Welcome to Proper Mental episode 71 with Jonny Benjamin, who is the CEO of Beyond, a young person’s charity that raises money and gives out grants to help other organisations and schools that are underfunded or underutilised.
He is also an award-winning mental health campaigner, speaker, author and vlogger and in 2017 was awarded an MBE.
Jonny is known for his book and documentary film, The Stranger on the Bridge, which fought to end stigma around talking about mental health, suicidal thoughts and schizoaffective disorder.
When his campaign to find the man who prevented him from taking his own life went viral, Jonny was one of a wave of new figures lifting the lid on mental health struggles.
You can watch his documentary here:
The Stranger on the Bridge - All 4 (channel4.com)
Jonny’s story is well documented and documented very well so I thought it would be more beneficial to focus on the now and the future and that’s where most of this conversation takes place.
His latest project, The Book of Hope, brings together people from all walks of life – actors, musicians, athletes, psychologists and activists – to share what gives them hope and aims to be a supportive hand to anyone looking to find light on a dark day and shows that, no matter what you may be going through, you are not alone.
Jonny and I chat about the process of putting all these wonderful essays together and the importance of hope through shared experience.
We also chat about the work he does with Beyond and their recent festival, the power of music, compassion-based therapy and how an absence of hope led him to the bridge back in 2008.
You can learn more about Beyond here:
Beyond – Beyond the shame and stigma of mental health (wearebeyond.org.uk)
And you can learn more about Jonny here:
Jonny Benjamin – Mental Health Campaigner
The Book of Hope: 101 voices on Overcoming Adversity is out now in your local bookshop!
You can catch up with me at www.propermentalpodcast.com or connect with me via social media @propermentalpodcast.
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If you or anyone you know needs to find support in your local area, please go to www.hubofhope.co.uk
Thanks for listening!