Louise Kermode – Chair of Trustees - Head of Services at Jami

I have over 10 years’ experience working in mental health and the charity sector, a history that combines my clinical expertise with strategic and thought leadership. I was inspired by InspireUK’s founder, Leila, and her passion for promoting mental health and creating this service. I wanted to be involved in something that made a tangible difference to people and to be part of a new and growing charity with a group of incredible trustees.

Throughout my career, I have seen a reduction in statutory mental health services alongside an increase in demand for them. Access to psychological therapies is an important part of mental health support for many. However, gaining access to them is a struggle, with social and economic inequalities often restricting access to these services. Inspire aims to tackle these issues. Everyone has the right to get support and it’s so important we normalise asking for and receiving it.

 

 

Anastasia Vinnikova - Head of Workplace Wellbeing at the City Mental Health Alliance UK

I’m Anastasia, a passionate mental health advocate. My passion comes from having an anxiety disorder and intermittent depression, something I’ve dealt with for over a decade.

I have long been interested in the intersection between inclusion and mental health – bolstered by my insightful experiences sitting on the Commission for Equality in Mental Health, and now acting as a Lived Experience Advisor for the Samaritans Policy, Partnerships and Research Committee.

Through both these roles, I’ve learnt a lot about the ways in which societal inequalities are often a roadblock for access to mental health support.

The aim of InspireUK to provide accessible, affordable and inclusive mental health support for all was therefore one which immediately resonated with me. More needs to be done to provide equity in mental health, and I feel confident that InspireUK will help contribute to that.

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Ashley Fontaine - MASc Creative Health Graduate

As well as being a Creative Health Graduate, I have experience in strategic marketing communications, programme/campaign management, workshop facilitation, and wellbeing championship across various mental health spaces.

Following a personal experience of traumatic grief, I have become a big advocate of mental health. By sharing my story, I hope to normalise and reinforce the importance of mental health conversations.

Within this, I have strived to openly speak about the challenge of finding and obtaining appropriate, tailored, accessible support, especially when your mental health intersects with identity characteristics such as race.

I firmly believe that everyone deserves the right to access professional mental health care, which can help people to thrive and live a healthier life. InspireUK – The Charity is all about giving people the chance to experience that. 

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Claire Gray

I am a chartered accountant with 30 years of experience and my own accountancy practice.

I believe that everyone should be involved in a charity at some point in their lives and help change the lives of others.

I chose to be a trustee of InspireUK as a result of COVID19, with the pandemic putting a big strain on people, whilst stretching the NHS to breaking-point.

I think we will feel the effects of the pandemic for a long time to come. Inspire is doing great work in my local area and taking pressure off the NHS, and I want to be part of a team that can make a difference.

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Olive Silva – InspireUK Secretary

I’m Olive, secretary to InspireUK The Charity.

I am a retired Registered Nurse/Nursing Manager, with 40 years of full-time working experience in hospital and community settings in 3 different countries. 

Now that I’m retired, I want to continue to learn, and to still feel like I am helping those in need.

InspireUK The Charity allows me to do that, and I’m glad to be accepted as part of the amazing team to aid anyone in search of therapy or counselling.

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Thomas Howard– 

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