8/6/2019 07.06.06 Everyone Know Someone Jo Brand Sentinel-1

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6  THE SENTINEL Wednesday June 7, 2006 [P]  w w w. t h i s i s t h e s e n t i n

....

NEWS

Ever yone

 will know someone with a

mentalillness

Ever yone

 will know someone with a

mentalillness

Comedienne Jo backs event aimed at overcoming stigm A breathof fresh airAN INNOVATIVE schemehelping young asthmapatients at the UniversityHospital of North Stafford-shire has been extended toa d u lt s.

The project allows patientsto keep their records andemergency asthma card.

It has been developed byspecialist nurses at theHartshill complex togetherwith Staffordshire MoorlandsPrimary Care Trust and thefinancial support of the GuyHilton Asthma Trust.

The record provides a con-sistent source of routine andemergency information forpatients, health professionalsand others. Besides enablingpatients to understand and bein control of their own con-dition, the emergency card isdesigned to guide those whomay need to help sufferers if they have an asthma attack.

Experts say that by helpingpatients manage their owncare it reduces emergencyadmissions to hospital, cutsthe time children take off school through illness andwhen extended to adults willreduce time taken off work.

Special’sappeal failsA POLICE special constablewho rang a public telephoneand made an obscene sugges-tion to the young girl whoanswered has failed to havehis conviction overturned atthe Court of Appeal.

Simon John Walker, aged40, of Gill Bank Road,Kidsgrove, was found guiltyin September last year of inciting a child under the ageof 13 to engage in sexual activ-ity. He was later given a three-year community rehabilita-tion order.

Yesterday, lawyers for 40-year-old Walker argued hisconviction was “unsafe”because the trial judge hadgiven the jury confusing dir-e c t i o n s.

Three top judges were alsotold that the summing up hadled to the jury not properlyunderstanding the chargelaid against Walker.

But, although Mr JusticeAikens said the directionshad been conflicting and thesumming up was “not thecle ares t”, he concluded theconviction could still be con-sidered safe.

BY KRISTIAAN YEO

newsdesk@thesentinel.co.uk

TOP comedienne Jo Brandhas given her support to afestival in Stoke-on-Trentwhich helps raise awarenessof mental health issues.

The sixth annual SanityFair event takes place in Han-ley’s Cultural Quarter on Sat-urday, June 17.

More than 30,000 visitorshave attended the city centrefestival in the past and organ-isers are hoping to top thatfigure this year.

The idea behind Sanity Fairis to provide the public with abetter understanding of men-tal health issues and helpstamp out the traditionalstigma towards such ill -n e s s e s.

Jo Brand, who worked as apsychiatric nurse until 1987before becoming a stand-up

comic, has spoken out on theimportance of understandingmental health issues ahead of next week’s event.

She said: “Any event thatattempts to deal with thestigma that still exists in thisday and age, where we aresupposed to be intelligentpeople, is a good thing.

“Around one in threewomen and one in five mensuffer some form of mentalhealth problem, so everyoneknows someone.

“They are often just peoplewho have suffered some sort

of bereavement or have beenstressed by exams.“People with mental health

problems need integratinginto the community. The prob-lem with that is in a lot of bigtowns and cities, communit-

ies don’t exist. People stayaway from other people, espe-cially people who are a bitdif ferent.”

Providing visitors withinformation and servicesabout mental health issueswill be the North Stafford-shire MIND, Rethink, ManicDepression Fellowship andStudentsinmind . As well asthe 30 mental health organ-isations attending the free

event, visitors will also beable to enjoy a colourful arrayof artistic talent, providing afun, carnival feel to a day of psychic enlightenment.

Stilt dancers the Funka-dettes will be joined by a fire

eater, magic show anPlanet Sound parade, fing the designs of comakers the Cultural SBalloon modelling, kiteing and face painting help keep the kids tained, while quizzes fadults will test yourledge on a range of mc o n d it io n s.

Musical talent includtorian and punk rocksover band the Fish BroSteve Hayes & ex-Oasismer Alan White, as wbluegrass band theHearts and the Mick GiAll Stars.

Sanity Fair spokEmma Edwards said: “fun day but there is a smessage behind it. The to give people some idemake them think.”

Stoke South MP Robalso gave his support event. He said: “Mental is a bit like cancer, ieverybody knows sowho has had mental issues, but it is an issuepeople don’t talk about

“There should be no sattached, people shouldcomfortable getting he

mental health problethey are about getting cut.”■ More information onity Fair’ can be found org aniser’s websitewww.sanityf air.org.uk/

FAIR GAME:Jo Brand,above, hasspoken outin support of the SanityFair whichfeatures a variety of entertainers,like thosepictured,and attractsthousandsof visitorsevery year.Main picture:Steve Bould

AN ILLEGAL mini-cab driverwho raped a drunk woman hehad given a lift home to hashad his “unduly lenient” jailterm increased at the Court of Ap p e a l .

Imtiaz Hussain, of MarketStreet, Longton, was given afive and a half year sentenceafter being convicted of rapeand burglary at Manchester

Crown Court in February this

year. But yesterday, lawyersacting on behalf of the Attor-ney General, Lord GoldsmithQC, successfully argued Hus-sain's jail term was “un d ulylenient” when compared tosimilar cases.

Lord Justice Keene, sittingwith Mr Justice Goldring andMr Justice Aikens, said Hus-sain, aged 40, should have

received a nine-year sentence.

The judge imposed anyear jail term becaussain was suffering “

 je op ardy”, being sentwice for the same crim

The court heard Hhad been working as anmini-cab driver for a nof years and offered hyear-old victim a liftafter she had been on a

out in Manchester last

Rapist’s jail sentence increased

St Peter's CE (A) High School& International Language College,

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Tel: 01782 233600

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presentation followed by a chance totalk informally over a meal in the

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To book a place, please apply toSandra Topping 01782 233600

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