LEICESTER CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL

I take Harry and Grace into the city centre this afternoon, to see the Caribbean Carnival (both the procession down London Road and the main event in Victoria Park). We take our position outside the railway station, perched on the fence dividing the two sides of London Road (which is closed for this period, of course). I don't know what's up with this spot, but it seems hard, if not impossible, to get a decent photo of the procession here. I know I'm just using an iPhone, but then again, a bad workman blames his tools. I've put a photo at the top of this post, taken at the same position from which we watched the procession, by a better photographer than me, with a better camera. These photos are taken from the Leicester Festivals & Events Facebook album, Leicester Caribbean Carnival 2012. Check it out for a lovely selection of pictures. I took the photos below though. The fellow carting the big union flag behind him is on roller skates. There should be on Olympic event dedicated to doing what he's doing!

Though I don't have figures or any such evidence, I get the feeling that the procession is smaller than on previous occasions. But it's still wondrous to behold. There are some good causes promoted through the floats, including the Watershed Youth Centre, where ReMit (Leicester City Council's education provision for adults with long-term mental health issues) was located when I went to work for them several years ago.

We reach Victoria Park for the main static part of the Carnival (just as the rain begins to fall). First order of business is getting some grub (especially as my blood sugar is getting low).

The carnival takes up much less space in the park than I've seen it do before. There are food stalls, bouncy castles, vendors of ephemera and memerobilia (especiall stuff marking the 50th anniversary of Jamaica's independence this year). But the big rides, major concession stands and tents and the variety of VCS organisations on show is well down on previous years. The biggest single display is taken up by Time to Change. This is currently the biggest project in England working to end stigma and discrimination against people with mental health problems. Time to Change has a pop-up village in the park today. You can read their own report about it on their website. I speak to a few of the organisers in their pop-up village; hopefully these conversations will have practical and mutually beneficial outcomes.

Time to Change pop-up village at the Caribbean Carnival in Victoria Park

HEALTH HELP IN VILLAGE AT CARNIVAL

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Health help in village at carnival

A pop-up village at the Caribbean Carnival on Saturday will aim to help people with mental health issues.

The idea is part of the national Time to Change campaign to tackle discrimination.

The village will be staffed by volunteers with mental health problems – including some from the British Caribbean community – with the aim of encouraging people to talk more openly about issues.

Staff from Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, which runs mental health services in the county, will also be on hand.

There will also be entertainment including face painting, arts and crafts and jewellery making.

Sue Baker, director of Time to Change, said: "By being at this event we will bring people with and without mental health problems together to get new conversations started, which helps to tackle stigma and misunderstanding."

Saquib Muhammad, from the trust, said: "If we can tackle discrimination, people will find it easier to seek help."

The village will be open from 2pm to 8pm in Victoria Park.