Janey Antoniou Award winner: Steve Whittle

Steve is a mental health campaigner who, through his own lived experience, has a unique perspective on the challenges that men face with their mental health, and has used this to found his charity ‘Tough to Talk’ which aims to reduce male suicide. Steve has campaigned to reduce male suicide in a multitude of ways. From hosting hard hitting talks, producing powerful resources such as the #MANUP book to facilitating suicide first aid courses which are specifically designed for environments where men are the primary demographic. Steve has demonstrated his commitment to providing support to men that is tailored and breaks down the stigma surrounding men’s mental health. The judges were astounded by the breadth and reach of Steve’s work, particularly given his campaigning focuses on an issue that isn’t often spoken about openly and desperately needs more attention. They felt his tireless dedication to campaigning specifically in male-centric environments like construction and sport has no doubt had a massive impact on the lives of men struggling with their mental health.

Janey Antoniou Award finalist: Katja Pavlovna

Following her own experiences of struggling to access mental health care, Katja co-founded the project ‘Sorry my mental illness isn’t sexy enough for you’ – a website that raises awareness of mental health, particularly those that are the most stigmatized. Since then, Katja has grown the website to support people beyond the UK by using her multi-lingual skills to translate stories of lived experience on the website, which has allowed the friends and family of people affected by mental illness to better support their loved ones. Alongside this, Katja has spoken at several conferences and is currently publishing the project’s first book. The judges were struck by Katja’s drive to raise awareness of mental illnesses that are less talked about in every day conversations surrounding mental health. They were particularly impressed that Katja makes it a priority to consult people from communities who often do not get to spotlight their stories and experiences.

Janey Antoniou Award finalist: Alex Richardson

Alex is passionate about teaching and supporting anyone that asks for it and is working to teach the next generation how to support people better. This led Alex to set up ‘Keep Talking Services’ during the first COVID-19 lockdown and his second year of university. The service offers weekly phone calls to those suffering from poor mental health, loneliness and social isolation. It also uses student volunteers studying a health and social care course, which aids in their professional development. The judges were extremely impressed by the difference that Alex has made in his community, with the charity supporting over 250 people in Kent and Medway and training over 100 student volunteers. It was clear to the panel that the provision of a weekly phone call to people in need of support has made a huge difference for everyone involved in the organisation.