A WOMAN who has battled mental health issues with the help of staff at Oxford Health has created her own clothing range to raise money for charity.

Poppy Clementine, 20, created a clothing line including t-shirts, sweatshirts and a baseball cap for children and adults to raise money for Oxford Health and mental health charity Mind.

Her life changed when she was 11 and her 13-year-old sister India passed away unexpectedly in her sleep.

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The trauma from her loss had a massive impact on her mental health and she had long inpatient stays at Cotswold House, a unit that treats adults with eating disorders in Marlborough, in Wiltshire.

She said: “I designed the range to celebrate the courage that continues to guide me through my journey and that of anyone facing negative brain chatter.

“I also added an embroidered reminder that ‘thoughts [are] not facts.’ This is a mantra I remind myself of and repeat daily, that the thoughts that I have are just in my head and are often false and, hence, must be tried, tested and justified before I start to believe them.

“The staff at Cotswold House really helped me and that is why I want to help them by giving half of any profits from the sale of my clothing range to Oxford Health Charity.

"They helped me to understand that things I sometimes think are not reality.

“With the support from the people around me I am on a new pathway but that doesn’t mean all is perfect. Yet I am ‘faking it till I make it.’

“I still face negative brain chatter daily and hence why I am filling my time to keep myself distracted and preoccupied.”

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Oxford Health Charity funds projects that enhance the experience of those using services at the trust, their carers and staff and any funds raised by the clothing line will go towards making the staff area more comfortable.

Julie Pink, head of charity and involvement at Oxford Health, said: “We are honoured that Poppy has decided to support us and Cotswold House through the sale of her new ‘Courage’ clothes range.

“We all wish her the very best as she continues her recovery journey and builds on the struggles she still faces.  Her desire to help those staff who helped her by making their space nicer is extremely kind and generous of her.”

The charity has also created two new ‘wellbeing pods’ at Cotswold House, which provide space for patients, their families and staff away from the ward environment.

For more information, visit: https://couragebyclementine.myshopify.com/

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This story was written by Anna Colivicchi, she joined the team this year and covers health stories for the Oxfordshire papers. 

Get in touch with her by emailing: Anna.colivicchi@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @AnnaColivicchi