Mental Health StigmARTa campaign
Donation protected
Getting mental health 'invisibles' back into work.
Social enterprise structure needed.
Radio interview campaignBBC Suffolk 11th September.
DONATE NOW
You can help by donating today.
We need to funds to change the way we operate.
We are seeking to change the upstairs gallery to a social enterprise, so that more people can use us to gain skills for employment in a friendly at ease surrounding.
Michelle has personally campaigned for people with social working needs to get into employment, already having taken under her wing many, many individuals who need a purpose in life, people who have lost faith, feel worthless, and who think they have no value.
These people are excluded and in social, employment and skills limbo. They cannot work as they suffer from mental health issues, but to the ordinary viewer, seem capable. They are perhaps suicidal and need a purpose, trying to move on from alcohol abuse, but can't gain respect or employment. Suffer from illnesses like Crohns disease but are only able to work just a few hours.
These are bright, physically able people with nowhere to go.
Michelle has done this for eight years and will continue to support the gallery and the volunteers, but also needs to continue with her own work of lifecasting, and is currently working for many funeral homes in the region. This is taking its toll on just one woman.
So, to secure the galleries future -
we need to change the whole picture.
To back the artists by putting together a sustainable business enterprise, to back the individuals by putting together skills, support, business advice, and mentoring to encourage them. To install up to date equipment for them to learn and use. To make the gallery more accessible. To advertise and market what we do to the masses. For shelving for the retail side. For a bigger art supply store for our users.
The gallery has benefited many young and bright people to gain employment.
These are people who now need your help too!
Case study:
Sarah is an incredibly bright young woman, creative and skilled, but has mental health and sleep deficient problems. She is only able to mentally work for a few hours at a time. She has been suicidal many times, and feels she is fighting with her struggles every hour of every day.
She had some work on show at the gallery, opened up to Michelle, and Michelle took her under her wing.
Sarah still works at the gallery today.
She has value, she is worthwhile, and she needs your help. With the right mentoring, and skills, Sarah can open her own creative business, and continue to realise there is a life worth living.
Nicola.
Nicola is telling you her own story. heres what she had to say.
Over the period of a few years I worked with Michelle at The Gallery....in this time I was alcohol dependent and had been diagnosed with a personality disorder.
When I was there I felt needed and it gave me a purpose to get up in the morning....I started to build confidence and this helped give me the desire to get well. The atmosphere is very relaxing and Michelle is such a lovely lady, she is one I will always look up too.
I have now attended rehab for three months and have been out a year and life couldn't be better. I returned to volunteer after rehab and it was just what I needed and gave that final push into getting a paid job at which I am very happy.
I would recommend volunteering here for anyone who needs stability and help to get their life back on track, I'm living proof of that!
Michelle says:
The Upstairs Gallery is a great environment for people, to learn sales, computer skills, marketing, retail. We think there should be more environments in places like this, that businesses back to get these individuals professionally motivated and working, with a meaning and value. These cases above are just two of 16 people I have helped, and weekly I am asked for more and more. I am one woman, this needs to expand.
We want to build the gallery to such a level that their voices are no longer ignored, just because they 'look' normal.
Help us help them. I can no longer do it alone, I need you. The gallery needs you, and they need you.
About The Upstairs Gallery
The gallery has been recently published as being one of the TOP small galleries in the country today (high 50) 2015
The gallery started as additional space to support artists in getting out to publicise their own work. Business mentoring and advice was given, and many artists have benifitted from Michelles knowledge and service. As the gallery grew, and won several awards, more and more visitors came to view.
Winning Best small tourism attraction, pride in the community, Barclays top 100, Community development and regeneration, and entrepreneur of the year, Michelles support has kept the galleries and the artists, the volunteers who work here, active and open.
Michelle recent works helping those who have lost, with lifecasting at funeral homes and hospitals, means that she will need help to keep the mental health community and volunteers active within the gallery.
We hope you will be able to help us keep the gallery going from strength to strenth, and in so keeping a valuable part of our local community.
Social enterprise structure needed.
Radio interview campaignBBC Suffolk 11th September.
DONATE NOW
You can help by donating today.
We need to funds to change the way we operate.
We are seeking to change the upstairs gallery to a social enterprise, so that more people can use us to gain skills for employment in a friendly at ease surrounding.
Michelle has personally campaigned for people with social working needs to get into employment, already having taken under her wing many, many individuals who need a purpose in life, people who have lost faith, feel worthless, and who think they have no value.
These people are excluded and in social, employment and skills limbo. They cannot work as they suffer from mental health issues, but to the ordinary viewer, seem capable. They are perhaps suicidal and need a purpose, trying to move on from alcohol abuse, but can't gain respect or employment. Suffer from illnesses like Crohns disease but are only able to work just a few hours.
These are bright, physically able people with nowhere to go.
Michelle has done this for eight years and will continue to support the gallery and the volunteers, but also needs to continue with her own work of lifecasting, and is currently working for many funeral homes in the region. This is taking its toll on just one woman.
So, to secure the galleries future -
we need to change the whole picture.
To back the artists by putting together a sustainable business enterprise, to back the individuals by putting together skills, support, business advice, and mentoring to encourage them. To install up to date equipment for them to learn and use. To make the gallery more accessible. To advertise and market what we do to the masses. For shelving for the retail side. For a bigger art supply store for our users.
The gallery has benefited many young and bright people to gain employment.
These are people who now need your help too!
Case study:
Sarah is an incredibly bright young woman, creative and skilled, but has mental health and sleep deficient problems. She is only able to mentally work for a few hours at a time. She has been suicidal many times, and feels she is fighting with her struggles every hour of every day.
She had some work on show at the gallery, opened up to Michelle, and Michelle took her under her wing.
Sarah still works at the gallery today.
She has value, she is worthwhile, and she needs your help. With the right mentoring, and skills, Sarah can open her own creative business, and continue to realise there is a life worth living.
Nicola.
Nicola is telling you her own story. heres what she had to say.
Over the period of a few years I worked with Michelle at The Gallery....in this time I was alcohol dependent and had been diagnosed with a personality disorder.
When I was there I felt needed and it gave me a purpose to get up in the morning....I started to build confidence and this helped give me the desire to get well. The atmosphere is very relaxing and Michelle is such a lovely lady, she is one I will always look up too.
I have now attended rehab for three months and have been out a year and life couldn't be better. I returned to volunteer after rehab and it was just what I needed and gave that final push into getting a paid job at which I am very happy.
I would recommend volunteering here for anyone who needs stability and help to get their life back on track, I'm living proof of that!
Michelle says:
The Upstairs Gallery is a great environment for people, to learn sales, computer skills, marketing, retail. We think there should be more environments in places like this, that businesses back to get these individuals professionally motivated and working, with a meaning and value. These cases above are just two of 16 people I have helped, and weekly I am asked for more and more. I am one woman, this needs to expand.
We want to build the gallery to such a level that their voices are no longer ignored, just because they 'look' normal.
Help us help them. I can no longer do it alone, I need you. The gallery needs you, and they need you.
About The Upstairs Gallery
The gallery has been recently published as being one of the TOP small galleries in the country today (high 50) 2015
The gallery started as additional space to support artists in getting out to publicise their own work. Business mentoring and advice was given, and many artists have benifitted from Michelles knowledge and service. As the gallery grew, and won several awards, more and more visitors came to view.
Winning Best small tourism attraction, pride in the community, Barclays top 100, Community development and regeneration, and entrepreneur of the year, Michelles support has kept the galleries and the artists, the volunteers who work here, active and open.
Michelle recent works helping those who have lost, with lifecasting at funeral homes and hospitals, means that she will need help to keep the mental health community and volunteers active within the gallery.
We hope you will be able to help us keep the gallery going from strength to strenth, and in so keeping a valuable part of our local community.
Organizer
Michelle Payne
Organizer
