About The Mental Health Users' Forum

The Mental Health Users' Forum (formally the Gwynedd Users' Forum) was formed after a half day conference which was held on the 25 June 1991 at Plas Tan y Bwlch, near Porthmadog.
The conference had been organised by three paid local Mind workers and a volunteer and only open to users from within the local Mind associations; forty people were invited and thirty-three turned up.

One of the outcomes of the conference was the idea to set up several user groups throughout-the former county of Gwynedd. It was also decided to hold a follow up all day conference which would be open to any service user. The majority of people present at the second conference decided against having local groups but wanted to have a county wide user organisation.
A steering committee was formed and gradually the organisation took shape with the then Gwynedd Users' Forum having its first AGM on the 24 September 1993. A draft constitution had been produced and this was accepted by the meeting and the new management committee took over.
Due to the reorganisation of Local Government, on the 1 April 1996 we changed our name to the Mental Health Users' Forum and at the same time we became a limited company. Our membership continues to grow and at this time stands at over 200

A third of the management committee is elected each year from the membership and it is this group which does the day to day work of running the Forum. As all our members have or have had mental health problems this makes us a truly user led organisation. We have reps on all the local and regional multi-agency planning groups which cover the counties of Gwynedd & Ynys Môn. Each year we organise about 8 conferences and produce at least 4 newsletters. We have conducted surveys on the Hergest in-patient unit and also on 'Alternatives to Hospital Admission'. This is just some of the work which we carry out each year.

We were fortunate in having a good relationship right from the beginning with the former Gwynedd Health Authority and this continues with the new North Wales Health Authority. The old Gwynedd county council was also very supportive and continues with the new counties of Gwynedd and Ynys Môn. It is thanks to their funding and goodwill that the continuing growth of the Forum is possible.

If you would like more information about becoming a member then click on this link