The project ended in a full-day event at Newham Centre for Mental Health on 10 October 2025 on World Mental Health Day. Members of the project team visited the wards to bring messages of encouragement, kindness and compassion to service users, visitors and staff in the unit.
Huzayfa recounts the story of this project below.
Q. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what motivated you to develop this project?
My name is Huzayfa Patel and I approached the Newham Centre for Mental Health in March 2025 with an idea for an activity for World Mental Health Day. I was motivated to do this by my experience of visiting a family member who had been admitted to Newham Centre for Mental Health (NCMH) in 2023. During that time, I visited the unit and saw the experience of my family member and other service users on the wards, I saw the struggles and isolation that they face. I was struck that some service users did not appear to have any contact with family and friends. I also saw the challenges of staff during this time. As a result of this experience, I felt I had to do something positive to encourage hope and uplift the wellbeing of all the people within the centre.
Q. Can you tell me a bit more about what the project involved?
The project started as an idea that I could give out cards with message of hope and kindness to service users on the wards in Newham to celebrate World Mental Health Day. I joined the People Participation team and spoke with staff at NCMH to think about how we could develop the idea further. It was great to find out about the Newham Recovery College and we linked in with their team to support the creation of the cards. We organised a series of classes at the Recovery College for residents of Newham to come together to talk about the project and create the cards. We ran 10 sessions in total with an average of eight students in attendance and created about 160 cards.
On World Mental Health Day, 10 October 2025, a group of us including Recovery College facilitators, People Participation staff and staff from NCMH visited the wards at NCMH and gave out the cards to service users. We also shared information about services including the Newham Recovery College and the People Participation Team. This involved talking to service users about their personal interests and hopes for the future. Cards of appreciation created in the Recovery College classes, were also given out to every ward team with messages thanking them for their work. We also expanded our scope to include one of the adolescent wards that is also located on the NCMH site. In addition to visiting the wards we set up a stall in the reception area to talk to visitors about these services and the project.
Q. What was the feedback like on the day?
About 45 service users attended, and we gave out approximately 70 cards with some people taking several cards to give to other service users later in the day. The feedback during and after this event was very positive. One service user reported feeling recovered after receiving the card and talking to me. Another service user who had struggled to engage in discussions with staff on the ward, engaged in a long discussion about her interests and she connected with some of the activities at the Recovery College. On the adolescent ward the young people were very happy to receive the cards with lots of smiles and laughter. Overall, it was very positively received and felt great to see from beginning to end.
Q. It sounds like a powerful day. Do you have any similar ideas for the future?
I am very keen to continue with the project, and we are considering similar projects in other boroughs in the Trust. We hope to continue to foster hope and connections between people in the community and those who are admitted to the inpatient services.
Contacts and further information
If anyone reading this would like to find out more or join us in this project please contact Gavin Taylor, Lead for the Newham Acute Psychology Service (gavin.taylor1@nhs.net).
For more information about Recovery Colleges in East London, please contact Elft.newhamrecoverycollege@nhs.net or phone 07823 900600.
For more information about ELFT People Participation Service, visit the webpage here.
If you are a carer or service user living in Newham who would like to join the People Participation team please e-mail (elft.namh-peopleparticipation@nhs.net) or follow the QR code below to register.
Thanks to:
Huzayfa – Newham Carer and member of Newham People Participation Team
Rachel – Newham People Participation Team Lead
Kirstin – Newham Recovery College Manager
Gavin – Lead for Newham Acute Psychology Service
Teddy and Sekuna – Recovery College Tutors
Michael, Ali, Bindu and Nailah – Recovery College students
All the Recovery College students who took part in creating the cards
All the service users, staff and visitors who joined and supported us in making this happen and being there on the day.