Supporting positive thinking for young people
25th August 2023
An Essex family’s determination to create something positive following a tragedy means that vital help is being given to young people struggling with their mental health.
Projects for pupils and students in schools and universities, as well as informative video guides for parents seeking support for their children, have all been made possible by the Charlie Watkins Foundation (CWF). Charlie Watkins was just 22 when he took his own life in 2017. Outwardly, he was a confident and happy young man who studied criminology at the University of York. He had a large circle of friends, was a member of the lacrosse club and an active member of the student union.
However, the loss of his mother to cancer when Charlie was nine years old had a huge impact and from then on, he struggled with his mental health.
Following Charlie’s tragic death, his father Tim and twin brother, Harry, were determined to keep Charlie’s memory alive and make a real difference to the increasing number of young people across the country facing mental health challenges.
They decided to set up the CWF and started working with Essex Community Foundation.
The Fund in memory of Charlie continues to go from strength-to-strength with the mission to “smash the stigma” surrounding mental health, raise awareness and provide practical support for young people in need.
Tim, who lives near Colchester, said: “So much progress has been made in the past six years and we are proud to have supported charities and organisations that are changing lives with grants so far totalling £130,000.
“Our young people need support with their mental health. We have always said that if we could help just one person, it was all worth it and I know that we have exceeded that.
“Working with ECF allows us the time to get involved in fundraising and build a lasting charitable fund, in Charlie’s memory, as they take care of all the administration. Through working with them, we support local charities and national initiatives to ensure that young people keep talking about mental health and can access support if they need it.
“Charlie was such a character, and we miss him dreadfully. But we are so proud that his legacy lives on and are so grateful to anyone who chooses to support Charlie’s Fund.”
Harry said: “Charlie lost his battle, but there are many more young people who suffer in silence and tackle their feelings alone. Through the Charlie Watkins Foundation we support projects and initiatives that increase awareness of mental health issues, encourage young people to talk about their feelings and accelerate the provision of counselling services.”
Tim and Harry’s efforts have also taken them to 10 Downing Street for an open conversation between Government and several organisations, to explore what can be done to prevent more people taking their lives.
The Charlie Watkins Foundation is fuelled by the triumphant efforts of dedicated friends and family, called Charlie’s Champions, who sometimes push themselves to the limit and tackle a wide range of challenges to raise money.
These include a family friend doing a sky dive, Tim’s friends cycling the length of Portugal, two of Charlies friends cycling the length of South America. A university friend of Charlie’s is currently walking the West coast of America from Mexico to Canada and one supporter is running 13 half marathons in 13 days.
Tim, Harry and their supporters also arrange large scale fundraising events including concerts, golf days and fundraising balls and are grateful to their corporate partners for their support and contributions. So far, the Charlie Watkins Foundation has raised an incredible £600,000.
Projects supported by the Charlie Watkins Foundation include:
The Colchester & Tendring Youth Enquiry Service (YES). A grant enabled the launch of a new school navigator project for young people to access help and obtain the support they need. This project has assisted YES in demonstrating the value of school navigators, which has resulted in the Suffolk & North East Essex Integrated Care Board announcing that they will be supporting YES to deliver this much-needed service across North East Essex in 17 schools, the Sixth Form College and the Colchester Institute.
Elise Ellis from YES said: “We have found that many young people just need to be heard and have the chance to talk with a qualified, independent and reliable adult. We see a variety of young people and the beauty of the in-school project is that these young people are being seen quickly and are allocated the correct support for their individual situation. This has resulted in decreased NHS waiting lists and more successful support.
“I have met with hundreds of young people who, without the project, would have been on a counselling waiting list, potentially for many months.”
YES also has a community garden – an allotment space where young people can meet and work together to grow fruit and vegetables to support their mental wellbeing. Thanks to funding from CWF, there is a new addition to the community garden; a summer house called ‘Charlie’s Cabin’. This provides a safe and quiet space for the young people to open up to each other and YES staff about any troubles they may be facing.
Support for Students
Life at university was, at times, difficult for Charlie, but also for many other students who were adapting to living away from home and family while studying. By partnering with and supporting Student Minds and the Charlie Waller Trust, CWF is reaching out to even more young people to help them access the support they need.
Student Minds is a UK wide charity that empowers students and members of university communities to develop the knowledge, confidence and skills to look after their own mental health, support others and create change. In partnership with Student Minds, CWF has funded the development of a mental health support directory for all students.
Working with another similar organisation the Charlie Waller Trust, CWF has recently released parental video guides giving advice on how to identify and address mental health issues affecting their children.
CWF also previously worked with them to produce some transition guides for those moving to university. These guides have been especially helpful to those going on to further education after the COVID-19 lockdowns and whose mental health was not as strong as it once was.
For more information and to support the Charlie Watkins Foundation visit cwfoundation.co.uk