A MARSTON charity will be singing, dancing and acting to help remove the stigma of mental health problems.

The Archway Foundation, in Jack Straw’s Lane, has spent 18 months speaking to more than 600 people across the county, providing opportunities to express their mental health issues through art.

On Saturday work produced by people across Oxfordshire will be presented in a free exhibition at the Old Fire Station.

Project officer for the charity Louise Longson said: “We want people to have the chance to find out more about mental health by talking to someone with personal experience, which all of our volunteers have. We’ve now done over 30 events round the county and talked to more than 600 people.

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“It has been so great that people have taken a little time to talk.”

As well as exhibitions of peoples work at the event, called Who Do You Think You Are, there will also be poetry, art, drama workshops and musical therapy for visitors to get involved in. Visitors will hear poetry recitals from poets such as London-based Zena Edwards.

Ms Edwards has worked in performance art for more than 20 years and was recently involved in a project called The Poetry of Madness, which explored the root causes of mental illness.

The Middlesex University graduate said: “There seems to be a stigma that we accept when we talk about mental health.

“People don’t like talking about it or expressing themselves and people stick labels on the illness.

“Art lets you tell your story and it allows you to use any voice you need to tell your story.”

The poet will perform alongside Mark Gwynne-Jones and Sam Berkson, who were also involved in the The Poetry of Madness.

The project was funded by Time To Change, a national mental health anti-stigma programme run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness.

Director Sue Baker said: “We know face-to-face contact with someone who has experienced a mental health problem, who can talk openly and confidently about it, is key to transforming our understanding and attitudes.”

The free event is between 1pm and 5pm at the Old Fire Station.

Visit time-to-change.org.uk