For the past five years a skilled and committed steering committee has been working to create a short stay house in Oxfordshire for people suffering from mental problems.

A crisis house, as it is known, provides a therapeutic environment and has the support of trained staff. A short stay can prevent a person's mental health deteriorating to such an extent that they are admitted to hospital.

The idea for a crisis house came originally from pantients and carers who expressed the need for such a service to the former Community Health Council.

A steering committee was established, comprised of carers and professionals, users of the mental health service, and other interested and committed people.

Maintaining a mix of people on the committee has ensured creative and productive discussions and debates.

Pat Armstrong, committee chair, said: "In Oxfordshire there are two main ways to help users when in a crisis. Community mental health teams can come and visit them in their homes. Then if things get worse, the service user is admitted to hospital.

"For years carers and service users have recognised that there is a need for something in between home visits and hospital admission - somewhere to go for a short-term residential stay.

"In other parts of the UK this need has been filled successfully by establishing a crisis house, but there are none at all in Oxfordshire."

Steve Spiers, the treasurer, said: "I have visited several crisis houses in other counties and find them to be safe and supportive places to be. We need one in Oxfordshire."

A significant fundraising venture for the project has been the Response Giving Celebrity Cookbook.

"We contacted famous people and asked them if they would send us a recipe for a cookbook. The response was fantastic," said Pat. "We have recipes from such diverse people as Gordon Ramsay, Jeremy Paxman, Victoria Wood, David Cameron and Pam Ayres, as well as workers in the mental health sector.

"We also have a wonderful sandwich recipe from one of the service users as well as a treatise on the history of boiling an egg from ancient times.

"We've approached big booksellers such as Waterstone's and they are willing to put it on display," Pat added.

If you would like to find out more about the project, contact crisis.house@fsmail.net