Category: Blog

Next week is Mental Health Awareness week, hosted by the Mental Health Foundation. This year, they are focusing on stress. Research has shown that two thirds of us experience a mental health problem in our life time with stress being a key factor of this. The NHS states that physical activity can reduce stress and other cognitive declines.

With this in mind, on Friday 18th May 2018, Fighting for Charity will be putting on a boxing night at York Hall, the home of British boxing in Bethnal Green in order to raise funds for the Charlie Watkins Foundation.

Fighting for Charity was founded by Jamie Toff in 2013 who wanted to take his own experience as a boxer to train others and try and raise as much as possible for charity.

Jamie first became involved in white collar boxing in 2003, and has had over 25 fights, winning both the British and European white collar cruiser weight titles. Fighting for Charity’s first event in 2013 raised funds in conjunction with Action Aid and Victoria’s Water Project and raised over £34,000.

Fighting for Charity has worked with many charities including Prostate Cancer UK, the November Foundation, the School of Hard Knocks, the Royal Marsden, Operation Smile, Breast Cancer Care and Fighting Ependymoma, raising over £220,000 to date.

The white collar boxing night in aid of the Charlie Watkins Foundation next Friday will see sixteen brave fighters step into the ring to go toe-to-toe to support the Charlie Watkins Foundation and our projects.

It’s not too late to buy your tickets for this event, you can follow this link to get yours. If you like the sound of Fighting for Charity and want to get involved yourself, you can follow this link.

More than 250 walkers took a step in the right direction with a walk and talk event in aid of the Charlie Watkins Foundation. The organisation was set up in memory of Charlie Watkins by his twin brother Harry after Charlie tragically took his life in March 2017. He was only 22.

The walk and talk event, which took place on Saturday, began at the Crown, Stoke by Nayland with walkers being led in groups around a six-mile trail in the beautiful Essex countryside, where Charlie grew up.

Harry said: “The amount of support we have received has been incredible. This walk and talk event became full very quickly, and the turnout is humbling to see.

“All the donations from this walk will be funnelled into providing awareness surrounding mental health and helping those in need.”

The foundation aims to raise the awareness of mental health in young people, especially men and it has secured £12,200 in donations on its JustGiving page.

The walk and talk event has received more than £7,500 in donations from the walkers.

Harry and his father, Tim Watkins, were recently interviewed as part of an ITV Anglia segment on their brand-new project, Chat with Charlie, on the anniversary of Charlie’s death.

Chat with Charlie will be an online platform for university students to use if they need help regarding their mental health. It is being funded by donations to the Charlie Watkins Foundation JustGiving page, which is under the umbrella of the Essex Community Foundation. Chat with Charlie will be trialled at the University of Essex from the offices of Mid and North East Essex Mind.

Walk and talk is one of the first in a stream of events that are being put in place in aid of the Charlie Watkins Foundation. The next event which supports the Charlie Watkins Foundation will be the Fighting for Charity boxing night in Bethnal Green, London in May. Follow this link to find out more.

The Charlie Watkins Foundation would like to give a special thanks to the following organisations:

John Coleman Butchers

East of England Co-op

Birchwood Farm Shop

Adnams

Lacons

Heineken

The Crown

Without their generosity the walk and talk event would not have been possible.

Mental health is still seen as a very ‘taboo’ subject all over the globe. It can be hard for people to comprehend the idea of mental health problems without having experienced it themselves, and this can often lead to stigma and the concept that if you can’t see the illness, it doesn’t exist.

Whilst there is tolerance in the world about mental health, there are also quite a few myths that have popped up about it. We take a look at the top five below as suggested by Rethink Mental Illness.

1. There are reasons behind your mental health problems

Although some problems with mental health can triggered by a particular event, this is not always the case. Some instances of mental health will have no obvious cause and it can be because of physical factors, such as genetic make-up or traumas to the brain.

2. Having depression is the same as feeling sad

When someone says they are feeling depressed, it’ll sometimes be them trying to express that they are feeling sad. What some people won’t realise is that being sad and being depressed are two very different things. Everyone has ups and downs in their life but being depressed can affect your ability to do simple daily tasks such as making a cup of tea.

3. Only adults experience real mental health problems

Some will say that children and young people are too young to experience any real sense of mental health issues and it will often be mistaken for them being attention-seeking or overreacting about things. According to Rethink Mental Illness, as many as one in ten children and young people will experience mental health issues which are genuine.

4. Only weak people get mental health problems

Time to Change suggest that one in four of us will experience some form of mental health problem in our lifetime. Regardless of whether you’re particularly strong-minded or confident, mental health issues can affect anyone at any time.

5. Mental illness is an excuse for being lazy

It is very common for an individual to assume that people with mental illnesses are lazy. If you are being affected by your mental health, it will make you more lethargic and it will be harder to get out of bed in the morning. It can also affect your ability to go to work.

With mental illnesses being invisible, it can be incredibly difficult for someone who hasn’t experienced it to assume that people with a mental health issue have all of the above. If we can change just one attitude towards mental health, and eliminate these myths, we would have made a massive difference.

To read more about common myths and other facts about mental health, you can check out the Rethink Mental Illness and Time to Change websites.

Students will be provided with a safe space to discuss their mental health thanks to a brand new online platform, Chat with Charlie.

Chat with Charlie is being funded by donations made to the Charlie Watkins Foundation, set up in memory of Charlie who tragically took his life in March 2017 when he was just 22. It will initially be available for students at the University of Essex, but it is hoped it will also be introduced at the University of York, where Charlie was a student, and other universities across the country.

Harry Watkins, Charlie’s twin brother, who set up the Charlie Watkins Foundation in 2017 to raise awareness for those suffering from mental health difficulties, said: “There is a growing problem in the UK, which is the lack of counselling support for those who need it.

“This is why the CWF, along with Mid and North East Essex Mind, believe in making a change. We hope Chat with Charlie will be introduced in universities across the country.

“The idea is to create an online portal for students who may be struggling with their mental health. They will be able to log into a chat room to talk with a trained volunteer who can then determine what support they would benefit from.

“This will, therefore, provide a support network for students who may currently be unaware of what their university provides. This in turn will help to destroy the stigma surrounding mental health.”

He went on to say: “Our JustGiving page has had an outstanding response and we are thrilled to see the donations being put into the Chat with Charlie service.

“After Charlie’s death, it became clear to us that there is a lack of awareness when it comes to mental health in young people, especially young men. But more importantly, there is a lack of timely support and service provision. We hope that Chat with Charlie will help young people at the University of Essex seek the help they need and are able to quickly find the support that’s right for them.”

The service will operate between 5pm and 10pm every evening and will provide students with confidential advice and support for any mental health or emotional wellbeing problems they are facing.

Mid and North East Essex Mind in partnership with the Charlie Watkins Foundation have designed the service which will be run for their Colchester base by a team of trained staff and volunteers.

Stephanie Mills, Marketing and Fundraising Manager at Mid and North East Essex Mind, said: “We are thrilled to be working with the Charlie Watkins Foundation to establish the Chat with Charlie service for the University of Essex.

“It is so important that students at university feel they have someone to talk to about their wellbeing. Factors such as being away from home and exam stress can be hard, and we hope this service can help those who may be finding it tough.”

The University of Essex already offer a wide range of services for their students including a student services hub as well as an online mental health programme.

Angela Jones, Head of Student Support at the University of Essex, said: “Students at our University benefit from a wide range of support. We always seek to find new ways to improve opportunities for them to talk about their mental health and Chat with Charlie is a very welcome addition to our existing services. We are excited to be working with the Charlie Watkins Foundation.”

Read more about the Chat with Charlie service here: https://www.cwfoundation.co.uk/projects

University can be a hard time for any student. It is probably their first time away from home, and usually they will be living with complete strangers. Couple this with the stress of coursework and you could have a recipe for loneliness, confusion, desperation and despair. If you’re worried about your housemate, here are five things you should look out for:

1. Have they given up their interests? Perhaps your housemate used to play a lot of sport before coming to university, they could have even signed up to a university club, but they don’t seem to care much about it anymore.

2. Has their sleeping pattern changed? Your normally active housemate is now generally fatigued throughout the day and restless at night.

3. Are they eating more/less? You’ve noticed that your housemate seems to either be eating way more than usual, or not eating much at all.

4. Are they more irritable? Your housemate could be more snappy than usual and getting worked up about seemingly minor things.

5. Have they increased ‘risky’ behaviour? Your housemate could be drinking more heavily or putting themselves in dangerous situations which they previously would not have done.

It is important to remember that the above can be a part of normal life in small doses. But if you notice that your housemate has been doing these more days than not for a period of two weeks or longer, they might be struggling with their mental health.

What can you do?

You have a couple of options if you think your housemate is struggling.

The first option is to approach them yourself if you feel comfortable to. If you do this, you need to have empathy, and you need to avoid taking their behaviour as a personal attack on you. Use wording such as: “I’ve noticed you seem a bit down lately, I just wanted to let you know that I’m here for you if you want to talk.” Avoid saying things like: “What’s wrong with you?”

If you’re housemate is open to talking, it might be useful to have resources to hand such as counselling services, or options the university might offer.

The second option is to let their family/friends know. If you don’t feel like you’re able to approach them, consider approaching people who are closer to your housemate.

Above all these options, remember to take care of yourself in the process, as it can be emotionally draining being someone else’s emotional support. Taking care of your own wellbeing will mean that you’ll be in a better headspace when your housemate needs your support.

There are always services that can help you if you need support. The Samaritans offer a 24-hour phone service for anyone who needs help, the number for this is: 08457 90 90 90.

Our vision for the Charlie Watkins Foundation can be found here. We are aiming to turn a problem into a solution for university students.

One of Charlie’s friends is set to smash her fundraising target while running Britain’s Ocean City Marathon.

Lucy Cova has already secured more than 50% of the money she intends to make for the Charlie Watkins Foundation (CWF), which falls under the umbrella of the Essex Community Foundation, who provide charitable and financial oversight over the CWF.

“Charlie Watkins was a dear friend of mine who will remain in my heart forever,” Lucy said on her JustGiving page. “Together we shared memories which I will never forget and everyday I wish we could have created more. I am running this half marathon in memory of Charlie and would be extremely grateful for your support.”

The marathon will be taking place on 20th May 2018. You can donate to Lucy through her JustGiving page here.

“I met Charlie on holiday in Portugal when we were both 16. We became close friends very quickly and would spend the entire summer holidays together every year.

One of my favourite memories was when my sisters and I hosted a drinks party at our house in Portugal and both Charlie and Harry were invited. They both ended up staying all night long, dancing around with my entire family! We eventually had to book a taxi for them to go home at about 4am!” – Lucy Cova

It has never been more important to talk about your mental health, and we’re lucky to be living in an age where celebrities are able to talk about their mental health problems provide influence and encouragement for us to open-up and talk as well.

Here are 10 famous faces who have opened up publicly about their mental health:

1. Stephen Fry

Stephen Fry has been incredibly open with his bipolar disorder since he was diagnosed at 37. He believes public awareness is essential to help others like him and how “one conversation could make all the difference”.

2. Jon Hamm Actor Jon Hamm revealed how therapy has helped him through depression, alcohol addiction and grief. On rehab, he said that it “has all these connotations, but it’s just an extended period of talking to yourself… and it works. It’s great.”

3. Prince Harry

Prince Harry recently revealed that he sought counselling after ‘total chaos’ in his late 20s trying to come to terms with the death of Princess Diana, his mother. He stated that he was facing anxiety during royal engagements, but is now in “a good place”.

4. Dwayne Johnson

‘The Rock’ Dwayne Johnson said that a bout of depression led him to becoming a wrestler. He says that “one of the most important things you could realise is that you’re not alone”.

5. Adam Levine

Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine has suffered from ADHD ever since his teenage years. He has said about his diagnosis, “remember that you are not alone. There are others going through the same thing”.

6. Stephen Manderson

Stephen Manderson, more commonly known as rapper Professor Green suffers from depression and anxiety. He stated how society “tells you that you have to be happy all the time… but happiness isn’t permanent… neither is sadness”.

7. Scott Mescudi

More commonly known as Kid Cudi, the musician has previously checked himself into rehab to help him cope with his depression and suicidal thoughts. He said in a Facebook post to his fans: “my anxiety and depression have ruled my life for as long as I can remember”.

8. Michael Omari

Michael Omari, or Stormzy to fans everywhere, stated he was hesitant to tell the world he had depression. He said that ‘I always saw myself as this strong person who just deals with life’ but soon realised how “fragile we are as humans”.

9. Ryan Reynolds

Actor Ryan Reynolds revealed his lifelong battle with anxiety after finishing the film Deadpool. He explained that the expectations surrounding the film were “eating him alive” and began to worry that he was letting down his fans.

10. Pete Wentz

Popular bassist for Fall Out Boy, Pete Wentz, has disclosed that he suffers with bipolar disorder. He stressed that every journey is different: “everybody figures themselves out in a different way. And I think there’s no shame in talking about that kind of stuff”.

As you can see from these 10 celebrities, mental health can come in all shapes and sizes. The most important thing to remember is that you’re never alone. As Dwayne Johnson says, “You’re not the first to go through it. You’re not going to be the last to go through it.”

There are always services that can help you. The Samaritans offer a 24-hour phone service for anyone who needs help, the number for this is: 08457 90 90 90.

As many of you are aware the month of November brings out a lot of hairy upper lips in men. Fortunately for us Will is doing it to help our cause. Will has promised to match everything that he raises and donate that to the Charlie Watkins Foundation.

So not only will you be able to witness Will go through the embarrassment of having a very suspicious looking moustache but it will all be going to help mental health in young people.

I know that Will would appreciate any donation made, big or small. If you would like to donate the link is as follows https://uk.movember.com/mospace/10230781

So guys and girls please get donating and help us in the battle against mental health.

What better way to spend a hot bank holiday monday than with your former school peers, a few beers and cricket pitch.

The Charlie Watkins Memorial Cricket Match, was an idea put forward by Will Hiscocks, a lifelong friend of Charlie, which proved to be a wonderful idea. The sun was shining and spectators came out on mass to watch the some what out of shape former school boys battle it out in what was only meant to be a “friendly” game.

Will Hiscocks side took to the game well producing a respectable score, especially with Harry Dixon-Smith who came in to hit around 65* along with Charlie Samuelson and Jack Barham falling just short of their 50’s. Bowling from both Harry Watkins and Alex Mann did seem to hold the team at bay, however, the team went on to produce 242 after their 25 overs were up.

Harry Watkins’ side, perhaps enjoying the afternoon refreshments a little to much, seemed to get off to a half decent start, with all believing that this really could go down to the last ball. Hamish Derrick led the way for the side retiring on 50* along with Toby Waddington who thought that hitting boundaries was a lot easier than running between the wicket. The Lower order did put up a valiant effort, but it all seemed a little to late, even with a mighty six being hit on the last ball by Hector Mason, finally resulting in falling just 7 runs short of the required total for a victory.

Special mention does have to go out to the umpires, a former and current member of staff, who put up with what seemed to be 22 hyped up children. Old Buckenham Hall and Russell Barrett must also be thanked for letting us use their grounds and for preparing the pitch for us.

The day was a great success with over 150 people coming to watch the match and kind gifts being donated to the raffle. At the end of the day the target value was beaten and a total of £5,600 (approx.) was achieved!!!

The foundation is very grateful for all that made the day so special and looks forward to future events.