Chrys Muirhead
writer, storyteller, carer ... knitter, swimmer, walker, gardener ... sometime cyclist
Sunday, 8 December 2019
Monday, 2 December 2019
a victory for human rights
A recent tweet:
The new year will be a change of direction for me, in terms of volunteering and helping others, and I'm looking forward to learning more about the social history of Dundee. We are aiming to move to the city when possible and I spend most days there, swimming and walking, attending events, museums and libraries. I've wanted to move there since 2012.
A selection of photos from last week in Dundee:
I'm getting over the fact there was no justice for the systematic abuse & I take heart from the improvements to Stratheden Hospital for others; the new £4.4m IPCU & ceasing of using locked seclusion room after I won Ombudsman case Sep14; that was a victory for human rights.— Chrys Muirhead (@ChrysMuirhead) November 29, 2019
The new year will be a change of direction for me, in terms of volunteering and helping others, and I'm looking forward to learning more about the social history of Dundee. We are aiming to move to the city when possible and I spend most days there, swimming and walking, attending events, museums and libraries. I've wanted to move there since 2012.
A selection of photos from last week in Dundee:
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at Lochee Library for McManus168 talk 26Nov19 |
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visiting Discovery Quay 27Nov19 (yearly membership) |
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V&A talk on Robotic-assisted Surgery 27Nov19 [photo album] |
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in HMS Unicorn for talk on Mars Training Ship 28Nov19 |
Sunday, 1 December 2019
New Year's Day Dook at Broughty Ferry fundraising for charity

I am taking part in YEAABA.org Big Dook on 1Jan20 for Royal Voluntary Service because I'm a volunteer for RVS and appreciate their cause.
I recently became a volunteer for the Dundee Home From Hospital Service at RVS and also for East Fife Community Transport, the former because I swim at the Olympia, Leisure and Culture Dundee, most days, and the latter because I live in the area.
And when I noticed the leaflet from YEAABA (Ye Amphibious Ancients Bathing Association) promoting the Big Dook on New Year's Day, at the Olympia reception, I decided to take the plunge and go for it! A fellow swimmer who also volunteers with RVS suggested that I do it for the charity. Good idea! So here I am fundraising for the first time on Just Giving.
I've put £100 as a target and will be grateful for any donations given to this worthwhile cause. I used to work with WRVS in Kirkcaldy, 20 years ago, as a Youth Project Manager, recruiting and training young people in the Buckhaven and Rosyth areas to help the elderly in their homes, a joint project with Fife Council. Now that I'm an older person (67) I look forward to helping others through the RVS services in the Dundee and Fife areas.
"In every corner of Britain, Royal Voluntary Service mobilises volunteers to support those in need, in hospital and in the community. Their volunteers work at scale in the NHS, freeing up NHS staff to dedicate more time to patient care, and within communities to give practical help and support to people as they age. Whether it's helping someone who has recently returned home or taking someone to do a bit of shopping; its the little things in life that really can make all the difference to the lives of so many older people."
www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk
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I am thinking to dress up as Tarzan's Granny! Fur fabric on top of a wetsuit ....
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selfie taken on Perth Road, Dundee, 6Nov19 |
Wednesday, 27 November 2019
in the living room of the city
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Prof Cuschieri |
Here are some tweets and photos from recent visits:
New sock casting on in Living Room of the City #Dundee V&A π𧦗 Chrys Muirhead (@ChrysMuirhead) November 14, 2019
Relaxin πΆπ΅ pic.twitter.com/PZn0Veq022
Sock knit heel expansion.— Chrys Muirhead (@ChrysMuirhead) November 11, 2019
From armchair in V&A living room. pic.twitter.com/AZ4g0nBlTw
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14Nov19 |
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11Nov19 |
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chillin out 23Oct19 |
Back again in the #LivingRoom of the City #KengoKuma #Dundee @VADundee with ma sock knittin π§¦π chilling out, Tay view ...— Chrys Muirhead (@ChrysMuirhead) October 23, 2019
(last photo of 1st sock taken in my living room #Springfield Fife last night π)
Fyi @JoeFitzSNP @ShonaRobison @willie_rennie @Campbell_NEFife pic.twitter.com/3P2lcQFCSl
BBC News - Is Dundee's V&A 'a living room for the city'?— Chrys Muirhead (@ChrysMuirhead) September 17, 2019
(I found it useful last winter after swimming at Olympia, sitting knitting socks, watching River Tay, didn't have car then, it was a warm place before getting bus back to Fife, @CllrAlexander)https://t.co/8gRYh8gBGi
Friday, 15 November 2019
volunteering, helping others
I'm getting back into volunteering, helping others, through organisations, something I've always done, since the early days, in Rigside, Lanarkshire. I did this in 2003 when recovering from psychiatric treatment, volunteering with Link East Fife Befriending Project and North East Fife Association for Mental Health, also Express Groups Fife and Barnardo's charity shop in Cupar. The latter I got paid work with, a keyholder, before getting a job as a Relief Library Worker in NE Fife, on permitted work, 2005, then a FT post at Adam Smith/Fife College 2006.
Before this I had worked in the voluntary sector, various jobs over the years, with all ages of people and children eg Strathclyde Youth Clubs Association & Youth Clubs Fife, Age Concern & YMCA/YWCA Cupar, WRVS Kirkcaldy Youth Project. I have also worked with and alongside Councils in Lanarkshire, Fife and Perth, in grassroots posts, alongside folk in communities.
And since 2008 I've worked voluntarily in mental health matters, setting up Peer Support Fife to promote recovery and more recently campaigning for better MH services by whistleblowing about Stratheden Hospital, resulting in a new £4.4m IPCU, Hollyview Ward, funded by Scottish Government.
I've retreated from mental health matters and frontline campaigning although still look on via social networks. My interests these days are broader and include the social history of Dundee, creative crafts and fitness.
Swans at Trottick Ponds:
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Before this I had worked in the voluntary sector, various jobs over the years, with all ages of people and children eg Strathclyde Youth Clubs Association & Youth Clubs Fife, Age Concern & YMCA/YWCA Cupar, WRVS Kirkcaldy Youth Project. I have also worked with and alongside Councils in Lanarkshire, Fife and Perth, in grassroots posts, alongside folk in communities.
And since 2008 I've worked voluntarily in mental health matters, setting up Peer Support Fife to promote recovery and more recently campaigning for better MH services by whistleblowing about Stratheden Hospital, resulting in a new £4.4m IPCU, Hollyview Ward, funded by Scottish Government.
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Trottick Ponds Dundee walk 29Oct19 |
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after swim at Olympia Dundee 25Oct19 |
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at Lamb Gallery to view this exhibition 12Nov19 |
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Alexander St Multis |
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Thursday, 7 November 2019
revolving door patients/psychiatrists
I saw this tweet yesterday, it came up up on my Notifications:
I made a series of twitter responses from my own Lived Experience before heading out to Dundee for a swim at the Olympia. Then afterwards as I walked down the Hilltown I made a wee video and tweeted it:
I was annoyed at the inequalities, the throwaway tweet about being a revolving-door mental patient/psychiatrist, thinking of family members who got caught up in the psychiatric system, how tough it was for them and others like them.
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I made a series of twitter responses from my own Lived Experience before heading out to Dundee for a swim at the Olympia. Then afterwards as I walked down the Hilltown I made a wee video and tweeted it:
Just reflecting on the difference between a revolving door psychiatric patient who's on benefits/welfare with no hope of paid work & a revolving door patient who's a psychiatrist @rcpsych @wendyburn @SameiHuda— Chrys Muirhead (@ChrysMuirhead) November 6, 2019
I think a world of difference. Financially, vocally etc etc. pic.twitter.com/43FXSlnXUb
I was annoyed at the inequalities, the throwaway tweet about being a revolving-door mental patient/psychiatrist, thinking of family members who got caught up in the psychiatric system, how tough it was for them and others like them.
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later on walking up the Perth Road Dundee |
Wednesday, 30 October 2019
11yrs of mental health activism & campaigning summed up in 250 words
The strapline: "I’ve had to learn to be more self-sufficient and to cope with the isolation of being a lone campaigner" which is very true.
"things didn't go to plan" after setting up vol org PS Fife for various reasons, one of them being my psychiatric abuse survivor history although at the time I described it as "recovery". I was mature, well qualified and experienced in community development, working with all ages of people in various settings, so was used to leading, managing and having an opinion. These abilities and skills were not valued in a person with Lived Experience in Scotland's mental health world in 2008.
2012 was a seminal year, my 60th, after which I wasn't the same person, exposing systematic psychiatric abuse by blowing the whistle. It was a matter of survival and I had a tough battle on my hands. I cared and it was costly. I still care.
I'm so glad that my youngest son and I are still together, in solidarity, it's not been easy. Well done Daniel Son!
Kirk Wynd Cupar 2008 |
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Scottish Sunday Express 5Oct14 |
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on my birthday in Edinburgh 28Sep14 |
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Cupar Crossgate 17Sep17 |
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Stirling Castle 1Jun19 |
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