Jersey residents urged to donate books to help mental health patient recovery

A charity in Jersey is working with a mental health facility to provide books to help patients with their recovery.

Focus UP is working with Orchard House, which provides treatment for adults with acute mental health conditions, to provide more reading materials.

The project has grown since it was first established from including just books to therapeutic materials too.

Now islanders are being asked to donate second hand or new books to the help with the project.

Focus UP volunteer, Luke Canavan, says reading about his mental health condition helped with his recovery.

He said: “I was given the Oxford Press booklet on schizophrenia, and along with medication, it was a key turning point in my recovery.

"It allowed me to identify with the fact I was not well and turn around my psychological deterioration."

Donations can include self-help books, puzzles, crayons, board games and activity books.

A service user added: “When on the ward and working towards independence in the community, you want to take charge in your own recovery.

"Having self-help books that you can dip in and out of, will help you expand and refresh your skills. This initiative will provide a positive distraction in times of high stress, and at the same time can be accessed and practiced when you’re in a calmer state and when there are fewer structured times on the ward.”Donations can be dropped off until Friday 11 February at:

• Salvation Army, Minden Place

• St Clement’s Parish Hall 

• St Saviour’s Parish Hall