Olympic champion, Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, has returned to her hometown to launch the Bright Young Dreams campaign for children’s mental health.
She is joining forces with broadcaster, Dan Walker, and comedians, Jon Richardson and Lucy Beaumont, to raise £5 million next year in aid of Sheffield Children’s Hospital and Charity.
The campaign comes in response to a global children’s mental health crisis, with cases of children experiencing mental health issues spiking over the past five years.
It was recently found that a startling one in seven 10 to 19 year olds suffer from a mental disorder, which can severely impair both their mental and physical health going into adulthood.
Dame Ennis-Hill said in the campaign announcement: “Mental health in children is in crisis and, as a mum, it breaks my heart.
“We can do so much more, and we need to! I want to create a legacy that can define a future pathway for better care for the children of tomorrow.”
Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is one of just three dedicated children’s hospital trusts in the UK, and has been recognised for their dedication and specialisation in children’s health services.
The campaign will help fund new clinical advancements, training and support for healthcare professionals, improved infrastructure, and crucial clinical research.
Dame Ennis-Hill said: “Sheffield is my hometown, and Sheffield Children’s is at the forefront of paediatric care in the UK and beyond, and they have big ambitions to make a difference across the world.
“Mental health and wellbeing underpins everything, and it is an area that needs much more attention, funding, and clinical support.”