Jeremy Indika
Trigger Warning: Child Abuse ‘Finding happiness in facing up to new challenges’ My name is Jeremy Indika and I am the founder of ‘Something to Say’, my life’s mission is to break the uncomfortable silence that surrounds child abuse. I was a normal child; I did well in school, I played lots of sports and […]
Hayley Xenophontos
Trigger warning: Sexual Abuse “A hairdresser is a position of trust” My name is Hayley and I live in the Stockport area. I run a hair and wellbeing centre, where I specialise in hair loss solutions for women. I’m also an advocate for mental health. I do workshops including mindfulness, confidence and meditation. I was […]
Sam Smith
“Every time a door is closed in your face, you’re closer to another door opening”. My name is Sam Smith, and I was born in Bolton in 1972 where I grew up. I came from a single-mother family where there were four kids and each of us had different dads. I didn’t ever get to […]
Loong Ly
“You Can Do Anything You Set Your Mind To” My name is Loong Ly. I’m an ex-footballer turned school coach after learning that it’s alright to sometimes pursue a different path than the original plan. I was born in Hackney, but my parents came over on boats as refugees during the Vietnam war. Hackney wasn’t […]
Andy Craddock
“Disability has not stopped me from being the person that I am”. My name is Andy Craddock. I went through life as an able-bodied person until I acquired a disability in adulthood. I’m from Birmingham. I come from a working-class family, and my father was in the military. Both my parents passed away a couple […]
Adya Misra
‘I like seeing people’s faces light up when they are doing something they didn’t think they could do because I was the same.’ My name is Adya, I’m originally from Newcastle and I live in The Wirral. I’ve lived in many places over the years. My parents were first-generation immigrants from South Asia. I’m talking […]
Siobhan Daniels
Trigger warning: mention of child abuse “I feel like I’m on the edge of the cliff and I’m ready to jump and I’m excited, I don’t know what’s going to happen but I’m there, it’s too late for me to crawl back.” I’m Siobhan Daniels, I’m 63 years of age. I worked for the BBC […]
Paul Betney
‘Life is about living your best life.’ My name is Paul Betney. After growing up in a difficult environment, I moved to Tokyo to try and escape my problems, but I’m currently working as a self-employed therapist back in Liverpool. Throughout my life, I’ve realised there’s no point in running from your problems. I grew […]
Monique Casey
Trigger Warning: Domestic violence, attempted suicide and bullying ‘Friendship, to me, is having that trust with somebody.’ My name is Monique Casey, and I work for Tales to Inspire. Throughout my life, I’ve struggled with family issues and mental health, but now I focus on pursuing happiness, and I’ve learnt that a work environment can […]
Keji Moses
‘We must show compassion’ Trigger Warning: Domestic violence, Infant loss My name is Keji Moses. I’m a mother and founder of the charity Mayah’s Legacy, shining a light on the mental health impact of pregnancy loss. We intend to show people that their voice matters. I’m originally from Nigeria but have lived in the UK […]