Claire Giraud
Outstanding Contribution to the Sector
We are thrilled to celebrate Claire Giraud, Senior Public Health Practitioner for the Hackney and City of London local authorities, as the winner of the Outstanding Contribution to the Sector award.
Claire is an industry-leading force in suicide prevention, whose evidence-based, yet deeply compassionate, approach has demonstrably saved lives. She has championed a comprehensive action plan involving 64 workstreams and masterfully brought together diverse partners—from police and NHS to schools and volunteers—to create a powerful, multi-agency network.
Key Life-Saving Achievements
Claire’s innovative work has set a new standard for local authority leadership in this critical area:
- Multi-Agency Leadership: She manages the extensive Suicide Prevention Action Plan and successfully orchestrates collaborations like the Mental Health Street Triage (MHST), which provides real-time mental health support during police callouts, reducing the use of police custody for those in crisis.
- Bridge Safety Initiatives: Claire has been pivotal in enhancing safety on high-risk locations. This includes leading the deployment of advanced technology through the Secure City Programme and independently co-founding Bridge Watch, a volunteer initiative that patrols bridges to offer timely interventions.
- Innovative Policy: Her foresight resulted in the Designing Out Suicide Planning Advice Note, which mandates the integration of suicide prevention measures into the design of new high-rise buildings.
- Wider Influence: Claire extends her impact beyond the City, working tirelessly with Transport for London on mandatory awareness training for taxi drivers and collaborating with the Tidal Thames Water Safety Forum, demonstrating a relentless, all-encompassing dedication to the cause.
Claire’s colleagues describe her as a “power house of energy and passion,” who is sought out for her expertise by peers as far away as the New York City Department of Health. Her unwavering commitment, which sees her dedicate personal time to projects like Bridge Watch, is the reason her work has achieved such profound and lasting results in the mental health sector.
“I had a delightful time at the Mental Health Awards 2025, I met a lot of interesting people who do amazing work, I was able to network and showcase the charitable project I co-founded : https://bridgewatch.uk/ and make some valuable connections to further my work in the field of suicide prevention and mental health. Getting to dress up was also a lot of fun!” – Claire Giraud
Jodie Millard
Nominate a Professional
This year’s winner for Nominate a Professional is Jodie Millard, Staff Health & Wellbeing Manager at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT).
Jodie has been recognized for her tireless work in improving staff wellbeing across NSFT, which supports over 5,000 employees. Since joining the trust, she has launched several highly successful and inclusive initiatives with demonstrable impact, including multiple “Get Active” campaigns and a significant “Menopause Aware” program. This latter program achieved remarkable success, raising awareness of support by 54% in a single year and contributing to NSFT receiving Menopause Accreditation. Jodie’s commitment to making support accessible is further shown by her proactive approach to growing a volunteer network of 286 Wellbeing Champions and continuously planning new campaigns based directly on staff feedback, ensuring that the health and wellbeing offer remains relevant and impactful.
“I was absolutely delighted to receive the award. At NSFT, we’ve worked hard to create a culture where staff wellbeing is seen as fundamental to providing the best possible care for our service users. Knowing that these initiatives are making a difference means a lot, and I’m so proud to be part of a Trust that recognises the importance of looking after its people.” – Jodie Millard
Trevor Stevens
Inspirational Story (Affected by)
We are honoured to recognise Trevor Stevens with the Inspirational Story Award for his extraordinary courage and dedication to transforming mental health care following the tragic death of his daughter, Tobi, in 2020. While Tobi was in the care of the NSFT, her family was not informed of her deteriorating mental health struggles, a silence that Trevor has committed to breaking forever.
Trevor has channelled his immense personal pain into a powerful, national mission, working with groups like Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) and Making Families Count. He has tirelessly shared Tobi’s story to highlight the critical, life-saving importance of including families and carers in the treatment of young people. Trevor doesn’t just ask professionals to involve families; he challenges them to “justify why they wouldn’t be,” shifting the default to inclusion and reminding staff that carers are central, not peripheral, to a patient’s recovery.
His authentic, compassionate, and unwavering advocacy has led to tangible, life-saving changes in policy and practice, inspiring us all to value lived experience and strive for better care for every family.
Sedona Jamieson
Inspirational Story (Lived Experience)
We are delighted to honour Sedona Jamieson with the Inspirational Story Award, recognising her journey of resilience and her profound commitment to mental health advocacy. Sedona’s battle with severe anxiety, anorexia, psychosis, and borderline personality disorder began at age 14, leading to four years in and out of secure hospitals where she faced isolation and trauma. Despite these immense challenges, she independently completed her education and, while still in hospital, launched “Sedona’s Care Packages” to support other young patients. Her recovery truly began at a specialist ward, which led to her regaining independence at Ravenna Lodge. Today, Sedona is studying Biomedicine at the University of Bath, lives in her own flat, and has powerfully shared her experience through a TEDx Talk and social media to inspire hope and drive essential change in the youth mental health care system. Her story is a testament to the fact that even after years of struggle, a fulfilling and independent life is absolutely possible.
Face Front Inclusive Theatre
Innovative Proactive Wellbeing Activity
We are proud to name Face Front Inclusive Theatre as the winner of the Innovative Proactive Wellbeing Activity Award for their powerful work using the arts to build community, empower individuals, and champion mental and emotional wellbeing.
Since its founding, Face Front has focused on the belief that ‘it’s about belonging’, delivering transformative artistic experiences for disadvantaged, neurodiverse, and disabled individuals across three key areas:
- Community Participation: Engaging over 140 members through five inclusive theatre groups, such as InterACTion and the Bridge Group, to foster a crucial sense of community and support network.
- Life-Changing Theatre-in-Education: Annually reaching over 4,500 young people with multi-accessible productions that address difficult themes like domestic abuse (Whisper Me Happy Ever After) and the transition to adulthood for disabled youth (It’s My Move). This work is profoundly therapeutic, opening dialogue and reducing stigma.
- Training & Career Support: Assisting 45 disabled artists yearly with training and professional pathways, building self-esteem and employment opportunities—vital factors for long-term mental health.
BY embedding emotional, mental, and social wellbeing into every creative project, Face Front provides consistent structure, boosts self-worth, and actively breaks down barriers, proving that inclusive art is a powerful and proactive tool for life- enhancing social change.
“On the behalf of all the Face Front Family (trustees, staff, freelancers, participants and supporters) we thank you for our Most Innovative Proactive Wellbeing Activity Award!!
Last thursday was a lovely surprise and the evening was both humbling and inspirational.
It was great to connect (and play shuffleboard) with some of the other nominees and winners. ” – Ray Downing, Artistic Director, Face Front Theatre
Cheshire & Wirral NHS Foundation Trust
Long Term Impact
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP) is a deserving winner of the Long Term Impact Award for the development of its Mental Health Intensive Support Team (MhIST), a community rehabilitation service born out of a critical need to reduce reliance on expensive and often insufficient in-patient care for patients with complex mental health needs. Despite initial financial skepticism and systemic resistance, the tenacity of CWP’s team secured spot funding for a tailored, recovery-focused service aimed at improving quality of care, patient experience, and value for money. The outcomes are outstanding: 94% of patients were in hospital when referred, but now 61% live independently or with family, and the service has demonstrated a 58% cost saving compared to alternative care, delivering an annual benefit of over £6.4 million to the local health system by enabling people with complex needs to live more fulfilling lives in the community.
Stem4
Innovative Mental Health Intervention
We are thrilled to present the Innovative Mental Health Intervention Award to stem4 for Clear Fear, their clinically developed anxiety management app for young people.
Clear Fear has demonstrated sustained, high-impact support, acting as a crucial, round-the-clock mental health tool. Since 2023, the app’s 43,000 UK users have managed over 55,000 anxious thoughts, with 92% of the over 60,000 in-app activities reported as helpful. Globally, the app has surpassed 1.13 million downloads and is proven to be effective, with 89% of users reporting reduced anxiety symptoms after each use.
Widely recommended by NHS Trusts and platforms, Clear Fear provides effective support between appointments, addressing an important gap in care delivery. Furthermore, stem4 is proactively integrating the app into whole school wellbeing strategies to cohesively support student mental health. Supported by independent clinical studies and constant adaptation to new challenges like Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), Clear Fear is an outstanding example of youth- and clinician-led digital innovation that is making a measurable difference in the lives of young people worldwide.
