Matt on the top of Carn Llidi, near St Davids, where our family enjoy walking, golf, fishing and surfing.
Our Trust Objectives
The Matthew Elvidge Trust was formed shortly after our third son, Matthew took his own life, aged just 23, after a very short period of anxiety and depression.
The main objective of the Trust is to increase awareness and understanding of the importance of wellbeing and good mental health and ensure that everyone and particularly young people:
- Develop the knowledge and skills to keep mentally healthy
- Understand the signs and symptoms of anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses
- Know how to cope with difficult periods in their life and have the skills and support to recover
- Have the confidence, if needed, to ask for help and receive the right professional support
We also aim to reduce the stigma of mental illness and fund and support organisations that work in the fields of:
- Wellbeing and mental health in Education and the Workplace
- Suicide prevention in Healthcare
- Bereavement support after suicide
Raising funds, providing grants and influencing policy
We achieve these objectives by raising funds (c.£500,000 over the last eleven years) and distributing them to charities, organisations and projects, whose work is consistent with our aims. Over the last eight years we have provided grants of £340,000 and have future commitments of £115,000. A good example is Student Minds (see photo below), who we have supported since our launch in 2010. Please read more on the Charities Commission Website (Charity Number 1135668).
We also work alongside government, health and education to encourage wide scale policy change towards a world where wellbeing and good mental health is a priority in every aspect of our lives.
Our Trustees
Hamish Elvidge, MBE, FCA (Chair), Linda Elvidge, David Elvidge, Douglas Elvidge, Charlotte Elvidge (Secretary), Dr Charles Rayner, Julia Elvidge (BSc (Hons) PGCE with QTS), Henry Chandler.
