New ARC NWC Public Adviser Dr Robert Garsden MacDonald has recently retired from Liverpool John Moores University and is now working in the third sector, voluntarily, alongside Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust.

As an architect with over 30 years’ practical experience, he has worked collaboratively with communities and housing partners to understand the links between mental health and the built environment.

Robert has also worked around the United Kingdom as well as further afield in Zambia. He recalls his love of understanding the built environment:

“Stemming back from when I was a member of The Shorefields Sahara Expeditions group at the age of 19-20 in Liverpool, those experiences were very formative and I studied The Tuareg Pastoral Nomads who significantly were a Matriarchal Bedouin society. It’s quite remarkable that we got the chance to experience something so spectacular at such a young age.”

Robert was very proudly involved in a Build Research Establishment project in Watford called ‘Chris and Sallys house’ which is constructed on demonstration and innovation. Robert explained “The project is to understand what practicalities a person who suffers from dementia may need from not only their home but the build environment around them.”

Among many professional accolades including two international awards in 2014 he received the Roscoe Citizenship Award for Lifelong Services to Mental Health, Presented by Lord David Alton. Furthermore, he was also presented with The DIMHN Recognition Award by Dr Philip Hammond of The BBC TV. (Design in Mental Health Network).

Robert has bi-polar and believes that being a non-expert advisor in this field can help others who may need help. This is highlighted by the “Art for Well Being“ therapeutic class at the Mersey Care Life Rooms, who have worked extensively with ARC NWC.

The Mersey Care “Art for Well Being” classes take place on Thursdays 2-4 in the Southport Life Rooms. Please contact Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Liferooms.learning@Merseycare.nhs.uk for more information.

Caption: The Co-Production Class involves recovering service users in creative activities of drawing, painting and collaging various themes. This illustration below based on Picassos “ King of The Minotaurs and featured a introduction to The Classical Mythology of The Labyrinth and The Minotaurs.

As part of his ARC NWC Public Advisors position Robert believes that education, self-education and sharing life experiences are very important and the roles and responsibilities and non-traditional route to education he has undertaken in the past has let him to where is he is Today.

Group meetings and fusions of ideas are incredibly important to Robert and form part of his motivation for becoming a public adviser at ARC NWC.

“It is important that we see things through others perspectives and enable voices around the North West Coast to be heard.” Robert is especially passionate about destigmatising mental health and understands the role ARC NWC plays in doing so.

“I think it is great that the ARC NWC enables perspectives and opportunities and cross over ideas and the opportunity of intergenerational mixing allows us to work together as a collaboration for our communities”

Please get in touch with Robert if you would like to hear more about his work please contact him on robertgarsden@gmail.com or find him on Twitter using @DrRobMacDonald1

Caption; This image is titled “I’d Like to be in an Octopuses Garden in the Shade” and was inspired by Ringo Starr and Beatles song which was played during the class as a backbeat sound. The students thought the calming music selection was entirely appropriate. Sea Creatures, tropical fish and organic subterranean life features in each part of the panel.
The group compared how the sea has become more polluted since Ancient Geological Jurassic times and they we’re inspired by fossils.

Caption; Bi-Polar is a Serious Mental Disorder on the spectrum between Anxiety, Depression, Psychosis and Schizophrenia. It was once called Manic Depression and its Lived experience involves low mood swings and euphoric episodes.

Robert’s ethos.

“The aim of my voluntary research work is simple. To create a world ‘where age does not define us with ageist and related barriers and stereotypes. Creating intergenerational and age inclusive futures. Repositioning the concept of older, but not yet old.” Robert G MacDonald Public Advisor, ARC NWC.

Since retiring Robert’s informal voluntary research portfolio has expanded and now includes:-

1 Tutor:- “AFWB Art for Well-Being” with MerseyCare NHS Foundation Trust, Life Rooms. Face to face creative teaching of art and drawing for people in mental recovery colleges. Development of a series of nine weekly co-produced interactive classes in Bootle and Southport.

2 Edge Hill University:-
School of Medicine, SUC Service Users Council. Online bi-weekly research meetings; I have since recorded and presented a talk about my “Lived Expert Experience” for Medical clinicians, Student General Practitioners and Trainee Nurses. Development of a Design Brief for a Public Bench on to be located on the University Campus with User Participation.

3 NIHR (National Institute for Health Research ) ARC NW Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast, Public Involvement Team, Public Advisor to Liverpool University.

4 ConNEct at Manchester University, Co-Adaptation of Social Network Intervention to Support the Recovery of People with Severe Mental Illnesses, Division of Midwifery and Nursing.

5 Development of design Concepts for Dementia Friendly Community Buildings, Dementia Cafes, sensory Gardens and Children’s Barns working together with The Anglican Church members and clergy.

6 Working towards a new updated Dementia publication with LJMUs Prof Mike Riley and Bill Halsall and Brian Emmott on Dementia research for UNECE Real Estate Market Advisory Group ( REM).

7 “Library of Lived Experience” For Mental Health, with a focus on developing an oral library for The North of England as a Public Reader with Lancaster University.

8 “Peace Symposium” with The Anglican Cathedral and LJMU with Dr Emma Roberts, Associate Dean for Global Engagement ( Faculty of Arts Professional and Social Studies ).“ Hope in a Divided City” Symposium presentation with photographer Anthony Malone and cross City wide Researchers and Cathedral Clergy.

9 MerseyCare NHS Foundation Trust Case Study of Therapeutic, “Life Room” teaching and Creative Activities. Interviewed about activities and feedback by Learning Facilitators.

10 National MerseyCare NHS Foundation Trust PoetryDay reading of my Poem “The Garden” about Vincent Van Gogh’s Gardens and Paintings.

11 “Shaping our Lives” research project into the “House of Parliament“ and how can Parliament be made more Accessible and transparent though co-participation with user and public engagement. Developing the early stages of a Project about Elderly Care with “ Shaping or Lives” inclusive, involvement matters.

12 CDPs For New Hospitals and Preparing for and Dealing with the Unexpected, IHEEM Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management.

13 Children’s Hospital Design; Children’s Design Panel at Alderhey and Everlina London. Written an Article for DIMHN Journal.

14 Director of Studies, Successful PhD supervision to Dr Davide Landi,
now at The University of The West of England ( previous).

15 Publications in The “Journal of Design in Mental Network” :-
“ Making cities friendlier places for all “ April 2019, “ Helping older people live independently for longer “ April 2019, “ Design in Mental Health Awards “ Citation July 2019, “ Service Users must share their experiences” January 2021, “Can creative spaces help speed recovery” July 2021.

16 Co-Production and Complex Lives, a Research Project with MerseyCare NHS Foundation Trust. Sets out to define Co-Production and the Meaning of Complex Lives ( or Needs)

17 ARC NWC Public Advisor 2022.

18 Attended online Forum about Art, Mental Health and Hospitals.

19 Attended online Dementia Forum about Admiralty Dementia Nurses.

20 Seldom Heard; Mens Mental Health ARC NWC Forum presentation and discussion.

My recent public advisory activity and engagement are;-

1 Mric Public Advisor and engagement role in Mental Health Research with Liverpool University and MerseyCare 2023-24.

2 Initiated and co-authored 2023 Groundswell “Blue Green Four Seasons“ Project for £15,000 funding bid.

3 Presented Living Library Book “The Bi-Polar Architect” at the Walton Life Room, 2023.

4 Preparation of Visual Journals for Co-Creation of ZEEN materials as a new approach to public health dialogue
using artwork
and recycled journal materials, in progress.

5 Art for Well Being a Therapeutic drawing and coloring project
with MerseyCare and Church of England on Soupa Thursdays, ongoing.

6 Chapter Book 2024 published” Design for Dementia; Living Well at home” Routledge.

7 Living with Parkinson Dementia; an insiders story.
Research and Writing paper for Dementia Forum and Conference 2024.