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Dinner gala to raise awareness of mental health and domestic violence to take place end of June

by Tidi Kwidini
17 Jun 2019 at 08:59hrs | Views
A dinner gala to raise awareness of mental health and support those affected by abuse is set to take place this month in Solihull, England. The inaugural women's networking event, organised by community organisation, Waves of Change (WoC), is scheduled for 29 June and is part of a wider initiative to empower women and give them an opportunity to share their experiences.

Waves of Change was established to encourage women to have a voice and to give them a platform where they feel confident to face life's challenges, whilst embracing their dreams.

Founder of WoC, Betsy Simm said: "It's about progressive women intent on growing our socio-economic standing, coming together and inspiring each other to tackle some of the stringent issues that affect our Black,Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities,"
"Mental Health is real but is often swept under the carpet, particularly in black and ethnic minority groups.



We have seen a number deaths in our Zimbabwean community in the UK, which are often a result of depression, domestic violence and stress, among other things, and we ought to raise awareness and educate our communities about mental health and where they can find support if they need it," she added.

The latest figures from the Crime Survey for England and Wales show little change in the prevalence of domestic abuse in recent years. Statistics at the end of 2018 estimated 2.0 million adults aged 16 to 59 years experienced domestic abuse in the last year, with 1.3 million estimated  to be women and approximately 695,000 men being victims.

According to a ground-breaking study led by University of Birmingham researchers, shows schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, as well as more common forms of mental illness like depression and anxiety, are increased among abuse victims.

It has also been reported that abuse is significantly under-reported in NHS records, and this could undermine efforts to address patients' mental health needs or direct them to support.

Meanwhile, the organisers have revealed that author and entrepreneur, Jossine Abrahams will keynote at the event. Jossine is an award winning motivational speaker and CEO of Life Change Training & Home Care agency. The Peace after the Storm author is an advocate for domestic abuse issues and has travelled both locally and internationally to speak to men and women affected by mental health illness, domestic violence and trauma, as well as those who have overcome adversity. Other speakers include Caroline Roberts, Rumbie Mukoyi and Ronnie Chenga.

Taking place at the Village Hotel Solihull, it is a short drive away from historic towns like Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick and Leamington Spa. Tickets for the event are on sale for £40 and include a three-course dinner, and an after party. Tickets can be purchased exclusively from https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/waves-of-change-20261747307
 
For more information contact 07939097384

Source - Tidi Kwidini