The suicide of a young local man, Charlie Watkins, has recently hit the national headlines following the airing of his appearance on ITV’s dating show, Take Me Out.
Charlie’s family chose to set-up an online fundraising page in his memory to raise money for us.
We were incredibly saddened to be contacted by Charlie’s family regarding the fundraising that is being undertaken in such circumstances. By all accounts, Charlie was a vivacious and valued young man who clearly had a huge impact on the lives of those around him.
The biggest cause of death in men under the age of 45 in the UK is suicide. “How are you?”, or something similar, is probably the most commonly asked question in the English language. It’s often responded to with, “I’m fine”. For a lot of young men, that’s often just not true.
If you are struggling, please reach out and talk to someone. Mental health is a great leveller – it doesn’t matter who you are, problems can affect us all. 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year; we shouldn’t be afraid to talk about how we feel and we shouldn’t judge others for sharing. All mental health charities have the desire to end the stigma around mental health in common.
We are working closely with Charlie’s family to ensure all the money raised in his memory is spent in a way that will have the biggest impact in the local area as well as being a lasting legacy to his name.
If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health problems then please tell someone about it, don’t be afraid to talk.
Charlie’s family issued a statement following his appearance on the show: “We have lost a very special young man who sadly never recovered from the tragic loss of his mother when he was only 9 years old. Tragically this is another example of the mental health issues suffered by young people today as highlighted by the Heads Together campaign supported by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.”
If you want to make a donation in Charlie’s memory, please visit his Much Loved Tribute page.