Living Histories exhibition shares real-life stories of seldom heard voices from across Sussex

The oral histories project captures and shares the voices of people who have used or worked in NHS mental health services in the county.

Heads On, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s charity, is pleased to share Living Histories, a project documenting a period of mental health history, pushing the boundaries of how NHS organisations listen to, learn from and value lived experience.

The exhibition launched at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill before moving to the West Shelter on Worthing seafront at the end of March. It will go to Crawley Library in May.

The project is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, NHS Charities Together and Heads On to document the whole life stories of people who have used and worked in mental health services, following the closure of the old asylums in the 1980s, up to and including the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath.

At the heart of the project are the real-life stories of people whose voices are rarely heard in public historical records, people living with severe and complex mental health conditions, and those who care for and support them.

Rachel Blair, grants and programmes manager for Heads On, said: “We are so pleased at the response so far to this project, and we’re delighted to bring it to Worthing. Thank you to the wonderful team at Colonnade House who have made this possible.

“Living Histories share stories that must not be lost. We are proud to contribute to a conversation about how we hear from and learn from people’s real-life experiences of NHS mental health services.

“Through the Living Histories exhibition, we continue our commitment to challenging mental health stigma through listening to and amplifying the voices of people who can otherwise often go unheard.

“In the context of people's whole life stories, the Living Histories exhibition provides a snapshot of these stories and celebrates the resilience of human nature in the face of some of our greatest challenges.”

Over the course of a year, Heads On recruited and trained 15 volunteers to record 35 in-depth oral history interviews. Seven podcast episodes have been released with the full consent of participants. Visit www.headsoncharity.org/histories to view the exhibition online.