Novelist Robert Galbraith (AKA J K Rowling) and comedian, actor and writer Stephen Fry have both donated signed copies of their latest books to raise funds for the Edinburgh Crisis Centre.
The Edinburgh Crisis Centre opened in 2006 as Scotland’s first mental health crisis centre. It provides a free 24 hour helpline and text service for people in Edinburgh who are experiencing a mental health crisis. The centre also provides a safe private space for people in distress to receive support, including overnight accommodation if required. The centre is run by Scottish mental health charity Penumbra.
J K Rowling and Stephen Fry kindly donated the books after being contacted by Crisis Centre Manager Barrie Hunter. The books are now being auctioned online, along with certificates of authenticity, to raise funds for the service. Bidding finishes on 8 February 2017. You can find both listings here.
Both J K Rowling and Stephen Fry have campaigned to raise awareness of mental health issues, and have publicly spoken about their own experiences. For a period during her 20s Rowling suffered from depression and contemplated suicide. Some have speculated that her illness inspired the Dementor characters in the Harry Potter series. Stephen Fry has also experienced depression and has been diagnosed with bipolar. He now campaigns to raise awareness of mental health. He is the president of mental health charity Mind, and he is also involved with the mental health charity Stand to Reason.
