Daily Life Ltd. project

11 August 2013

St Clements Social Club at St Clements Hospital, London as part of Shuffle Festival’s Day of the Mind

Roxy & Rudi Roadshow was a pop-up wellbeing research trial run by Dr Bobby (Bobby Baker) and a team of anarchic ‘clinical’ researchers. Participants were invited to go through five steps, to assess their ‘wellbeing’. 

Starting at the reception desk they were greeted by a receptionist who booked appointments and explained the intentions of the project. Next, they met Dr Bobby and her research assistant who led them through a ‘Cat Dog Personality Type Profiling’ painting exercise, identifying whether they were a ‘Cat Person’, ‘Dog Person’ or ‘AN Other’, before moving onto the Diagnostic Assessment Unit where they were diagnosed and asked questions using the Warwick Scale – a scale of 14 positively worded items for assessing a population’s mental wellbeing. A ‘research analyst’ then worked with participants to map their diagnosis onto a hand-drawn map of the local area before the Discharge Planning Unit issued them with an official Daily Life Ltd. stamped discharge chit and offered them a choice of a Roxy Cat or Rudi Dog biscuit, baked by Dr Bobby.

The Roxy and Rudi Roadshow formed part of The Daily Life Project – a 3-year exploration of Newham, Hackney and Tower Hamlets, on the ground and online, to meet individuals from all walks of life who have personal experience of mental health issues. The Daily Life Project included the presentation and co-creation of artworks, innovative participatory arts, and mental health research.