Affiliation

The Grace Dear Trust | A Mental Health Charity in Surrey

Every 40 seconds, someone in the world takes their own life - a heartbreaking statistic. But there’s hope: by talking about mental health, we can make a difference. Did you know that 75 percent of mental illnesses start before a child turns 18, and 50% of mental health challenges in adults begin before the age of 15? Many young people struggle to understand their emotions and often don’t know how to talk about them. Sadly, this can lead to suffering in silence, with - out the support they need.

The Grace Dear Trust believes it’s essential to let young people know, “It’s okay not to be okay.” This mental health charity was founded by Grace’s family after they tragically lost their daughter and sister to suicide at the age of 27 in 2017. Their mission is to save lives by supporting young people facing mental health challenges.

Grace’s journey highlights how crucial it is to have open conversations about mental health. She struggled with depression and anxiety from the age of 13 but found it hard to reach out for help. For years, she suffered in silence, not knowing how to make sense of her feelings. When Grace finally opened up, her family did everything they could to support her, but sadly, it was too late. To honour her memory and help others, Leatherhead Cricket Club is proudly supporting The Grace Dear Trust during the Lashings World Cricket Day. Together, we aim to raise awareness about mental health in children and young people and encourage everyone to play a part in making a difference.

“We want to let young people know ‘it’s ok not to be ok’.”