Annual Report

Monaghan Mental Health Association Annual Report of Activities
Our activities included
1. Developing our own web site at www.monaghanmentalhealth.com
2. Seminars (see adverts and press releases relating to same below)
3. Positive mental health promotion through schools – this includes
a. Public speaking for post primary schools
b. An art project for post primary schools
c. A writing project (poetry/essays) for primary schools
4. Promotions in the local shopping centre with information leaflets
etc (Mental Health Week)
5. Working with the local mental health services
See below for press releases, posters etc.
Further information on relevant pages of this web site.
Seminar:
Monaghan Mental Health Association
SEMINAR
DEEP IMPACT!
The impact of the Recession on Families
Speakers:
Dr Paul Gaffney: "Keeping your head above water: How can psychology help us in 2011?"
Mr Michael Mc Ginn: “Coping in difficult times”
Orla Nugent, MABS (Money, Advice and Budgeting Service)
Interesting, practical and informative presentations on the issues facing parents, young people and children due to the recession and suggestions on coping strategies in the face of financial difficulties and other pressures.
Please come along to listen and have a cup of tea/coffee
at
The Westenra Arms Hotel
8pm Thursday 13th October 2011
Post Primary Art Project:
Beech Hill Innovation Wins Out at Mental Health Art Awards 2012
Stunning and Diverse Art Work from Schools in Prestigious New Art Project
Beech Hill College students were top of the town last Wednesday night when they were crowned winners of the newly revamped Monaghan Mental Health Art Project with their video offering. Schools from across the county were invited to participate in the awards and the spoils were divided between schools from Monaghan Town and Clones. The project, which was aimed at groups or classes up to and including transition year encouraged the creation of a piece of art or sculpture using materials of the artists’ choice. Substantial prizes were on offer including a perpetual trophy and €500 first prize which was scooped on the night by Beech Hill. Largy College and St Macartans College were runners up with Colaiste Oiriall and St Louis Girls Secondary School sharing fourth place.
The purpose of the project was to boost awareness of positive mental health and the role of art or sculpture in interpreting and promoting positive mental health messages.
MMHA secretary Emer Brennan explained that the committee had decided to revamp the project by focussing more on groups or classes working together.
“The beautiful perpetual trophy was sponsored by the Knights of Columbanus and was presented by their representatives Enda Galligan and Colm Donnelly. We appreciate their support of the project,” she explained.
“The idea was that the students will focus on positive mental health messages and promote them through their collaborative art work. We were also conscious of the input of the teachers and art departments of the schools and the importance of art in mental health so we decided that the rewards should go to the schools. Our objective is to build on this project annually. We are delighted with the high standard of art submitted from the participating schools. The amount of thought and hard work that went into each piece was clear and impressive. We did not envy our judge, artist Joan Mallon, in her task of selecting the award winners,” she said.
The Beech Hill project was praised for its innovation and for being very thought provoking. Runners up Largy College was considered an excellent group effort with considerable thought, skill and work evident, while St Macartan’s entry was praised for its direct impact and bright positive colours. St Louis Girls School project was a selection of stunning and colourful drawings and Colaiste Oiriall submitted a number of innovative group projects. All entrants supplied a word document or PowerPoint presentation explaining their ideas and how they had worked on their projects.
Support from the schools, teachers and students for the project is greatly appreciated and MMHA hope to display the impressive art work to the public shortly.
Primary School Writing Project:
The Best Things in Life are Free - All Winners at 2012 Monaghan Mental Health Primary School Project
Hundreds of Primary School Pupils Participate in Poetry and Prose
Monaghan Mental Health Association (MMHA) members were delighted with the huge response to their primary schools essay and poetry competition again this year when hundreds of entries flooded in from schools across the northern part of the county.
Over 200 people, including teachers, parents and school children turned up for the presentation night in the Westenra Hotel, Monaghan last Wednesday night where winners and runners up from each school were presented with their certificates and prizes. Development Officer for Mental Health Ireland Sean Mc Kieranan was MC.and welcomed everyone to the event stressing that among the association’s aims was getting out a positive mental health message to all groups and all ages.
The awards on the night were presented by Secretary Emer Brennan, Esther Mc Manus and Caroline Waters. After the awards were distributed, volunteers from each school read out their poems or essays to the crowd. Each of the writers/poets did themselves proud as they confidently read their scripts aloud to the audience.
MMHA are very appreciative of the effort put in by all the schools involved in the competition every year, especially the principals and teachers who encouraged their pupils to take part.
All children who received a Merit Award (M) and Highly Commended Award HC) were invited to the presentations. All information on the awards is on the MMHA web site at http://www.monaghanmentalhealth.com
Seminar:
The Power of Thoughts -Seminar to Celebrate 40 Years of Monaghan Mental Health Association
Monaghan Mental Health Association is planning an information evening to kick off a celebration of the associations existence in Monaghan for 40 years. All are welcome to come along to the Westenra Arms Hotel at 8pm on Wednesday 23rd May 2012 to listen to a number of well chosen speakers and have a cup of tea or coffee.
The speakers include Marty Neeson-Mc Kenna, Cognitive Behavioural Therapist who will speak on “The Power of Thoughts." She will be followed by Alice Mc Kenna and Patricia Cavanagh who will make a presentation on “The History of St. Davnets” and Michael Mc Ginn, Ballybay Mental Health Association will conclude with a talk on Awareness of Mental Health in your local community.
MMHA Secretary, Emer Brennan says that everyone is welcome to the event which promises to be thought provoking and enlightening. “We are indebted to the people who have agreed to come and share their knowledge and experience with us. This promises to be an interesting, practical and informative presentation on the issues facing people today and how they can cope using the “power of thoughts”. We hope that people who have been involved in St Davnets or in the sphere of mental health in Monaghan over the years will be able to attend but we are always looking for new people to get involved,” she said.
“Monaghan Mental Health is a local organization under the umbrella of Mental Health Ireland and there are local organizations like us in every county. We work to promote positive mental health messages through a range of activities including projects with both primary and post primary schools as well as through seminars and information evenings and media campaigns. Some of the people in Monaghan Mental Health Association today have been involved since the beginning and it is a tribute to them that the association is still going strong.”
“We would love to see a good crowd at this seminar which promises to be very interesting not only from the mental health point of view but also from an historical aspect. So all are welcome on Wednesday 23rd May at 8pm in the Westenra,” she concluded.
Promotions in the local shopping centre with information leaflets etc for Mental Health Week.
Our activities included
1. Developing our own web site at www.monaghanmentalhealth.com
2. Seminars (see adverts and press releases relating to same below)
3. Positive mental health promotion through schools – this includes
a. Public speaking for post primary schools
b. An art project for post primary schools
c. A writing project (poetry/essays) for primary schools
4. Promotions in the local shopping centre with information leaflets
etc (Mental Health Week)
5. Working with the local mental health services
See below for press releases, posters etc.
Further information on relevant pages of this web site.
Seminar:
Monaghan Mental Health Association
SEMINAR
DEEP IMPACT!
The impact of the Recession on Families
Speakers:
Dr Paul Gaffney: "Keeping your head above water: How can psychology help us in 2011?"
Mr Michael Mc Ginn: “Coping in difficult times”
Orla Nugent, MABS (Money, Advice and Budgeting Service)
Interesting, practical and informative presentations on the issues facing parents, young people and children due to the recession and suggestions on coping strategies in the face of financial difficulties and other pressures.
Please come along to listen and have a cup of tea/coffee
at
The Westenra Arms Hotel
8pm Thursday 13th October 2011
Post Primary Art Project:
Beech Hill Innovation Wins Out at Mental Health Art Awards 2012
Stunning and Diverse Art Work from Schools in Prestigious New Art Project
Beech Hill College students were top of the town last Wednesday night when they were crowned winners of the newly revamped Monaghan Mental Health Art Project with their video offering. Schools from across the county were invited to participate in the awards and the spoils were divided between schools from Monaghan Town and Clones. The project, which was aimed at groups or classes up to and including transition year encouraged the creation of a piece of art or sculpture using materials of the artists’ choice. Substantial prizes were on offer including a perpetual trophy and €500 first prize which was scooped on the night by Beech Hill. Largy College and St Macartans College were runners up with Colaiste Oiriall and St Louis Girls Secondary School sharing fourth place.
The purpose of the project was to boost awareness of positive mental health and the role of art or sculpture in interpreting and promoting positive mental health messages.
MMHA secretary Emer Brennan explained that the committee had decided to revamp the project by focussing more on groups or classes working together.
“The beautiful perpetual trophy was sponsored by the Knights of Columbanus and was presented by their representatives Enda Galligan and Colm Donnelly. We appreciate their support of the project,” she explained.
“The idea was that the students will focus on positive mental health messages and promote them through their collaborative art work. We were also conscious of the input of the teachers and art departments of the schools and the importance of art in mental health so we decided that the rewards should go to the schools. Our objective is to build on this project annually. We are delighted with the high standard of art submitted from the participating schools. The amount of thought and hard work that went into each piece was clear and impressive. We did not envy our judge, artist Joan Mallon, in her task of selecting the award winners,” she said.
The Beech Hill project was praised for its innovation and for being very thought provoking. Runners up Largy College was considered an excellent group effort with considerable thought, skill and work evident, while St Macartan’s entry was praised for its direct impact and bright positive colours. St Louis Girls School project was a selection of stunning and colourful drawings and Colaiste Oiriall submitted a number of innovative group projects. All entrants supplied a word document or PowerPoint presentation explaining their ideas and how they had worked on their projects.
Support from the schools, teachers and students for the project is greatly appreciated and MMHA hope to display the impressive art work to the public shortly.
Primary School Writing Project:
The Best Things in Life are Free - All Winners at 2012 Monaghan Mental Health Primary School Project
Hundreds of Primary School Pupils Participate in Poetry and Prose
Monaghan Mental Health Association (MMHA) members were delighted with the huge response to their primary schools essay and poetry competition again this year when hundreds of entries flooded in from schools across the northern part of the county.
Over 200 people, including teachers, parents and school children turned up for the presentation night in the Westenra Hotel, Monaghan last Wednesday night where winners and runners up from each school were presented with their certificates and prizes. Development Officer for Mental Health Ireland Sean Mc Kieranan was MC.and welcomed everyone to the event stressing that among the association’s aims was getting out a positive mental health message to all groups and all ages.
The awards on the night were presented by Secretary Emer Brennan, Esther Mc Manus and Caroline Waters. After the awards were distributed, volunteers from each school read out their poems or essays to the crowd. Each of the writers/poets did themselves proud as they confidently read their scripts aloud to the audience.
MMHA are very appreciative of the effort put in by all the schools involved in the competition every year, especially the principals and teachers who encouraged their pupils to take part.
All children who received a Merit Award (M) and Highly Commended Award HC) were invited to the presentations. All information on the awards is on the MMHA web site at http://www.monaghanmentalhealth.com
Seminar:
The Power of Thoughts -Seminar to Celebrate 40 Years of Monaghan Mental Health Association
Monaghan Mental Health Association is planning an information evening to kick off a celebration of the associations existence in Monaghan for 40 years. All are welcome to come along to the Westenra Arms Hotel at 8pm on Wednesday 23rd May 2012 to listen to a number of well chosen speakers and have a cup of tea or coffee.
The speakers include Marty Neeson-Mc Kenna, Cognitive Behavioural Therapist who will speak on “The Power of Thoughts." She will be followed by Alice Mc Kenna and Patricia Cavanagh who will make a presentation on “The History of St. Davnets” and Michael Mc Ginn, Ballybay Mental Health Association will conclude with a talk on Awareness of Mental Health in your local community.
MMHA Secretary, Emer Brennan says that everyone is welcome to the event which promises to be thought provoking and enlightening. “We are indebted to the people who have agreed to come and share their knowledge and experience with us. This promises to be an interesting, practical and informative presentation on the issues facing people today and how they can cope using the “power of thoughts”. We hope that people who have been involved in St Davnets or in the sphere of mental health in Monaghan over the years will be able to attend but we are always looking for new people to get involved,” she said.
“Monaghan Mental Health is a local organization under the umbrella of Mental Health Ireland and there are local organizations like us in every county. We work to promote positive mental health messages through a range of activities including projects with both primary and post primary schools as well as through seminars and information evenings and media campaigns. Some of the people in Monaghan Mental Health Association today have been involved since the beginning and it is a tribute to them that the association is still going strong.”
“We would love to see a good crowd at this seminar which promises to be very interesting not only from the mental health point of view but also from an historical aspect. So all are welcome on Wednesday 23rd May at 8pm in the Westenra,” she concluded.
Promotions in the local shopping centre with information leaflets etc for Mental Health Week.