Black Mental Health UK Wins Community Service Award, England

Main Category: Mental Health
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 25 Nov 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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100 Black Men of London honoured the work of Black Mental Health UK this week by awarding its director Matilda MacAttram, a community service award, during their annual fundraising gala held on Saturday. The star studded event at the salubrious Institute of Directors on Pall Mall, was hosted by acclaimed actor and playwright Kwame Amah who presented the award the night.

Described as one of the most memorable events of 2008, this black tie affair was attended by hundreds of 100BML supporters from across the capital.

Guests paid premium rates for tickets to support the work of this charity and mark the successes of the last 12 months, which is part of the work which has seen over 100,000 men, women and children benefit from their work since the London chapter was established.

100 BML are a national charity, working in the heart of the community, running mentoring, education and self development programmes with the support of educated successful young black professionals who give up their time and talents for free to support this work.

This year the charity presented a community service award to Matilda MacAttram, director of Black Mental Health UK, for her part in the work of the raising awareness about the treatment and care of people from African Caribbean's who come in contact with mental health services.

'Those on the margins of society very rarely have a voice at the decision making table when the law or policy changes are being discussed. In the arena of mental health this is unfortunately is often the case for black people and yet it is this group that continue to be over represented in medium and high secure wards. They have the longest stays in hospitals with the poorest outcomes.

The death of David Bennett makes it clear that this is a dangerous dynamic which needs to change. The acknowledgment of BMH UK's work by 100 BML is a great honour and confirms the need to have an agency that works at raising awareness about the treatment of one of society's most marginalised groups,' Matilda MacAttram said.

- Black Mental Health UK is a human rights campaigns group established to address the over representation of African Caribbean's within secure psychiatric care and raise awareness to address the stigma associated with mental health.

- African Caribbean's are 50% more likely to enter the system via the criminal justice system or the police. 44% more likely to be sectioned, 29% more likely to be forcibly restrained, 50% more likely to be placed in seclusion and make up 30%[1] of in patients on medium secure psychiatric wards despite having similar rates of mental illness as British white people.

- Black Mental Health UK are working to see a reduction in the death rates of patients detained under the Mental Health Act which saw a 40% increase in 2007 to over 300 causalities.

- 100 BML fundraising gala was held on Saturday 22nd November 2008, from 6.30 - 2.00am at the Institute of Directors, Pall Mall, London.

- 100BML was established in 2001, and to date their work has benefited over 10,000 men, women and children

- All 100BML's work has been financed solely through the community to donate to their work visit http://www.100bml.org.uk or call 08704 121 4100

[1] Mental Health Act Commission. (2007) Count Me In Census 2006, 23 March 2007. Mental Health Act Commission

Black Mental Health UK

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