Mind (The Mental Health Charity): archives

The following is an interim description which may change when detailed cataloguing takes place in future.

This collection contains catalogued and uncatalogued material.

This is an extensive collection of the organisational records of Mind dating from its foundation in the 1930s. Some of the material included is as follows:

Minutes and committee records, 1920s-2000s, including of Mind, predecessor and related organisations.

Subject files on a wide range of mental health topics, organisations, projects and initiatives (local and national), 1920s-1990s. Hundreds of topics are covered e.g. art therapy, autism, black and ethnic minorities, post-natal depression, prison, psychosurgery, relationships, rehabilitation, sex, suicide, sterilisation, stress, and many more.

Files of individual policy directors, chief executives and other staff members, 1970s-2000s documenting the lobbying role of Mind and its influence on the legislative and national policy framework.

Local and national project and grants files, 1970s-2000s, relating to a wide range of Mind activities and initiatives, e.g. 'Stress on Women' which tackled sexual harassment on psychiatric wards, 1990s; 'Creating Accepting Communities' which was an inquiry into stigma and discrimination, 1990s-2000s; and 'Tranquillisers' which raised awareness of problems associated with benzodiazepine drugs (e.g Valium), 1980s.

Newsletters, reports, press releases, publicity materials and other publications, 1920s-2000s.

Mind was formed in 1946 as the National Association for Mental Health (NAMH) by the merging of the Central Association for Mental Welfare (f.1913 as the Central Association for the Care of Mental Defectives), the National Council for Mental Hygiene (f.1922), and the Child Guidance Council (f.1927). The amalgamation was recommended by the Feversham Committee on the Voluntary Mental Health Services which reported in 1939. Although the formal merger was delayed until after the Second World War, the associations had worked together during the War through the Provisional Council for Mental Health. The NAMH went on to develop into the leading mental health charity in England and Wales. It changed its name to Mind in 1972. It has undertaken a wide range of campaigning and lobbying activity on behalf of those with mental health problems and, with the development of an extensive network of local associations, it has also offered support for mental health service users and carers.

Archived website

This organisation's website has been archived as part of the work of the UK Web Archiving Consortium (UKWAC) and can be consulted. here. http://www.webarchive.org.uk/ukwa/target/107448