Mental Health Awareness Week 2026
On the 12th April 2026 I am taking part in the Brighton Marathon and a big part of the reason I do them is essentially I just really like getting the medal and t-shirt at the end!
More seriously though I have actually found exercise really helps me personally with my mental health and helps me switch off from the day to day. The 11th May to the 17th May marks Mental Health Awareness Week and this years theme focuses on “Action” encouraging individuals and communities to take practical steps to support mental health, rather than just raising awareness.
If you are looking planning an event this week and looking for a speaker these are a just a few speakers we work with who we would recommend.
Clarke Carlisle is a former professional football and television presenter who is a keynote speaker on mental health, having suffered from complex depressive disorder throughout his career. Clarke Carlisle played football for QPR, Burnley, Blackpool, and Watford to name a few and won promotions with two clubs and player at Wembley Stadium. After over 500 appearances he retired at the end of the 2013 season
Clarke presented two acclaimed documentaries for the BBC Football’s Suicide Secret and “Is Football Racist?” for the BBC and wrote a book about his career A Footballer’s Life.
What Clarke did not realise was that for the last 13 years of his playing career he had been suffering from Complex Depressive Disorder. It was only after two suicide attempts that he was admitted to psychiatric hospital, where he finally received an accurate diagnosis.
Dan Keeley is one of the UK’s leading mental health activists, thought leaders and keynote speakers on a mission to empower the UK to speak up when they are suffering. In 2017, after a 5 year battle with bipolar disorder and coming close to taking his own life, Dan ran 1250 miles from the Colosseum in Rome back to the London Eye to share his story on a national scale – raising over £15,000 for The Campaign Against Living Miserably and inspiring hundreds of others to speak up about their own personal battles.
Now Dan Keeley is a nationally-recognised and award-winning mental health activist, thought-leader and keynote speaker; harnessing his lived-experiences to inspire others by collaborating & delivering powerful live talks with many of the UK’s most forward-thinking corporate organisations, conferences, NHS trusts, festivals, schools and social enterprises dedicated to improving the mental wellbeing of their staff, audiences & communities.
Former British Army Major, multi-record-breaking adventure athlete, passionate mental health campaigner and inspirational speaker Sally Orange MBE has crammed a lot into her 49 years on the planet and she’s nowhere near done.
When she’s not undertaking record-breaking endurance achievements (often dressed in thoughtfully chosen costumes to raise a smile and start conversations around mental health), Sally is the focus of inspirational speaking engagements, attended by audiences of all ages at a variety of events, including at Buckingham Palace and Horse Guards Parade, and has featured in the media numerous times. Everyone is captivated by the modest, engaging and approachable way she shares the mental health and resilience learnings she has gathered from a career in the British Army and decades of volunteering and undertaking gruelling physical challenges all over the world.
Sue Firth is a business psychologist, stress expert and a leading authority on ‘stress and managing change’. She is also a specialist in helping CEOs and senior executives manage stress, from an individual and group perspective. As an international speaker and presenter Sue regularly appears in the media and has featured as a guest expert on ITV’s This Morning and BBC Panorama.
Sue aims to make a difference to the way people think and teaches how to moderate habits to reduce any difficulties while maintaining effectiveness. With extensive experience in consulting at strategic level for both the management of change and the implementation of stress programmes to support employees, she is well placed to offer insight into how organisations can help their people handle life better in changing circumstances.
Stephen Whitton is a Speaker, Social Entrepreneur, Influencer, Mental Health Warrior, and survivor who has been speaking up for mental health in masculine environments.
Stephen Whitton is the Founder of [M]enable – the global movement for mental health support in the Automotive Sector. After a successful career spanning 35 years in the industry, with numerous roles from Salesman to Executive Director, he is a renowned authority on employee well-being to achieve results.
[M]enable was created on the back of Stephen’s own struggles, with a clear purpose and mission – to change cultures in male dominated and performance driven businesses, enabling the Mental Health stigma to be removed. Wanting leaders to embrace the ethos that when people feel good about themselves, they perform better, Stephen’s mantra is “positive employee outcomes = positive customer outcomes = positive business outcomes”.
Dubbed ‘The Mighty Motivator’ by Chris Evans, Rob Hosking is an international TEDx motivational speaker and former front-line Police Officer, renowned for his ability to inspire teams and leaders to adapt in fast-changing, high-pressure environments.
With years of experience responding to unpredictable situations, Rob has developed a deep understanding of how individuals and organisations can thrive in the midst of uncertainty. His unique perspective stems from his time on the front lines of policing, where no two situations were the same, and quick thinking, adaptability, and resilience were essential.
After silently battling his own mental health struggles during his policing career, including PTSD and depression, Rob now speaks openly about the dangers of never opening up. His story is a raw and relatable insight into what happens when people suffer in silence, and how it’s possible to come back stronger with the right support. He uses these personal experiences to break down stigmas and spark important conversations around mental health, trauma, and emotional wellbeing.
If we can help with any enquiries please email is on enquiries@scampspeakers.co.uk