About Us
Jersey FOCUS on mental health
Our Chairman : Julian Clyde-Smith
Jersey FOCUS on mental health is a charity devoted to the aims of promoting good mental health and helping to develop effective services for those who suffer from mental illness.
One of our aims is to reduce the prejudice and discrimination associated with mental ill health. If you want to find out more about the work that Jersey FOCUS on mental health is involved in, please contact us.
Mental health is something we all have, we are continually trying to maintain a state of good mental health. We do this in various ways; through sport, relaxation, taking time out, and being with friends.
Mental ill health may cause a person to experience problems in the way they think, feel and behave. It can significantly affect their own lives, and the lives of the people around them. It can be extremely distressing for everyone involved.
Early diagnosis and intervention is crucial, help can come in many forms, including; medication, conversational therapy, community care support and self help networks. There is no specific cause of mental illness, triggers can be different for everyone. However, some identified common causes include; a genetic disposition, a difficult family background, bio-chemical factors or even stressful life events.
Our History
Jersey Focus on Mental Health is a new charity formed from two charities merging; namely the Jersey Association for Mental Health and the Jersey Schizophrenia Fellowship. Both of these charities have collectively been providing services, campaigning and actively supporting people with mental health problems, their families and carers for over forty years. They have come together to unite their resources and strengths in order to provide a better, more responsive charity that has the health and well-being of it’s membership at heart. The creation of Jersey FOCUS on mental health has allowed assets and resources to be combined, thereby avoiding duplication and maximising influence over local mental health policy development as well as allowing us to improve and develop our services.
Aims and Objectives
Anyone who has experienced any sort of mental health problem will be acutely aware of what a difficult and distressing experience it can be - stigma, rejection, family upheaval and the complexities of treatments can suddenly all become a part of everyday life. Similarly any parent or family member who has witnessed the onset of mental illness in a relative or loved one will know the helplessness and despair of trying to manage, using logic and rationale that is no longer meaningful or even understood by the sufferer. Also the difficulty for both users and carers of having to deal with a whole range of mental health professionals that have always existed for ’someone else’.
Very often, when these situations arise, the most immediate form of relief and reassurance can come simply from talking to someone who has, or is living through, a similar situation to you, someone who ’knows the ropes’, has learned to cope and is able to demonstrate that, with help and support, things can improve.
For those new to Mental Health problems, we at Jersey FOCUS on mental health aim to be that first important contact to help you and your family to come to terms with the situation. From then on (and for those with existing or long term Mental Health issues) we seek to provide as much moral and practical support as possible through the various services we provide including residential placement, userand carer support services, advocacy and a 24 hour helpline - see separate detailed sections for further information.
Key Personnel
The Committee : Chairman, Julian Clyde-Smith, Vice Chairman, Tom Binet, Honorary Treasurer, David Richardson, Fundraising Co-ordinator Maureen le Brun, Secretary to the Committee Katie Benbow and members Catriona Ellery, Sue Falloon, Mike Poole and Mike Renouard.
Executive Director : Anton Skinner Tel : 01534 851124 Mobile : 07797755295 email: antonskinner@msn.com
Patient Advocate : Patricia Winchester : tel : 07797716447 email : p.winchester@health.gov.je
Service User Involvement Co-ordinator: Lorraine Lewis: tel: 07700808888 email: lorrainelewis.focus@googlemail.com
Re-Focus Project: Project Worker: Steph de la Cour: tel 07797 775 659 email: refocus.jersey@googlemail.com
Treasurer : Lynsey Richardson [ email: lynseyrichardson1@yahoo.com]
Residential Services : see separate section
Postal address for all operational communications :
Anton Skinner
Central House
Rue a Don
Grouville JE3 9 GA
Postal Address for all Committee matters :
Katie Benbow
c/o Whiteley Chambers
P.o.Box 404
DonStreet
St Helier
Jersey JE4 9WG
or by email to the Chairperson at : julianclydesmith@jerseymail.co.uk
Postal Address for all financial matters including donations :
Lynsey Richardson
c/o Southfork
Rue deTrot
St. Saviours
JE2 7JQ