The Festival of Life and Death, some related projects, and what’s in my head these days..
Apologies for the delay in making this update.
Things have been changing fast, especially since March 2018.
Main developments:
FoLaD continues to established increasingly strong foundations/plans across Leicestershire, as well as Leicester City, where two main venues (Haymarket Theatre and University of Leicester’s George Davies Centre), will feature events on 8th September, around which other venues will host smaller activities.
FoLaD is now well established with major events in Bournemouth, Mansfield, London, and many other locations in development. There are also small FoLaD events happening in Australia, USA, and quite significant events in India, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
FoLaD foundations/connections/partnering in Asia are now very substantial… where FoLaD aligns with broader needs/aims for peace-building, education, and societal and cultural rebuilding/development. A peace conference is planned in India towards the end of 2018, based on inspiration and young people, involving arts, music and role-models. This gives wonderful opportunity for international exchange, and direct relationships and fund-raising. Mental health is challenging anywhere, but even more so in areas of conflict and deep suffering and deprivation. 6,000 people die by suicide every year in the UK. In India the number of suicides is 100,000. Every year. And 20,000 of these suicides are farmers. Every year..
London FoLaD is being developed further with Greater London Authority/ThriveLDN (ThriveLDN is the mental health initiative of GLA). This is tremendously exciting.
The main Leicester events now have speakers/artists/performers/bands registered to participate, although there will always be space for more, one way or another, so if you want to be involved – in Leicester, or anywhere, in any way that will help you – please register on the participate page. It’s quick simple and free.
Equine therapy is emerging as a major FoLaD wellness and healing strand alongside all art forms, music, countryside/gardens, talking/listening, community, exercise/dance/fitness/sport, etc.
This website will soon offer easy way to upload your own details (pic, location, biog, services, links, etc) as a partner/member/supporter of FoLaD.
Leicester’s fabulous Art House (9-10 June) will include a FoLaD exhibition, and will be raising funds to help FoLaD, thank you all very much. There is wonderful live music, tea, cake, conversation and healing friendships at Tart House, the amazing venue among the other Tart House exhibition houses. https://www.facebook.com/art.house.leicester/ https://www.facebook.com/TartHouseLeicester
FoLaD continues to connect and join up changemakers, helpers, therapists, activists and leaders everywhere, working towards new solutions and initiatives for preventing suicide, and all that this means in the mental health iceberg, especially supporting people threatened by suicide, and helping people bereaved by suicide.
Thank you all.