On Time to Talk Day, Thursday 5 February, Dr Clive Hathaway Travis was at Whitehall to collect the prestigious Award, which recognises those who have done extraordinary things to help, support or inspire people with mental health conditions.

Dr Travis, who collected the Award representing the east of England region, is an author and campaigner who spent a significant part of his life suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.

Using his personal experiences, Clive regularly writes, speaks and campaigns on what it is like to experience – and be treated for – severe mental health illnesses, and advocates for better care and understanding of these concerns

Clive has been visiting the University for many years as a Service User, speaking to Mental Health Nursing students about his experiences in lectures and helping with practical exams.

“I am overwhelmed with pride at receipt of this reward,” said Clive who wrote ‘Looking for Prince Charles's’ Dog’, a novel which was published in 2013

“Thanks very much to the Deputy Prime Minister and the committee for the award which I gratefully accept for the whole service user community.

“The mental health service user fraternity really needs to see that recovery from paranoid schizophrenia and depression with a return to a happy and productive life is a possibility.

“I relish this opportunity to do that as I am happy, productive and have avoided hospital for over 10 years now.”

Dr Barbara Burden, Head of Department Health Care Practice at the University, said she was delighted for Clive (a member of the XbX (Experts by Experience) group at the University) to be recognised.

“Clive has played a hugely significant part in our professional Mental Health programme for a number of years now, providing students with an incredible real-life example of someone who has dealt with mental health issues.

“We are absolutely delighted for Clive, who is a true advocate for supporting people with mental health problems.”

Notes to Editor

• Time To Change day encourages people to take 5 minutes out of their day to talk about mental health and help bring it out of the shadows.
• Time to Talk Day has been launched by mental health anti-stigma campaign Time to Change, whose latest survey has revealed that nearly 60% of people with mental health problems wait over a year to tell the people closest to them about it.
• It has been financed for a further year, with an additional £2.5 million on top of the £16 million already invested since 2011. This money will help support and empower people to talk about their mental health problems and to tackle the discrimination they face.