Fringe Event - Labour Party Conference 

Join us for a vital discussion at the Labour Party Conference (Fringe Event) on how we can build A Better Future for Mental Health. This panel will explore key strategies for prioritising prevention and early intervention for young people, with a focus on supporting ethnic minority groups and those from marginalised communities. We will also examine a societal approach to suicide prevention, embedded in effective policy.

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Event Details:

• Date: Tuesday, 24th September

• Time: 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

• Venue: ACC Meeting Room 10

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Chair:

• Dr Shantanu Kundu, Chief Executive of the Be Free Campaign, NHS doctor, and clinical entrepreneur. Shantanu is a leading mental health activist, recognised by numerous awards including the Diana Award and the Point of Light Award from 10 Downing Street. His work has been praised by Dr Alex George, and he is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health. As the founder of the Be Free Campaign, he has spearheaded mental health education and counselling programmes across the UK.

Panellists:

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• Will Stone MP - Will Stone is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Swindon North since 2024. He was born in Swindon and was an Army rifleman in the 1st Battalion, The Rifles. He is a mental health advocate and cares deeply about the issues affecting Young People's mental health.

• Ellen O'Donoughue, CEO of James’ Place, a suicide prevention charity offering clinical interventions to men in suicidal crisis. Ellen brings extensive experience from her roles at the Royal Foundation, Movember Foundation, and Public Health England, with a strong background in behaviour change campaigns and public health strategies. She is also an experienced governor and trustee, contributing to health and well-being across various sectors.

• Prof. Iain Hennessey, is a Consultant Paediatric Surgeon and Clinical Director of Innovation at the new Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. Iain graduated from the University of Edinburgh with honours degrees in Medicine, Surgery and Anatomical sciences, before training as a paediatric surgeon. He has always been interested in innovation. As a trainee, Iain found a start-up surgical simulation company. He has since used his passion for innovaiton to co found the Innovation Centre embedded within Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.​​

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