Andrew Voyce: a living tribute. “You can end up in a happy place.”

Abstract

Purpose The main aim of this paper is to provide a living tribute of lived expert by experience and researcher Andrew Voyce. Design/methodology/approach Andrew provided the author with a list of names of people he might approach to write a tribute on his behalf. Findings The accounts describe the influence that Andrew has had both as an educator and as a trusted colleague for the people approached. Research limitations/implications In many ways, the voices of people with mental health problems have been marginalised. Few mental health journals, with only some exceptions, encourage lived experience contributions. Practical implications The mental health agenda continues to be dominated by professional groups. The remarkable individuals who continually battle with serious mental illness are often lost in official discourses. Social implications Despite the fact that the topic of mental health is now much more in the public domain, research tells us that the most effective anti-stigma strategy is contact with sufferers. Originality/value The archivist Dr Anna Sexton co-produced one of the few mental health archives that only featured people with lived experience. Andrew was one of the four people featured in it. This account “showcases” the work of this remarkable man.