70 Stories

70 Stories

70 Stories is an online project curated by the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival to mark the 70th anniversary of the Mental Health Foundation.

The project connects stories from our Writing Competition, stories from SMHAF participants, and more in a compelling portrait of mental health in 2019.

Keep an eye on this page for new entries in the series. If you are connected in some way to SMHAF or the Mental Health Foundation and would like to contribute a piece of writing to this project, please contact aeaton-lewis@mentalhealth.org.uk.

MHF 70th Anniversary SCOTLAND TEAL1
70 Stories
Writing

#1 The Imagined We

For the first entry in our 70 Stories collection, poet Jenny Lindsay, a regular participant in SMHAF since 2015, shares a new film poem.
70 Stories
Writing

#2 Outside In

‘She had been there on a Wednesday. If he didn’t go now, he would never go. If she wasn’t there, well … every sun has to set.’
70 Stories
Writing

#4 In Sync

‘I’m crying cos I feel like everything’s different, like I’ve lost something. And I’m crying cos I’ve found something. I’m crying cos I know things now.’
70 Stories
Writing

#5 Message in a Bottle

‘She sees him strike a match, can almost hear the hiss of the flame. He lights the corner of the paper and lets it float into the air.’
70 Stories
Writing

#12 Electrolyte

“This small world, these small minds, with small dreams that are not mine. I need more than what you want. I need more than this.”
70 Stories
Writing

#13 Alarm

‘He stood close to the edge of the platform, past the yellow line, stooping slightly. You know I follow my instincts. Well, my instinct was that I needed to talk to him as quickly as possible.’
70 Stories
Writing

#23 A Way From Rage

‘Take time to tend / Before the rot sets in / Before the root and stem fall to ruin / And don’t pretend that all is forgiven…’