Promotional Work: Promoting
Discussion and Informing the Public

HUG undertakes various promotional and publicity projects in order to challenge negative and stereotypical images surrounding mental illness and bring mental health into the public forum.

We are constantly striving to find new and interesting ways of encouraging people to explore mental health issues.

To date we produce regular newsletters and a poetry and prose magazine entitled 'Moonstruck'.

One of our main successes has been the design and production of a series of stigma-challenging postcards on the theme of mental illness:

HUG Postcards: Images Promoting Mental Health

In 1998 HUG members, in partnership with local artists, a community arts project, Health Promotion Department and Highland and Islands Enterprise, developed an initiative to design and produce a series of postcards on a mental health theme.

HUG members were responsible for giving direction regarding the messages and ideas they wished to convey. Eight different designs were created, some clearly on a mental health theme and some highlighting the creative talents of people with a mental illness. The postcards were intended to challenge stereotypes held about people with mental health problems by providing basic information about mental illness and positive messages that provoke discussions in the wider community.

Over 60,000 cards have now been distributed locally and nationally through a series of public and health outlets, mental health conferences, training days and schools and youth groups. The designs have also been converted into posters, which have been widely displayed.

Whilst there is no expectation that these postcards will dramatically change attitudes, they provide a starting point for discussion and debate, through the media, schools, mental health community and further afield.

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