PEOPLE with experiences of mental health issues are being invited to get their brushes and easels at the ready as the annual Dawn Jones Art Prize is launched.

Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (DWMH) is inviting residents from across the borough to submit an entry into the 2016 version of the competition.

Now in its third year of being hosted by the trust, the competition was set up by Maureen Jones ten years ago in memory of her daughter Dawn.

Dawn tragically committed suicide in 2005, at the age of 25, following a long battle with depression.

The competition named in Dawn’s honour aims to offer people with experience of mental health the opportunity to express themselves and create meaningful artwork for people to enjoy.

The trust said they also aim to raise awareness of mental health issues and help reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.

Entries into two categories – entitled ‘my journey with mental health’ and ‘what mental health means to me’ – are invited from anyone with mental health involvement, whether that’s personal experience of problems, caring for someone with problems or working in the area.

Mark Axcell, acting chief executive at DWMH, said: “It’s very important that we keep this campaign going, it means a lot to those who enter and, since we started hosting the prize, we have seen such a high calibre of work with real meaningful and powerful messages behind them.

“It’s great to see how this competition inspires people with experience of mental health. It is very rewarding for everyone involved.”

Artwork – from borough residents over the age of 18 – need to be submitted before the deadline of Friday September 2, with the two winners receiving £100 in vouchers of their choice, along with the opportunity for their work to be displayed.

Entries can be of any medium, or combination of media, as long as it can be hung onto a wall and is between A5 and A1 in size, and should be accompanied by a short paragraph about how mental health has touched your life and how art helps you.

Full competition guidelines can be found at www.dwmh.nhs.uk/artprize