Television actor David Proud left behind his seriously brainy EastEnders character Adam Best this week and helped to back the regional salon campaign Heads Up! to stamp out mental health stigma.
Smiling and joking, David enjoyed a cut and finish of the hairdressing
kind at a Peterborough salon where he was supporting the campaign to
encourage people to talk more openly about mental health.
Heads Up! is part of the national Time To Change campaign and the
Whittlesey actor donned a promotional T-shirt and relaxed for a change
of scene at the styling hands of Liza Schwarz, director of Spencer's
salon in Lincoln Road which joined the campaign last week.
David has spina bifida and is challenging stereotypes and attitudes
while developing his career as a disabled actor. He believes similar
issues face people who have mental illness which can range from quite
common anxiety and depression to more serious illness like
schizophrenia.
People come into hair salons and chat about all sorts of personal
things so to develop this, with the backing of the Trust's campaign and
information from Time To Change, should lead to more awareness about
mental health. I think it's a great idea, he said.
We all need time and good listeners to talk about challenges in our
lives. I want to see a time when disabled acting will be considered
mainstream when producers will think of writing disabled people into
scripts because those lives are part of everyday society's the same
with mental illness, it's a matter of balance.
It was also an opportunity for the 27-year-old to change the haircut he
has sported for a year as Adam, the alter ego he describes as spiky and
strong, who is about to leave EastEnders.
"I haven't been able to do much with my hair because of continuity for
the part of Adam",said David, who originally had a contract for 14
episodes but‚ survived much longer. Now I could go wild and have
something shaved into the back of my head, but I like it long so I'll
leave it and just have a bit more style to it.
Although sworn to secrecy on how Adam leaves EastEnders, David said: I
really enjoyed filming my final scenes and I can't wait to see it on
screen!"
Spencer is just one of 5,000 salons supporting Heads Up! across six
counties in the NHS East of England but any salon in the regional can
take part.
If your salon has not been contacted yet, call Heads Up! Area Campaign Leader Elizabeth Mitchell, on 07798781367 or Diana Jakubowska Head of Communications for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust. Tel: 01223 726760 or Mob: 07949 004378.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
Heads Up! is Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation NHS
Trust scheme to get people talking to their hairdressers and barbers
about mental health issues, and part of a national Time for Change
initiative to remove the stigma surrounding them.
Salons willing
to take part are receiving special information packs, containing drip
mats, posters, bookmarks and much more, to help staff become a listening
ear they are not expected to be counsellors.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust provides (CPFT):
Child and adolescent mental health services
Adult mental health services
Services for older people with mental health problems
Specialist services
Services for people with a complex needs and a learning disability
to
the 755,000 residents of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and across the
country to users of our specialist services. It has an annual income of
more than £120 million and employs about 2,500 staff at 75 sites in
Cambridgeshire, Huntingdon, Peterborough and Fenland.
For further information please contact: www.cpft.nhs.uk
Diana Jakubowska
Head of Communications
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
Tel: 01223 726760 Mob: 07949 004378
Andrea Bateman
Communications Officer
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
Tel: 01223 726765