Over the past five years a skilled and committed steering committee has been working to create a 'Crisis House' for people living in Oxfordshire.

A crisis house provides a therapeutic environment where people experiencing a mental health crisis have the support of trained staff. A short stay can prevent a person's mental health deteriorating so much that they need to be admitted to hospital.

The idea for a crisis house came from mental health patients and carers, who approached the former Community Health Council.

The house would provide a non-institutionalised service and create a homely environment.

A steering committee was set up five years ago comprised of carers, patients, mental health professionals and other interested and committed people.

Pat Armstrong, committee chair, said: "In Oxfordshire there are two main ways to help users when in a crisis. Community mental health teams can visit them in their homes. Then if things get worse, the service user is admitted to hospital.

"For years, carers and service users have recognised that there is a need for something in between home visits and hospital admission, somewhere to go for a short-term residential stay.

"In other parts of the UK this need has been filled successfully by establishing a crisis house, but there are none in Oxfordshire."

Steve Spiers, the treasurer, said: "I have been treasurer for nearly four years. In that time I have visited several crisis houses in other counties and found them to be safe and supportive places. We need one in Oxfordshire."

The committee has been raising funds for the project and one of the major sources has been the Response Giving Celebrity Cookbook.

Pat said: "We contacted famous people and asked them if they would send us a recipe for a cookbook. The response was fantastic.

"We have recipes from such diverse people as Gordon Ramsay, Jeremy Paxman, Victoria Wood, David Cameron and Pam Ayres, as well as workers in the mental health sector. We also have a wonderful sandwich recipe from one of the service users as well as a treatise on the history of boiling an egg - from ancient times.

"We've approached big booksellers such as Waterstone's and they are willing to put it on display," Pat added.

"As part of our campaign to raise awareness of our work we will be hosting an open meeting on Monday from 11am at the Blessed Dominic Barberi Church Hall in Cowley Road, Littlemore. Anyone interested will be most welcome."

There will be a buffet from 10.30am. If you are unable to attend, but would like to join the Crisis House Steering Group as a volunteer, please contact crisis.house@fsmail.net