‘Prince William told me he wants to blow the lid off mental health stigma’

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met mental health campaigner and Attitude Pride Award winner Jonny Benjamin yesterday (March 10), in an attempt to raise awareness of mental health and suicide in young men.

Jonny made headlines around the world in 2014 after orchestrating the infamous #FindMike appeal to help find the man who stopped him from throwing himself off Waterloo Bridge six years before, and he spent the morning with Will and Kate at London’s St Thomas’ hospital, where he was sectioned, along with man who brought him back from the brink – not ‘Mike’ it transpired, but Neil Laybourn.

As well as mental health and suicide, Jonny shared his own difficult experiences of growing up gay with the couple during an afteroon’s , and spoke to Attitude to let us know how the meeting future King and Queen of England went.

“It went by in a flash, it feels like a bit of a dream now!” Jonny says. “It was great talking to the Duke and Duchess – they really seemed passionate and committed to raising awareness about mental health and suicide.

“We spent a good amount of time talking to them about various issues, and they heard not only our story, but they were keen to hear how we can help change things when it comes to mental health and suicide. They had loads of questions and shared their thoughts as well, which was really interesting.”

He continues: “I think they have a special focus around school and educations, and what can be done in schools around mental well-being. Prince William spoke about his work as an air ambulance pilot and he’s picked uo a number of people who have tried to tak their own lives through his work, so he’s obviously got first-hand experience of dealing with suicide.”

Just last month, Jonny launched a series of mental health workshops for schoolkids, and after spending the morning with the Duke and Duchess took them to a discussion he was hosting on mental health.

“We went on to Kensington Palace and met with a group of young people, where we had a discussion centred on mental health and suicide, and Kate and William listened to what we and the young people had to say, and LGBT issues came up”, he says.

“I discussed my own issues and shared my story to help anyone sat their struggling with their own sexuality. I know if I was sat their as a 16-year-old struggling with my sexuality that would have really helped me.”

Is just the start of a more open dialogue about mental health struggles in the UK though?

“Absolutely” replies Jonny. “They want to do a lot more in the area, and Prince William was telling us about Prince Harry, who’s also keen to get involved because of his work with veterans and their mental health issues, things like post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“Prince William was very focused on mental health in men too, and they really seemed keen to do more in this area. At the end of our conversation, he told me – he actually used these words – he said: ‘We want to blow the lid off shame and secrecy around mental health”, and he said he wanted to break down that stigma. Those were his words, which was really encouraging.

Jonny says he was buoyed by Will and Kate’s enthusiasm for the cause, and say he’s glad they’re sending the message that mental health problems should be taken seriously.

“Last time I was in that hospital I was being sectioned”, he says. “I was in a really bad way. So to be back there eight years later with the future King of England, it’s surreal!”

He continues: “I remember Kate wrote an article where she wrote that if George or Charlotte was struggling with their mental health, that she would absolutely encourage them to talk about it, and that there would be no shame in getting help. I was reallly moved by that, that the future Queen of England would speak so openly about mental health and supporting her children.”

Eight years after he stood atop that bridge ready to end it all, how does it feel to have come this far?

“I just want to send the message to people that might be struggling now that you can absolutely overcome it, and you can actually use your experiences in a positive way,” he says.

Jonny was among the raft of unsung LGBT heroes to be honoured at last year’s inaugural Attitude Pride Awards, designed to give back to those everyday people who work towards better the community.

We’re currently accepting nominations for this year’s awards, so if you know someone who deserves to be applauded for something they’ve done to better the life of LGBT people, nominate them here now.

For help and support for people affected by mental health issues, visit rethink.org. If you’ve been affected by any of the issues mentioned and need an impartial advice or support service, call the Samaritans free on 116 123, or visit their website samaritans.org.

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