Our Mission
Hamlet Trust aims to support the development of community-based and user-led mental health initiatives, to enable people to build better lives in developing countries and those in transition.

Who we are, what we do
The Hamlet Trust was established in 1988 to help develop alternative services for people with mental health problems. Its first major project was to help establish a user-led and complementary initiative, the Bradford Mental Health Advocacy Group. The experience of this and similar projects in Britain and Europe formed the basis of Hamlet’s work today, the main focus of which lies in its work with communities which have found themselves in the midst of social and economic upheaval following the collapse of Communism.

Since 1990 Hamlet has worked to establish, support and develop a Network of Member Organisations (all of which, like Hamlet, are non-governmental organisations, or NGOs) throughout Central & Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Hamlet's aim is that these organisations are both based in their communities and are led by service-users themselves. Since the establishment of the first Network Member in Krakow, Poland, the Network has grown rapidly. Today it comprises of more than 50 NGOs in 18 different countries.

In addition to the London-based staff team, Hamlet employs five Local Policy Co-ordinators working on the Pathways to Policy programme in their respective countries, with a growing number of Regional Associates, Consultants and Advisors working both in the UK and throughout the region. Hamlet is monitored by a Board of Trustees, who bring with them a broad range of experience, including those who have used and worked in mental health services, and those from the world of business, social services, marketing, IT and finance.

Hamlet Trust operates in a variety of ways and at many levels in its areas of interest. These include:

• Supporting, through experienced staff, the establishment and development of NGOs providing services such as self-help and advocacy groups
• Holding and funding both national and international events such as training workshops and study visits for Network Members
• Funding and administering a Small Grant Programme to assist our partner NGOs to 'kick start' local initiatives in user-led services, for example drop-in centres, telephone help-lines or employment projects, which may develop into social enterprises
• Producing publications including basic guides and 'toolkits' to help in establishing groups and to inform policy making
• Through our initiatives like the Pathways to Policy programme, being involved in local, regional and international policy development
• Stimulating interest in and being involved in areas including training programmes to strengthen the provision of social work in the region

Hamlet Trust's Funders

We are pleased to have the following funders for our activities:

• Open Society Mental Health Initiative
• Community Fund, UK
• Department for International Development, Government of the United Kingdom
• European Union
• The Funding Network
• Karl Mayer Foundation, Liechtenstein
• The Allan & Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust, UK
• Christadelphian Samaritan Fund, UK
• The Thomas Sivewright Catto Charitable Settlement, UK
• The Headley Trust, part of the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts, UK
• The A B Charitable Trust, UK
• The Methodist Churches of Oakley and Clapham, Bedfordshire, UK
• The Mary Webb Trust
• Janssen Cilag
• Ashworth Charitable Trust
• Marsh Christian Trust
• Alan & Babette Sainsbury Family Charitable Trust

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Staff - London

Local Policy Co-ordinators
(Employed by the local partner NGO, with salaries funded by Hamlet Trust through the Pathways to Policy programme)

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Regional Associates
(Appointed to act as Hamlet Trust representatives in their respective countries)

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Board of Trustees:

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Small Grant Committee:
(Additional to those already listed within the Board of Trustees)

Jan Wallcraft
Mental Health System Survivor, Writer & Trainer

Peter Campbell
Mental Health System Survivor, Writer & Trainer

Lucie Roberts
Former Grants Officer: Hamlet Trust

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Advisors

Dr JLT Birley CBE
Past President: Royal College of Psychiatrists; British Medical Association; Geneva Initiative on Psychiatry

Jane Brotchie
Independent Writer, Journalist, Trainer

Jonathan Cohen
Programme Associate: Conciliation Resources

Peter Campbell
Mental Health System Survivor, Writer & Trainer

Baroness Cumberledge CBE
Former under Secretary of State for Health

Lynne Hale
Head of English Language and Learning Support: Middlesex University

Prof Helen Hally
National Director, Race for Health (part of UK National Health Service)

Prof Rachel Jenkins
Honorary Mental Health Consultant to the Board of Trustees
World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre, Professor; Institute of Psychiatry

Kris Kingsland
IT Consultant and Knowledge Engineer

Ralph Land CBE
Consultant East West Trade, Chair of Executive Council: Russo-British Chamber of Commerce, Co-Chair: British-Romanian Chamber of Commerce

Joanna Morrison
Government Relations Manager, Corporate & Public Affairs, Pfizer Ltd

Jim Read
Mental Health System Survivor, Writer & Trainer

Jasna Russo
Mental Health System Survivor, Writer & Trainer - Yugoslavia

Tony Swettenham
Website Development Consultant

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Consultants

David Anderson
Social Work Consultant

Phil Boston
IT Consultant

Dr Gill Bridge
Lecturer in Social Policy: London School of Economics

Oksana Bryzhovata
School of Social Work, National University Kyiv Mohyla Academy, Ukraine

Ann Davis
Prof Social Work: University of Birmingham

Howard Davis
Secure Services Commissioning Manager: Sefton Health Authority

Steve Essex
Freelance Social Work Trainer

Richard Finmore
Accountant: The Willow Agency

Peter Fleischmann
Freelance Training Consultant

Peter Goodenough
Information Technology Consultant

John Holloway
Business Development & Fundraising Consultant, Management & Communications Training Specialist

Tony Howson
BBC World Service - Training

Dessislava Ilieva
Training Consultant - Bulgaria

Prof Michael Kerfoot
School of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences: University of Manchester

Vesna Leskošek
Youth Centre Manager: Ljubljana - Slovenia

Raluca Nica
LRSM - Romania

Sue Oswin
Community Psychiatric Nurse

Camilla Parker
Independent Legal & Policy Consultant

David Pottage
Social Work Lecturer

Jelka Škerjanc
Independent Social Worker - Slovenia

Marjan Voncina
Manager: Centre for Social Work, Ljubljana, and President of ALTRA - Slovenia

Andrew Wetherell
Co Director: ARW Consultancy & Training, Associate Consultant: Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health

Dr Darja Zaviršek
Assistant Prof Social Work: University of Ljubljana - Slovenia

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