Heads together and Royal Foundation Collaborations
Heads Together is a mental health initiative led by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, which combines a campaign to tackle stigma and change the conversation on mental health with fundraising for a series of innovative new mental health services.
Similar to the Royals, Neil is passionate about ensuring everyone feels comfortable discussing their mental health and wellbeing, and that stigma no longer prevents anyone from getting the help they need.
Neil attended the launch of Heads Together in London in 2016, and later served as a charity Ambassador, promoting the Heads Together campaign in the lead up to the London marathon through several high-profile media events.
Spurred on to raise even more funds for the charity, in March 2017, Neil hosted and organised a fundraising gala in conjunction with Heads Together. During the same year, Neil (along with fellow mental health campaigner Jonny Benjamin ) resolved to take on the London Marathon, and went onto raise over £50,000 in what Neil describes as a “very emotional journey”.
Beyond Shame Beyond Stigma
Neil co-founded Beyond Shame Beyond Stigma with Jonny Benjamin in early 2018. forming the trustee board, setting charitable objectives, and getting charity commission approval.
The organisation is dedicated to breaking down walls surrounding young people’s mental health. Primary objectives are reducing suicides, self-harm and stigma by improving and enhancing mental health support and information for young people, their families and educators.
Neil and Jonny launched the charity to the general public at the IOF convention in February 2019. They also hosted a private launch event at Twitter headquarters in London in October 2019.
Mental Health UK
Neil is delighted to be one of the first Ambassadors for Mental Health UK.
A charity which aligns with Neil’s own core values about promoting the importance of mental health.
As an Ambassador, Neil has represented the charity and influences the way people think and feel about mental health by sharing his own personal experiences and enthusiasm.
He’s supported campaigns, built connections with partners, attended galas and conferences, and supported public health campaigns.
Neil was able to grant official charity partner status with This Can Happen for both 2018/19 providing a huge awareness platform and funding opportunities for the chairy.
Rethink Mental Illness
Neil was delighted to become an Ambassador to Rethink Mental Illness in 2014.
As one of the largest charitable providers of services for people living with mental illness, Neil is able to champion the work that they do so that it has a direct impact on the care people receive.
As an Ambassador, Neil has represented the charity throughout the years and influences the way people think and feel about mental health by sharing his own personal experiences and enthusiasm.
He’s supported a series of screenings of the documentary ‘stranger on the bridge’ (which tells the #FindMike story), public health campaigns on behalf of the charity plus been integral with numerous corporate initiatives with Rethink Mental Illness.
