Day 2 - and it's still raining!

The above is my total mileage on Day 2 of my month without a car. I have estimated I will do 1,000 miles by bike, bus and train, but there hasn't been much of a challenge today as I was in London for most of the day at the launch of the national mental health strategy called No Health Without Mental Health, and so my travel was by train and walking.

A great day, and good to hear cross governmental support for giving equal priority for mental health services as physical health services. Now all we have to do is make this happen . . .

Slightly nerve wracking to be asked to speak at the launch, and address the Secretary of State for Health, key figures from the Department of Health and other government departments, two Lords (Layard and Adebowale), inspirational partners including Paul Jenkins of Rethink and Paul Farmer of Mind, and people who use mental health services of all ages.

I talked about the coalition within the Mental Health Network, the good things we are doing together with our GP partners here in Sussex, and how we are determined to reduce the stigma people who use our services still face from employers, welfare agencies, the media and sometimes even NHS staff. We still have a very long way to go.

A very brave man called David Strange spoke about developing schizophrenia whilst doing a PhD at Oxford. After many difficult years, he found the right psychological therapy that made his life worth living again. I would have happily cycled to London and back to hear him.

Tomorrow, I am on the train and on foot to Eastbourne for a meeting about public health services.

Thank you to all the lovely people who have sponsored me so far, and especially Southern Trains, for the hugely generous free monthly pass, and ditto to Stagecoach buses and Brighton and Hove Buses. I promise to use buses soon!

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