The Virgin Money London Marathon announces charity of the year for 2017
Heads Together aims to end the stigma around mental health and support charities that provide much needed mental health support.
Heads Together has been brought together by the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harr.
The NSPCC, official Charity of The Year for the 2016 Virgin Money London Marathon, will hand over the baton for 2017 to Heads Together, a campaign set up by the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry to raise awareness and funds for mental health charities and their vital work.
Heads Together will be a partnership with inspiring charities with decades of experience in tackling stigma, raising awareness, and providing vital help for people with mental health challenges. Heads Together aims to raise awareness of mental wellbeing and help tackle the stigma that prevents people from talking about issues or getting help.
Heads Together will build on the great work being done across the country and charity runners who choose to support the Heads Together campaign as part of the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon will be raising vital funds for: Best Beginnings; CALM; Contact (military mental health roundtable); Place2Be; The Mix; YoungMinds; and, local branches of Mind.
Hugh Brasher, Virgin Money London Marathon Event Director, said: “Mental health is a huge issue for modern society. We are delighted to be working with the Royal Foundation to fundraise for the Heads Together campaign and to raise awareness of the vital work of mental health charities. We hope that being the Virgin Money London Marathon Charity of the Year in 2017 will make a real difference to the campaign”
Jayne-Anne Gadhia, CEO of Virgin Money, said: “Virgin Money is delighted to be supporting the new Heads Together campaign to raise awareness and funds for mental health charities. As well as being the official charity partner for the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon, Heads Together will be Virgin Money's corporate charity partner for the next 12 months. We look forward to helping the campaign raise as much money as possible to make a positive and sustainable difference to as many people as possible".
A spokesperson for The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry said: "Their Royal Highnesses would like to thank the Virgin Money London Marathon for making Heads Together their 2017 Charity of the Year. They cannot wait to see hundreds of runners hitting the streets of London next April to end the stigma on mental health once and for all.”
More information about the Heads Together campaign can be found at www.headstogether.org.uk
Watch the Heads Together video here