Mental Health Research UK News
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Chair of Trustees Introduction
2015/2016 has been a fantastic year for Mental Health Research UK and progress is detailed in our Annual Review and Accounts.
I am particularly pleased with the current funding position. The significant increase in fundraising during the year allowed us to increase the number of new PhD Scholarships we are funding for 2017. Our overall funding position now means that we are assured of being able to continue awarding PhD Scholarships for at least the next 10 years. Quite an achievement for such a young charity.
I am also proud of the quality of research we are funding as demonstrated at our first Scholar's Day in the Spring. Also that we are still able to pledge to give at least 95% of all donations to research, due to a low cost base with no paid employees.
The Annual Review and Accounts is available on our website by clicking here. Some of the key points are also summarised below, together with news about some of the recent fundraising events undertaken by our wonderful supporters.
A big thank you to all of you - without our supporters none of this would be possible.
Professor Clair Chilvers - Chair of Trustees
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Fundraising Events
Our supporters have been busy running and cycling to raise money for us.
James Preston ran in the Capital to Coast which is the equivalent of two and a bit marathons. We also had 6 people running for us in this year's Great North Run: Louise Mackay, Lyn Evans, Paula Cranson, Rachel Davies, Emma Moss and Andrew Sutherland. Together they raised almost £5,000.
Louise Mackay said, "Many people including myself will speak of their experiences of how mental health difficulties have touched their own and their loved ones lives. When it strikes in one of its many, many varied forms, it can be one of the most terrible and debilitating illnesses. Of course for the individual suffering but also for the relatives and friends trying their best to support through their own shock, bewilderment, sadness and helplessness."
Andrew Sutherland's Great North Run was the latest part of his '60th year' fundraising which has also included a skydive from 15,000 feet, the Great Manchester Run and the Great North Swim which he completed earlier in the year. Andrew is still fundraising, click here to find out more.
Sacha Lynch has cycled 1,000 miles from Lands End to John O'Groats to raise money for us. She said "I am pedalling for the quiet sufferers" as she is aware "how much that daily unseen struggle of mental illness is". She has raised almost £2,000 for us including gift aid and her fundraising page is still open, click here to learn more.
What fantastic efforts all of these people have made for us. |
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Annual Review
You can read the Annual Review by clicking here. Here are some of the highlights.
- Over £200,000 was raised due to the generosity of our supporters. This substantially exceeds totals raised in previous years and has allowed us to support three PhD Scholarships starting in 2017. Substantial donations were received from some charitable trusts and an amazing £32,000 was raised through events and challenges.
- We awarded two new PhD Scholarships which commenced this September. One in Schizophrenia to Manchester University and the other in Anxiety Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to Oxford University. This brings our total number of Scholarships to nine.
- Our Blooming Monday campaign to raise awareness of mental health issues saw a significant increase in numbers taking part.
- Our first Scholar's Day was held at Wolfson College, Oxford. All our PhD scholars provided updates on the progress of their research. Everyone was very impressed by the quality of research that is in progress, it is already starting to make a real difference.
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