Stand Up (and Be Counted!)

Firstly, a heartfelt "Thank You!" for all the comments, stars and hearts for my 1000th Blip. I'm genuinely very touched indeed.

My second thousand begins here...

I know I've gone on about it a lot recently but Liverpool Mental Health Festival is finally underway and tonight I found myself onstage, mic in hand, at a comedy night which we ran in partnership with The Comedy Trust as part both of 'our' festival AND Liverpool Comedy Festival. Luckily for the audience I wasn't performing a stand-up routine... I was just saying a few words about the festival before the proper acts took to the stage!

Over the last 18 months or so, professional comedian Sam Avery and his colleagues at The Comedy Trust have been running a course called 'Feeling Funny' which aims to work with men who've experienced a range of mental health problems and to improve their confidence, self-esteem and general wellbeing through stand-up comedy.
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Tonight, 'Feeling Funny' course participants took to the stage at Comedy Central 'with hilarious results!'

Thanks to all the guys who had the guts to stand up and entertain us tonight and thanks to Sam, not only for compèring, but also for posing for this photo!


Anyone in need of a good laugh should hasten to watch Elvis Costello and the Attractions as they 'dance' their way through the video for 'I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down'... it's a hoot! www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7HBhjCMhbE