A HOMELESS shelter in Boscombe has created a short film to help raise awareness of World Homeless Day and World Mental Health Day.

The poem, called My Gremlin, was written by Katie, a resident at Michael House, with staff from Michael House animating Katie’s drawing of her gremlin to bring the poem to life.

Speaking at the end of the video, Katie said: “By drawing him and creating a poem about him helped me to focus on the fact that I have got hopes for the future and he is something that is in the past.

“If he does try to pop up now and again and get into my head, I now have coping mechanisms to not let him back in. I am now in charge, now him.

As part of their in-house activities, residents at Michael in Boscombe has created a short film to help raise awareness of World Homeless Day and World Mental Health Day.House worked in collaboration with staff and volunteers to explore mental health through arts and creative writing.

Chief Executive and Service Manager of Michael House Mark Horsford said: The first task was to consider words that describe how a person thought their mental health may look and how this made them feel.

“The use of creative writing has really helped residents to express themselves in a safe environment.

“This has been such a positive experience and one that we would like to continue to develop.

“Not only has it allowed people to speak more freely about their mental health and how it effects them, but there has been a greater understanding between the residents of how one person’s mental health can be very different to another’s and the importance of reaching out and talking about our feelings and emotional wellbeing.”

You can read more of their work on the Michael House Residents Blog: https://michaelhouseblogblog.wordpress.com/.