Fatboy Slim mental health workshops to continue

Fatboy Slim has been working with occupational therapist Natalie Rowlands on the workshops

Workshops involving DJ Fatboy Slim which have been helping people with severe mental health problems are to continue for at least a year.

The Brighton-based DJ, whose real name is Norman Cook, has been working with Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and the charity Heads On, and has already held 30 workshops.

An evening of performances was held at Rockwater Hove on 24 September, entitled Sound Minds.

The DJ described being asked to take part as "an incredibly moving experience", having previously spoken about how music has helped him.

He said: "Watching participants, many of whom have faced significant mental health challenges, discover the joy of mixing music and expressing themselves creatively, has been truly inspiring.

"Music has played a vital role in my own mental health journey, and it's a privilege to share that healing power with others.

"I'm thrilled to perform alongside these talented individuals at the Sound Minds event, celebrating their achievements and the transformative impact of music."

People with schizophrenia, personality and eating disorders and bipolar have been part of the programme, which the DJ helps to fund personally.

The 2025 programme led to a performance by those who were helped by the programme

Clinical specialist occupational therapist Natalie Rowlands, who devised the programme, said: "We've had people that have been suicidal, in A&E every night for weeks and they've come to these workshops and been inspired, they've started DJing and bought their own equipment.

"DJ workshops don't just teach people to mix music, they help them find their rhythm, their confidence, and their voice."

The programme will run for at least another 12 months

Jessica Button, who took part in one of the workshops, said: "It's been the best thing I've ever done to learn how to DJ with Fatboy Slim, and the event Sound Minds was the icing on the cake.

"I found the entire event so liberating and it has improved my mental health so much.

"Music is truly a magical healing tool."

Organisers are hoping to create another Sound Minds event in 2026

Rachael Duke, charity director at Heads On, said against a backdrop of financial pressure and increasing need for NHS mental health services, the programme was a "shining example of what can be possible when we set out to do things differently".

She added: "We have created something that truly values the experiences of people using mental health services and shouts about what is possible when we make our hearts sing."

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