Volunteers keep on inspiring
Our ‘Inspiring Edinburgh Award’ is now hanging in the hallway of the Edinburgh Crisis Centre along with our two previous awards. Nicky our garden volunteer collected it from City Chambers on Wednesday night. I want to say a massive thank you to all our volunteers who have all brought so much to our centre. Obviously
... continue reading.Nigel leaves a legacy I hope we can build on
Nigel’s unrelenting commitment to the de-stigmatisation and de-medicalisation of mental health support has impacted the way mental health is discussed and addressed. During his 30 year tenure, Penumbra has grown from a small number of staff running supported accommodation services in Edinburgh to around 500 staff providing services to 23 of Scotland’s Integrated Joint Boards
... continue reading.How many bulbs does it take to start a fundraiser?
How many bulbs does it take to start a fundraiser? Hello – I’m Dave, one of the organisers of Tabletop Scotland, an in-person board game and roleplaying game (RPG) convention held at the Dewars Centre in Perth. The rest of the team are Bulb, Oliver, Simon, Mark and Kirsten. In 2019, the last time we were
... continue reading.Shaped by lived experience. Inspired by hope and recovery
At Penumbra, we have services in Glasgow and Edinburgh where we support people in recovery from Alcohol Related Brain Damage (ARBD.) We recognised that there was a gap in self-management and recovery information for people with ARBD and have recently launched a toolkit to help people with ARBD move into recovery. ARBD is a complex condition, which
... continue reading.Cementing our place as pioneers in the mental health peer movement
As pioneers in the mental health peer work movement in Scotland, we know that lived experience of mental ill health and recovery offers a unique and hopeful perspective on supporting people who access our services. [You can also read this article on the TFN news site] That’s why we’ve just launched a two year strategy setting
... continue reading.Find out why Dave’s #RunningForPenumbra
Dave’s #RunningForPenumbra: find out what’s inspired him It’s hard to pin down exactly why I chose to fundraise for Penumbra. Knowing the importance of good mental health, having lived through extremely tough experiences of a number of close family members, and being aware of the male suicide rate in Scotland and particularly the North East
... continue reading.Penumbra publishes unique ARBD toolkit
Innovations team publish unique ARBD wellbeing toolkit he Innovations team here at Penumbra have just launched a unique self-management toolkit for people living with ARBD (alcohol related brain damage). The team at Penumbra developed the toolkit in tandem with colleagues and residents in its two ARBD services located in Edinburgh’s Milestone and Glasgow’s Supported Living
... continue reading.Thanks for the journey, it’s been a privilege
Earlier this year I made a big decision. I announced my retirement from Penumbra. I have had the great honour of working for Penumbra for 30 years and of being Chief Executive for 22 of those years. I will be leaving at the end of September and our Board are currently advertising for my successor.
... continue reading.Do we still need the anti-stigma movement? (spoiler: yes!)
Do we still need the anti-stigma movement? (spoiler: yes!) Campaigning for change is a tricky business. I say that because most regular campaigns have a neat timeline with a distinct end point and tangible goals. Achieving a cultural shift on the other hand takes time. It requires passion, persistence, and patience (alliteration not intended). The
... continue reading.Kristopher’s life changing #CycleForPenumbra
Kristopher’s life changing #CycleForPenumbra My name is Kristopher, I’m 20 years old, and born and raised in the granite city. I am attempting to cycle the distance of Britain (874 miles) in 15 days to raise money for the mental health charity, Penumbra. Also to raise awareness to the subject of mental health as a
... continue reading.