A new film exploring how a Black majority church in Birmingham is challenging mental health stigma and discrimination in the communities it serves is now available to watch on our YouTube channel.
Faith in Mind is a short documentary about the work of The New Testament Church of God in Handsworth and features interviews with church leaders and members who speak openly about their own experiences of mental health and what they are doing to support mental wellbeing.
The film was funded by the Birmingham Hub of the national anti-mental health stigma campaign Time for Change and was co-produced by The Red Earth Collective in partnership with two Black led Birmingham-based organisations; film makers, Open Lens Productions and mental health umbrella organisation Catalyst 4 Change.
As part of last week’s World Mental Health Day celebrations, the film was launched at a special Zoom event on Friday 9th October to an audience of 150 people which featured a Q&A with church members and filmmakers.
Lakhvir Rellon, Director of Community Engagement at Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust was in the audience and told us;
“Faith in Mind is a fantastic film which we need to get out widely across our communities. Thank you so much for your arresting honesty and courage in sharing your personal stories”
Also watching the film was Carlene McKenzie a project co-ordinator with Soho First an organisation that works to support community cohesion in Birmingham who was very impressed by the film;
“I was greatly surprised by the sincere efforts by all to portray an honest, heart-felt presentation on how people view mental health... and how people are viewed and dealt with, specifically through churches and through their faith”
You can watch the film at http://bit.ly/FaithinMind