Ben West

Welcome to episode 87 with Ben West who is a mental health activist, campaigner, speaker and author.

Ben was only 17 when he lost his younger brother to suicide.  This event has driven him to become one of the most active campaigners in the U.K.

He has raised thousands of pounds through his Walk to Talk project and regularly speaks at schools and events to raise awareness about mental health.

Most recently Ben has been calling for change in the way that the education system deals with the mental health of students.  He is working towards making mental health first aid training a compulsory part of teacher training and his petition is currently up to 300,000 signatures.

Earlier this year Ben published his first book titled ‘This Book Could Save Your Life’ which details his journey and everything he has learned about mental health along the way.

Ben and I chat about dealing with grief, the stigma around suicide, dealing with burnout and making changes in schools and universities.

You can connect with Ben on social media @iambenwest and read more about his activism and campaigning via his website Ben West - Mental Health Campaigner

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Thanks for listening!