

The enchantment of the tale with its roots cleverly embedded in a mindset

of mythical fantasy and human love and tyranny enchanted and star struck

the audience; with a dynasty of dance and performance!

... And as the night ended, and the crowds drifted away in starlit wonder

of the residue that was sprinkled on the hundreds like fairy dust; we

wandered over the river, contemplating as a group how such things can

empower and transcend human experience.

The BME initial group event was a huge success. The group left the event
inspired, empowered and elevated to a new sense of understanding.

Various new projects were discussed with the group as it fruited

that a real critical understanding of culture and ethnicity was needed

across the services. Various members of the group were proposing to

write recovery stories in the context of a compilation

book that could then be distributed to stakeholders and practitioners;

allowing a qualitative and emotional perspective on how to engage

with BME communities.

It was felt that the current understanding of BME issues was dire;

the constant crossing of wires and misrepresented

information and poor judgement by practitioners was very problematic;

coupled with uninspiring interventions.Two book proposals were

‘The Lennon Tree’ and ‘Fairy Tales and Dreams’. I hope

(CDW) to work closely with the ‘Satellite’ group on these two initial projects.

It was hard to peel away from the enchanted energy and the provocation that

had been induced by the play; the group will be meeting very soon to initialise how

to take these projects further.

If anyone out their has any really important narratives, experiences,

or stories of recovery and being involved with the

mental health services; focusing on improving services for the ethnic

minority community then please do drop us a mail; if anyone wants more

information on how to join the ‘Satellite’ focus group then likewise, don’t

be afraid to get in touch by sending us a few comments. The BME diversity
team is here to listen, to help, and improve services regarding people’s

emotional well being!

Question Time -post event review.

The project was a success; due not to the colossal crowds

that were bursting to have a say on the stage with the trembling

sweat soaked microphone that was awaiting lip murmuring intimacies;
but more so to the fact that the men who had attended were of a broad age
range (Young and old) and spoke of the real issues that
were facing local communities; the undercurrent of so
called modernity and a crippling infrastructure that is
falling from beneath us.

So what were the burning issues with regards to ‘Black
men’ accessing services on offer within the community?
What were the concerns of the ‘male’ African
Communityregarding community provision and
promoting a sense of emotional well-being?

For the older generation access to NHS dental healthcare
was a primary concern; but this was coupled with a general
nihilism of cultural services on offer. It was felt from the
older generation (40 +) that there were no creative spaces
available for social histories of the local African Community
to be shared with the younger generation.

It was evidently expressed through bails of laughter, amongst
feasting on the delightful Caribbean dish that had been prepared by the
ever so charming project manager. And there was a poignant sense

of the vitality and importance of the commune happening

before our eyes which gave resonance to the voice of the younger

generation who appealed to the group parties and professional agencies
that there was nothing on offer within the community for
young people. Youth centres and projects were out of
touch if not completely off the radar with what was being
offered. The young had nowhere to turn to apart from
the streets, where contemplation would so often turn
to confusion.

A desperate plea was in the air of the small hum drum
room of the centre, that had suddenly become
transformed and had permeated time, like a time
machine voyaging across Harlem nights, over the seas
of immigration, over the hardships and the struggles of
African predecessors; from the youthful, creative and
graceful young men who had proudly bothered to turn
up because they cared; ‘how do we connect?’, ‘What do
we connect to?’, were the issues of the day that
resonated the undercurrent that communities were
breaking without much recognition.

Was there any mental health prevention strategy for Afro- Caribbean men?

What about the 'Breaking the Cirlces of fear' initiative and guidelines?

Had Mental Health and younger BME people been forgotten locally?

The community felt concerned and very sidelined!

And thus a new solution was required. Where local
services needed to acknowledge the importance of
sustaining old and new communities and building the
bridges between them to safe guard the past and future.

Since the event it has fruited by my communication with
some of the attendees of the event and the project manager
that a creative group for men is vital; that it could withhold
and nurture the need for a sense of community and place
for the young and the old. A project will soon be proposed
and is in the pipeline involving key members of the African
Caribbean community. More information will be provided
when the blueprints have been set!