Hafal's Road to Recovery campaign will be at this year's Royal Welsh Show which takes place from July 19th - 22nd.

The aim of the campaign, which is being spearheaded by a fully revamped 1960s VW microbus travelling through the 22 counties of Wales, is to spread the word about mental health recovery in a fun and informative way.

The VW microbus has been kitted out with all the latest IT gadgets including four touch-screen PCs which visitors to the Royal Welsh will be able to access to view information, advice and guidance about recovery from serious mental illness. The VW's progress is being charted on an interactive map which features on a special website devoted to the campaign.

As well as getting a number of important messages across to the people of Wales the campaign has provided a lot of fun summer activities, such as beach parties, the surfing lifestyle and healthy eating.

Commenting on the campaign - which has so far visited Cardiff, Barry, Newport, Torfaen, Ceredigion, Carmarthen, Denbighshire, Wrexham, Gwynedd, Flintshire and Ynys Mon - Hafal Chief Executive Bill Walden-Jones said: "The microbus has been a great hit with young and old at all the events so far. We are delighted to include the Royal Welsh Show on the itinerary and we anticipate good interest in the classic vehicle and also in our message about mental health recovery.

"About one in thirty of us will experience a serious mental illness - schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or similar - so our recovery message will be important in a direct and personal way to many individuals and families attending the show.

"Our message is also for the wider public who can learn more about mental illness and the support which the public can give to individuals who experience it."

In addition to viewing the camper and enjoying the Royal Welsh Show visitors to Hafal's stand will be able to sign up to a special Road to Recovery postcard containing a message on key campaigning issues. They will also be able to find out more about Hafal's Short Steps project which provides support to people recovering from serious mental illness and their carers who may be interested in work-related activity as part of their recovery.

The Road to Recovery campaign's three specific goals are as follows:

• Wales has recently been given the power to create new mental health legislation and the Assembly Government has introduced a draft "Measure" (Welsh law). Hafal Members would like the new law and accompanying regulations to give all people with a serious mental illness a legal right to a holistic care plan, and to set out all the areas the care plan shouldcover. We believe that care plans should include all the areas specified by the Welsh Code of Practice for the Mental Health Act, as follows:

Medical treatment; Other forms of treatment including psychological therapies; Personal care and physical well-being; Accommodation; Work and occupation; Training and education; Finance and money; Social, cultural and spiritual aspects; Parenting or caring relationships.

• We believe that in future all mental health services should be developed and delivered in response to individuals' care plans. This would mean giving each person a 'menu' of services to choose from so that they can exercise choice as much as possible in their recovery.

• Given the pressure on public spending, we want resources for mental health and social services to be fully protected - and for new resources to bring mental health services up to scratch.