A man has been inspired to create a website to help people struggling with mental health after volunteering with vulnerable people.

%image(15043111, type="article-full", alt="Mark Anscombe created The Perspective Project to help people who are struggling with mental illness, both directly and indirectly, express themselves through creative expression. Photo: Courtesy of Mark Anscombe")

Mark Anscombe, 24, from Wetheringsett, founded The Perspective Project in September in a bid to create a space for people to articulate their own experiences with mental health.

The website features submissions from artists around the world in various forms including paintings, poems and photographs.

'It's been quite humbling,' said Mark who has experienced his own battle with depression. 'The reception from artists has been fantastic and some of them have never shown their art in public before.

'I started the Perspective Project to let people express themselves and lessen the stigma surrounding mental health.'

%image(15043112, type="article-full", alt="It's Alright to Cry by Jayoon Choi. Picture: Courtesy of The Perspective Project")

While at McGill University in Montreal, Mark volunteered at a phone line which was available for people who needed support during their studies, whether that was with their mental health or anything else they were struggling with.

He also volunteered with the UK's leading mental health charity Mind during his summers and found there was a real need for people explain how mental health affects them in their own way.

'The scope of people who are struggling is huge,' said Mark who now works as a consultant in London, 'whether it is students having trouble with their studies, parents with children or older people with loneliness, and everything in between.

'There is value in expressing yourself and I would encourage people to read our website.

%image(15043113, type="article-full", alt="Falling by Paula Scotter. Picture: Courtesy of The Perspective Project")

'Most stuff is posted exactly as it is sent in and people send explanations of their work and the motivations behind it which can help the audience understand the piece a little more.'

The website states people do not need to suffer in silence and the platform serves the purpose of proving people are not alone in their struggle with mental health.

You can find The Perspective Project on Instagram at @perspectiveartproject, on Twitter at @persproj, or via their Facebook page 'The Perspective Project' and through their website www.perspectiveproject.co.uk

If you would like to have your work featured you can submit to the Perspective Project on their website.

%image(15043114, type="article-full", alt="Illustration from "100 Days of Bipolar" by Janet Ford. Picture: Courtesy of The Perspective Project")

%image(15043115, type="article-full", alt="Speechless by Ruben. Picture: Courtesy of The Perspective Project")

%image(15043116, type="article-full", alt="Illustration from "100 Days of Bulimia" by Janet Ford. Picture: Courtesy of The Perspective Project")

%image(15043117, type="article-full", alt="Mind Vomit by Anonymous. Picture: Courtesy of The Perspective Project")

%image(15043118, type="article-full", alt="Depersonalization by Morgan. Picture: Courtesy of The Perspective Project")