Express owner’s £50k for mental health
EXPRESS Newspapers’ owner Richard Desmond has given £50,000 to the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry to support mental health programmes.
The donation followed a meeting with Foundation chairman Sir Keith Mills about the royals’ Heads Together campaign.
The initiative is designed to address the stigma associated with mental health problems, as well as helping to ensure that the right help is available to anyone seeking support, wherever they are and whenever they need it.
Mr Desmond, chairman of Northern & Shell Media Group which owns titles including the Daily and Sunday Express and OK! Magazine, said: “I am full of admiration for the work of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry in helping people with mental health issues through the Heads Together campaign.
“I feel very strongly that as a society we must end the stigma surrounding mental health issues that puts people off seeking treatment and discussing their problems. The Sunday Express has already highlighted this issue in the Crusade For Better Mental Health.
“I was delighted to make the donation to support the Royal Foundation’s future mental health programmes.”
The phase of the Heads Together campaign that combats stigma will culminate in April when the Foundation becomes Charity of the Year for the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon. It is billed as the first “marathon for mental health”.
Mr Desmond’s donation will help fund digital technology to educate people about mental health, and provide more support for schools, employers and the military for comprehensive early intervention programmes.
The Foundation is also hoping to develop an instant-access text messaging service for people in immediate need.