We are pleased to say that it was a happy and lively event celebrating our collective approach to mental health support. Co-produced with Expert by Experience Leaders, the day was packed with engaging and interactive sessions.
Morning Presentations
Attendees gathered at 10.00 am to chat over coffee before welcome and introduction speeches from Juliet Lyon CBE (Independent Co-Chair, Open Mental Health) and Jo Poole (Lived Experience Co-Chair, Open Mental Health VCFSE Alliance).
“The OMH Journey So Far” was presented by Clare Munt (Somerset Foundation Trust), Jo Poole, and Beccy Wardle (Rethink Mental Illness). They discussed Open Mental Health as a multi-agency alliance in Somerset, including lessons learned from mistakes, the new contract awarded in 2024, the Locality Model and Best Practice Framework, strides made in data collection and reporting, and the Small Grants Programme.
A presentation about “The Golden Threads” of OMH explained that lived experience, trauma-informed practice, and equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging underpin the alliance’s strategy for 2025-2028.
Experts by Experience – The Journey
Shortly after 11.00 am, Sue Harbor and Jo Poole, both Expert by Experience Leaders, presented an animated film commissioned to explore the challenges of co-production. OMH’s aspiration is for Experts by Experience to work as equal partners and lead the way in transforming Somerset’s mental health system. Coproduction brings numerous benefits; the voice of hard-won lived experience can ensure services truly meet people’s needs and improve the quality of treatment and support. However, the way is not always easy, as the animation explores.
Fun and Games
“Roping People In” was a light-hearted activity from Emma Brown (The Balsam Centre) and Hannah Clegg (Somerset Foundation Trust). A ball of twine thrown from the stage and passed around the audience soon had people laughing as they got caught up in its threads.
This was followed by “Find the Right Door”, an activity hosted by Emma Brown and involving Locality Leads and Experts by Experience. Attendees were given a client scenario and had to gather information from partner stands and the Experts by Experience to create a plan—one which might change based on a “LIFE CARD” from a Locality Lead. Participants gained a practical understanding of collaborative service delivery and the challenges associated with interpreting and responding to referrals.
The next presentation, “What Good Service Looks Like When Done Well,” by Robyn Butler (Second Step) and Lisa Maria Thomas (Client), highlighted OMH’s impact, including a decrease in mental health bed admissions.
Afternoon Activities
Following an enjoyable lunch, the afternoon session was hosted by Alexander White (Somerset Foundation Trust for Open Mental Health) and began with “Meaningful Moments”, a film exploring adversity and trauma-informed approaches to mental health support. Presented as part of the conference, it was created and voiced by Senior PAT Practitioner Rosalind Moreno-Parra in collaboration with Jane Edmonds from Second Step’s communications team.
Rosalind addressed the conference to explain the six PAT principles that underpin our trauma-informed approach: choice and clarity, collaboration, empowerment, inclusivity, safety, and trust and transparency.
This was followed by “AFTERNOON POWER UP” with Sammy, Taylor, and Joe from Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership, a fun-filled fitness session that left everyone invigorated, and a presentation about SASP’s work.
Golden Discoveries in the Breakout Rooms
Conference attendees joined workshops exploring aspects of OMH’s golden threads. Robyn Butler and Rosalind Moreno-Parra of Second Step ran a workshop about trauma-informed practice. Lucy Grist from Diversity Voice and Second Step’s Vicky Le May shared their deep understanding of belonging–a subject Lucy has written about on our blog. Meanwhile, Helen Fielden and Sebastien Crossley from Open Mental Health’s Co-Production Team looked at best practices developed by OMH’s Expert by Experience Leaders.
The Open Mental Health VCFSE Alliance Strategy for 2025-2028
Back on stage, Beccy Wardle spoke further about OMH’s strategy, as discussed earlier in the day, covering inclusivity, promoting collaboration and equity, delivering high-quality service, improving measurement, developing structures, growing the alliance, diversifying revenue, increasing awareness, and identifying and serving underrepresented communities.
The afternoon included discussion groups and the opportunity to share answers online via Slido, followed by a round-up of the day delivered by Juliet and Jo.
All that remained was for attendees to take a last look at the many stalls, where partner organisations shared insights into their work, helping to build a greater connection and a wider understanding of their offerings. There was a quiet space nearby where people could take a break from the activity, and a therapy dog was available to help them relax.
When 4.00 pm came, the venue began to empty. We really enjoyed seeing everyone there, and we look forward to hosting a conference again next year.
