Faith in Mind film : the background and the launch event
source: Red Earth Collective
published: November 2020
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 the Catalyst 4 Change CIC 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 Birmingham Time to Change Hub and co-produced by Catalyst4Change in partnership with two black led Birmingham organisations, film makers Open Lens Productions and mental health and arts specialists the Red Earth Collective.
The film was launched at a special Zoom event on Friday 9 October to an audience of 150 people hosted by BBC WM broadcaster, Nikki Tapper and featured a Q and A with church members.
Lakhvir Rellon, Director of Community Engagement, Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust attended the launch and told us;
"fantastic film we need to get this 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 Coordinator with Soho First an organisation that works to support community cohesion in Birmingham who was very impressed by the film;
"I came with an open mind as to see what would be said about Mental Health in the light of Faith and Churches. I was greatly surprised by the sincere efforts by all to portray an honest, heart-felt presentation on how people view mental health, testimonies of people who have, and are still going through the effects of mental health as individuals or family members; and the negatives and positives of how people are viewed and dealt with; specifically through churches and their faiths"
