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A Celebration of Mental Health and Recovery in the Northern Rivers
The "Crackers and Jam" event is a Community Mental Health awareness raising event supported by On Track Community Programs NSW. It showcases choirs, music ensembles, soloists and comedians, as well as an exhibition of art by people who are all living with mental health issues and/or issues associated with substance abuse in our community. The event also encompasses key note speakers some of who have had first hand experience dealing with mental illness.
The Crackers and Jam inaugural event was held for the first time on Thurs 17th Dec 2009 at the A&I Hall in Bangalow. It was inspired by the wonderful effects that music , art and and laughter can have on people in general but especially those living with mental illness and or substance abuse issues.
Key performers included:
The Buttery Recovery Choir-Bangalow
Amada Ensemble-OnTrack Mullumbimby and Tweed Heads
The Hearing Voices Choir-Lismore
The Namatjera Brothers-Alstonville
Rod Gibson-Performance Poet
M.C and Comedienne-Mandy Nolan
Anna Honeychurch-Sansom -Organiser /performance
Gina Baker-Speaker and organiser/performance
"Crackers and Jam" was initiated for the following purposes:
-To showcase the creative talents and abilities of people dealing with mental health issues in order to promote greater integration of these groups within the broader community.
-To enhance self esteem, sense of personal achievement and contribution to society of individuals living with mental health issues.
-To connect and network artists, musicians, and comedians living with mental health issues from the Alstonville, Lismore, Bangalow, Tweed Heads, Byron bay and Mullumbimby Communities.
-To promote an increased awareness across the Northern Rivers community of the challenges faced by people living with mental health issues and recovering from drug and alcohol abuse.
Through the preparation process for the event, participants have developed ongoing connections with members of other community groups that have continued in the form of group creative endeavours and enhanced peer support networks.
The event has also continued to provide motivation for participants to continue with music and art lessons and performances, at an enhanced level. Participants have also benefited from an enhanced sense of personal achievement and self esteem which has not only benefited their creative life but also had flow on effects for other areas of their personal and social lives.
Those that attended the event in 2009 from the mental health communities as well as the general community were both inspired and educated.