I have been involved in research for over ten years as a mental health service user. This has included taking part in user-controlled research and running a big user-led project with two other service user researchers. I contribute to a collaboration of local NHS Trusts and universities that want to work together to support public involvement in research in Bristol called People and Research South West. I helped to set it up and am a member of the public reference group and steering group. I am a service user member of the Research and Development Committee of the local mental health NHS Trust, and contribute to a programme of research on suicide prevention. I am a research partner on a Health Services Research/INVOLVE funded project which aims to assess the impact of public involvement and I am doing a PhD at the University of the West of England in this field.