NomadE5's got A LOT of talent

A stunning array of performers was showcased at the NomadE5's Got Talent show to celebrate World Mental Health Day.

Housing association NomadE5 put together the four hour extravaganza of singing, musicianship - and belly dancing - to highlight the diverse talents of the people who use its mental health services across Newcastle, Gateshead, South Tyneside and North Tyneside.

The 'NomadE5's Got Talent' night, held at the Marriot Hotel in Gateshead, took its inspiration from Saturday night television but had a more important aim than simply finding an artist to win the race for the Christmas No.1.

Care and support manager Charlie Culshaw said the night was aimed at celebrating the talents of all NomadE5 service users - but also breaking down stereotypes of what it means to have mental health problems.

The eight acts on the night each gave one big performance, and then received comments from the NomadE5 judging panel, before the 150-strong crowd voted four acts through to a final play-off round.

The eventual winner was Jackie Sams, a singer-songwriter from Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne. She wowed the judges with her range of talent - first playing a gentle, melodic tune, before moving up tempo with a blues number in the final round.

Charlie said: "The big talent shows on ITV are incredibly popular, but we wanted to put a show together that included a wider range of talents, and had room for everybody.
"Simon Cowell is only really interested in very mainstream, million selling artists, where we want to give everyone a platform to shine.

"Society can sometimes over-simplify mental illness, and portray anyone with mental health problems as all being the same. We want to show they are all individuals, all have something to contribute, and all have talents which deserve recognition."

NomadE5 is renowned for the quality of its mental health services, and the care and support team wins 'A' grades for all its services on the Government's Quality Assessment Framework.

The evening's entertainment also included performances from NomadE5 staff, and a song from last year's winner Shaun McDermott, with the overall aim of drawing attention to World Mental Health Day, a global event created by the World Federation for Mental Health to educate the public on issues concerning mental health.

NomadE5, a part of the Isos Housing Group based in Newcastle, supports more than 200 people with enduring mental health problems across Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside and works hard to improve the lives of those who use its services through a variety of measures, from reducing isolation by promoting relationships to encouraging healthy lifestyles, education and training.

NomadE5 has a range of initiatives aimed at helping service users to recover from any form of mental illness. These include a Peer Support Group, which introduces people with similar interests to help form friendships and gain mutual support, while working on the NomadE5 allotment can reduce social isolation and promote team building, confidence and communication skills.

Research shows 1 in 4 British adults experience at least one diagnosable mental health problem in any one year, and between 8% and 12% of the UK population experience depression in any year.