Heads Up CIO Marks Ten Years with New Jewish Emergency Psychological Response Unit

As Heads Up CIO marks ten years of helping people build resilience after trauma, the charity is launching an important new national initiative: the Jewish Emergency Psychological Response Unit (JEPRU).

Its launch comes as the first anniversary approaches of the terrorist attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester on Yom Kippur, 2 October 2025. Worshippers Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz lost their lives, while others were seriously injured. 

JEPRU honours their memory while recognising that the effects of such violence can continue long after physical wounds have been treated and the headlines have faded.

The unit aims to bridge the often-overlooked gap between emergency rescue and psychological recovery. It will provide prompt, properly governed and culturally informed support to Jewish people affected by terrorism, antisemitism and other traumatic incidents.

JEPRU’s work will include rapid Cognitive Psychological First Aid for people experiencing acute panic or distress, delivered at incident scenes and Humanitarian Assistance Centres. It also plans to support Family Reception Centres during missing-person, identification and family liaison processes, working alongside emergency, police and coronial services.

Crucially, help will also be available for those who protect and care for others. Community security personnel, paramedics, ambulance drivers, police officers, volunteers, ex-service personnel and other responders can themselves be deeply affected by what they witness. Peer support, Trauma Risk Management and psychological decompression will form part of JEPRU’s response.

A confidential telephone hotline, developed with TIKVA by KeepOlim, will offer support to people facing antisemitic abuse, intimidation or other incidents. JEPRU will also create national training covering Psychological First Aid, responder welfare, action following an attack and Jewish religious practices, customs and community needs.

The new unit is now inviting volunteers from every Jewish denomination and background, as well as professionals and members of the wider public who share its commitment to compassionate, responsible care. Roles range from clinicians, first-aid responders and peer supporters to hotline staff, welfare workers, administrators, callout coordinators and logistics volunteers. Training will be offered for suitable non-clinical roles.

At heart, JEPRU reflects a simple truth: nobody should have to navigate the aftermath of trauma alone.

Founded in 2016, Heads Up CIO has supported responses connected with the Manchester Arena bombing, Grenfell Tower, the London Bridge and Borough Market attacks, Ukraine, the aftermath of 7 October and the Heaton Park attack.

To volunteer, support JEPRU or learn more, visit JEPRU https://jepru.lovable.app/, email hello@headsupcio.org.uk or telephone 07397 293885.

Mind selects HappierMe to expand prevention-first mental health support to 20M people

Top mental health charity Mind, has selected HappierMe for inclusion in its curated mental health app library, extending access to over 20 million people annually following an extensive review process.

The move reflects a growing shift in mental health, from crisis response to prevention, helping people build self-awareness and resilience before problems escalate.

Mental health services globally are under increasing pressure, with rising demand and long waiting times, driving organisations to seek scalable, early intervention solutions.

Stephen Buckley, Head of Information at Mind told That's Health: "Mind is delighted to welcome HappierMe to our app library. We realise working upstream to prevent mental health problems is important and self-awareness can play a really important role in managing our mental health."

HappierMe is a digital mental health and life-skills platform focused on prevention. Powered by Olly AI, it guides users only to its own expert content for safe, effective support.

There are separate sections for teens, parents and adults. HappierMe empowers each person with self-awareness tools to deal with adversity, manage their emotions, protect their own mental health and build stronger relationships. HappierMe can be accessed via the Mind website and all major app stores.

Suzanne Oades, a psychotherapist and app user told us: ‘’By knowing more about how my mind works, I have learned to make better choices in how I think, behave and act. The HappierMe app is a space where I feel supported to grow into the person I want to be. ‘’

Dr Manoj Krishna, former surgeon and the founder of HappierMe told us: "Just as we go to the gym to be physically healthy, HappierMe helps users develop their self-awareness and emotional resilience to manage their mental health and build stronger relationships.

"This partnership with Mind, is not only a validation for HappierMe, but also a recognition that we need to work upstream, empowering people with tools to prevent mental health problems before they escalate."

HappierMe website: https://happierme.app

Mind website: https://mind.org.uk

knus Launches UK Members Area Ahead of New Chat App

knus, the UK mental health peer support service, has launched its members area, bringing together mental health resources, peer communities, and courses in one place. 

The launch is the first step in a wider rollout that will include the knus chat app late spring this year, offering members in-app messaging, voice calls, and video calls.

The members area has been built for anyone affected by mental health, not just those experiencing it directly. 

Whether someone is managing their own wellbeing, supporting a family member, or trying to better understand what a friend is going through, the platform is designed to be useful to them. 

Central to the experience is a mental health conditions directory covering over 40 conditions across 10 categories, with each entry available in both clinical and plain-language formats.

Overcoming Anxiety Course

The Overcoming Anxiety Course makes its return as part of the new members area, relaunched with a fresh look after its run on a previous platform. 

The course is structured and self-paced, covering what anxiety is, how it shows up physically and psychologically, and why the brain reacts the way it does under pressure. 

Members are then guided through practical tools they can use day to day, including breathing and regulation techniques, approaches to challenging anxious thinking, and ways to gradually reduce avoidance.

The course does not treat anxiety as something to be fixed or eliminated. Instead, it encourages members to better understand their own responses, building a more compassionate relationship with their mental health over time. More courses are in development and will be added across 2026.

What the Members Area Includes

At launch, members have access to a social feed, the Wellbeing Oracle wisdom card collection, a mental health conditions directory, knus chat app early adopter registration, and discounts. 

Four community focus groups are also live: Beyond the Grey, Riding the Waves, Real Voices, and Beyond the Trauma. Each group offers a private space for members to connect with others who share similar experiences, supported by dedicated educational content.

The knus Chat App

The chat app is currently in its final stages of testing. When it launches, members will be able to message, call, and video call their peer support coach directly through the platform. Those who join the members area now will be first in line for access.

A spokesperson for knus told That's Health: "We know how isolating poor mental health can feel. The members area is about giving people knowledge, community, and somewhere to turn. The chat app will take that further, connecting members directly with trained volunteer peer support coaches when they need someone to talk to."

The knus members area is live now at knus.io. Referrals from mental health professionals and partner organisations are welcome. Please reach out to partnerships@knus.io

knus is a UK-based mental health peer support service offering education, community, and resources to members, their families, and the people around them. The forthcoming chat app (knus Chat) will connect members with trained volunteer peer support coaches. knus is building a space where no one has to navigate mental health struggles alone.

https://knus.io

New survey highlights life-changing impact of Chilterns Neuro Centre support

A new survey of members at the Chilterns Neuro Centre has highlighted the vital and often life-changing difference the charity makes to people affected by neurological conditions in the local community.

Almost 300 members took part in the Centre’s annual membership survey, representing just under a third of its total membership. An overwhelming 99% of respondents said they would recommend the Centre to someone with a neurological condition or their carer, with the vast majority saying they would be extremely likely to do so.

The Chilterns Neuro Centre is a Wendover-based charity providing a wide range of treatments and services to people affected by MS, Parkinson’s and strokes, as well as their families, empowering them to live life to the full. Other than a £35 annual membership fee, all these services are provided free of charge. 

However, as a charity, the Centre relies heavily on the generosity of individuals and organisations within the community to help maintain its vital services.

Importantly, 95 percent of respondents stated that the Centre provides services they cannot access anywhere else, reinforcing its distinctive role in filling gaps in statutory health and social care provision.

The survey findings shows the Centre’s specialist services play a absolutely vital role in helping people manage the long-term impact of conditions such as MS, Parkinson’s and stroke. Exercise classes, one-to-one physiotherapy and courses and workshops were the most frequently accessed services, underlining the importance of ongoing, specialist physical support for people living with these conditions.

Members also reported significant benefits to their health and wellbeing. Almost nine in ten said the treatment and support they receive helps improve their physical health always or most of the time, while a similar proportion said it improves their mental health and helps them manage their symptoms. More than four in five said the Centre helps them maintain their independence in daily activities, and three quarters said it increases social contact and helps reduce loneliness.

The survey also highlights the compassion and professionalism of the Centre’s staff, with 88 percent of respondents rating staff support and friendliness as excellent and a further 11% rating it as good.

Members’ comments vividly capture the difference the Centre makes. One described it simply as “my lifeline”, while another said: “After my diagnosis I felt very isolated and alone, but the Centre has given me hope again.” Others spoke of feeling understood, supported and part of a community where their condition does not need to be explained.

“These results show just how essential the Centre is to so many people living with neurological conditions and their families,” Richard Parkin, Chief Executive of the Chilterns Neuro Centre, told That's Health.

“We are incredibly proud of the impact our staff, volunteers and supporters make every day, providing specialist support, friendship and hope in a safe and welcoming environment.”

If you or someone you know has MS, Parkinson’s, or has experienced a stroke, the Chilterns Neuro Centre can help. Call 01296 696133 to learn more about their services and how to get involved.

Enhancing Support for Families of Children with Life-Limiting Conditions in Greater Manchester

Kentown Support has launched a new partnership with Gaddum, a Greater Manchester based mental health and carers' charity, to strengthen services for families of babies, children, and young people living with life-limiting conditions across Greater Manchester.

As part of Kentown Support’s community-focused palliative and end-of-life care model, Gaddum will deliver a comprehensive programme of therapeutic counselling to parents, siblings, and wider family members through its Palliative and End-of-Life Therapy Service. 

Through this regional model, Gaddum will provide a dedicated service, offering open-ended counselling for families with a child receiving palliative or end-of-life care. Specialist bereavement support will also be available to help families process loss, sustain relationships and rebuild wellbeing during the most challenging times.

Dr Helena Dunbar, Chief Executive Officer of Kentown Support, told That's Health: “Our vision at Kentown Support is to ensure that every child and family living with a life-limiting condition can access community-based palliative care. 

"The Kentown Model, with support from various partners, brings together nursing, practical, and emotional support —ensuring care is seamless, compassionate, and close to home.”

The partnership will also provide age-appropriate therapeutic interventions for siblings, wellbeing sessions for Kentown’s Children’s Palliative Care Community Nurse Specialists, and improved access to emotional support across all ten Greater Manchester boroughs.

Together, Kentown Support and Gaddum are committed to ensuring families receive equitable, specialist care whenever and wherever they need it most.

Kentown Support was established in 2025 with the generous support of The Kentown Wizard Foundation. Their mission is to improve the provision of community palliative care for children and families across the UK. It is their belief that every child with a life-limiting condition, and their family,  should have access to a model of integrated community children’s palliative care, whenever and wherever they need it.

Kentown Support works to:

develop sustainable, high-quality community-based children’s palliative care teams

support and collaborate with healthcare professionals, local services, and community partners to create a more coordinated, accessible services

share and fund research and training resources to improve understanding, build knowledge and drive advancements in children’s palliative care

Find out more at: www.kentownsupport.org.uk

Gaddum is a mental health and carers charity that has provided counselling services and practical support to individuals and communities throughout Greater Manchester for almost 200 years.

Find out more at: www.gaddum.org.uk

The Hills are Alive to the sound of charity fund-raising

On an inclement day in late September, the community came together for a remarkable event in support of the Axminster and Lyme Cancer Support (ALCS) charity. The charity organised a challenging sponsored walk that took participants through some of Dorset's most scenic landscapes, including Colmers Hill, Hell Lane, Hardown Hill, and Golden Cap.

A total of fourteen dedicated individuals, including five participants from the prominent solicitors, Scott Row, completed the walk, showcasing their commitment to making a difference in the lives of those affected by cancer in the Axminster and Lyme area by raising £ 2,512.78.

Axminster and Lyme Cancer Support is a local charity dedicated to providing invaluable assistance and support to individuals and families affected by cancer. Their mission is to improve the lives of cancer patients by offering practical help, emotional support, and a strong sense of community.

The Sponsored Walk: A Journey Through Dorset's Beauty

The sponsored walk event took participants on a trulymemorable journey through Dorset's breath-taking countryside, offering stunning views throughout the day and especially on the summits of the three hills: Colmers Hill, Hardown Hill, and Golden Cap. Participants embraced the challenge, with each step they took symbolising their unwavering commitment to supporting those battling or affected by cancer.

Community Spirit and Corporate Support

The event was made even more remarkable by the participation of five individuals from Scott Row, a reputable solicitors firm known for their commitment to community involvement. Their involvement highlights the importance of local businesses coming together to make a positive impact on the community they serve. Axminster and Lyme Cancer Support is their Charity of the Year.

A Message of Gratitude

Mary Kahn, who is the MD of Axminster and Lyme Cancer Support said: “I'd like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the participants, sponsors, and volunteers who made this event possible. Every step taken during the walk represents a step towards improving the lives of cancer patients and their families”.

Get Involved

If you would like to join the effort to support those affected by any cancer, in the Axminster and Lyme area, consider donating to Axminster and Lyme Cancer Support or volunteering your time to make a difference.

For more information about the charity, to donate and how you can get involved, please visit www.axminsterandlymecancersupport.co.uk.