Personality disorder service user help and support from Emergence

www.mentalhealthy.co.uk and national charities SANE, The Mental Health Foundation, The Centre for Mental Health and Emergence, have recognised the fantastic achievements of some of the country’s finest heroes, who selflessly and tirelessly look to improve the lives of others, by shortlisting them for the 2012 Mental Health Hero Awards.

These awards celebrate the incredible achievements of those heroes who make a real difference in the lives of those affected by mental illness.

Award categories include ‘Community Hero’,  ‘Professional Hero’, ‘Business Hero’ and ‘Creative Hero’ and the shortlist highlights some amazing local, national and even global organisations and individuals.

Shortlisted nominees include local organisations and carers, heroes in the field of academia and research, and the list even recognises corporates like Virgin and Lloyds TSB, and celebrities such as Tulisa Constantavlos, Ruby Wax and Stephen Fry.

As we all race towards London 2012, lets forget about Team GB and focus on how service users are faring in Team PD in the mental health Olympics, Kath Lovell, Emergence managing director will tell delegates during her presentation at this year's British & Irish Group for the Study of Personality Disorder (March 21-23, 2012).

Kath will focus on the "critical reflections" of involving service users with a lived experience of personality disorder in research, training and consultation.

This is a dynamic and interactive two hour workshop designed to explore and understand the historical, emerging and prospective issues that arise when service users with difficulties associated with the diagnosis of personality disorder either lead, work in partnership or are involved in initiatives such as research, training or service development.