The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry put their Heads Together to eliminate stigma on mental health.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry will spearhead a new campaign to end stigma around mental health. It will be the biggest single project Their Royal Highnesses have undertaken together. The Heads Together campaign aims to change the national conversation on mental wellbeing and will be a partnership with inspiring charities with decades of experience in tackling stigma, raising awareness, and providing vital help for people with mental health challenges.
The campaign has the huge privilege of being the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon Charity of the Year, taking over the baton from NSPCC who provided a fantastic example of how to maximise the opportunity that the Charity of the Year status offers. The Virgin Money London Marathon is the UK's premier charitable event and its energetic and positive fundraising and awareness platform is the perfect springboard for the Heads Together campaign.
The team of charity partners working on Heads Together covers a wide range of mental health issues that are close to The Duke and Duchess and Prince Harry's passions. They are:
- Best Beginnings
- CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably
- Contact (a military mental health coalition)
- Mind
- Place2Be
- The Mix
- YoungMinds
The campaign will be open for other organisations to join in the months ahead and will be supported by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.
A spokesperson for The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry said:
"Through their work with young people, emergency response, homeless charities, and with veterans, Their Royal Highnesses have seen time and time again that unresolved mental health problems lie at the heart of some of our greatest social challenges.
"They are passionate about tackling the stigma surrounding the issue. Too often, they have seen that people feel afraid to admit that they are struggling with their mental health. This fear of prejudice and judgement stops people from getting help and can destroy families and end lives. They want to help change the national conversation.
"Heads Together will be the biggest project The Duke and Duchess and Prince Harry have undertaken together. They are incredibly grateful to be working with charities who have achieved so much in the fight against the stigma that surrounds the issue. They want the Heads Together campaign to build on the great work that is already being done across the country so that prejudice and fear no longer stand in the way of people getting the help they need. They want people to feel much more comfortable with their everyday mental wellbeing and have the practical tools to support their friends and family.
"Their Royal Highnesses would like to thank the Virgin Money London Marathon for making Heads Together their 2017 Charity of the Year. They cannot wait to see hundreds of runners hitting the streets of London next April to end the stigma on mental health once and for all."
Full details of the Heads Together campaign will be released at a launch event on May 16, but will include engagements and events around the UK and new initiatives to support families, teachers, and friends to help those people in their lives who have mental health challenges.
