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Europe Edith Morgan- IN MEMORIAM Tracing Edith’s career in detail is impossible since she was involved with so many organisation, foundations, commissions and activities. Edith’s career in mental health began in 1950 when she joined the National Association for Mental Health for England (now Mind). She was responsible for the development of the early community programme with local affiliated associations including professionals, volunteers and people with direct experience of mental health problems. Edith believed that working together on an equal basis was the right thing to do; and it was true. After 20 years at Mind – where she became Deputy Director – she was asked in 1977 to set up the “Good Practices in Mental Health” project at the international Hospital Federation. In 1977 Edith was elected Vice President for Europe of the World Federation for Mental Health of which she became President in 1985. She was only the third woman to become president out of 25 former presidents! After she and her colleague and friend Josée Van Remoortel, MHE Senior Policy Advisor, had organised together a successful European Congress in Gent (Belgium) in 1980, a small group of “enthusiastic volunteers” was formed. They worked under Edith’s leadership to set up the European Regional Council in 1985 at the Brighton World Congress of WFMH. Edith was their mentor and continued as a Board member and later as honorary founder, to help with the critical and clear vision on how mental health at NGO level should be developed in Europe. She experienced that women did not always have a fair share of things in life and that too often men, including psychiatrists took decisions on their behalf. For that reason, she set up the Committee on women and mental health, which she chaired. In addition to her valuable work for Mental Health Europe, Edith Morgan was very active in the development of many key institutions, programmes and served on many Boards. Her work capacity was an inspiration for many people. Those of us working in the voluntary sector have particular reasons to be grateful for her continuous support and advice. Edith Morgan was critical in her thinking. She had a clear vision on mental health, patients’ rights and multidisciplinary work. Edith will be remembered by all those who had the opportunity and privilege to know her, as an extraordinary person with a great personality, dedicated and committed to the persons most excluded in society and to the cause of mental health.
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