This year we have continued to build meaningful change across communities by providing accessible, compassionate mental health support that reaches people when they need it most. As demand for early intervention and grassroots support grows nationwide, we have strengthened our position as a trusted and proactive voice in the wellbeing space.

Our Listening Ear service was extended and is now available Monday to Friday 6pm-10pm and until 11pm on Saturdays and Sundays. This is enabling us to reach people early and being there for them on those evenings that feel the heaviest.

Driving Open and Honest Conversations

We are committed to breaking the silence around mental health. Our communications, campaigns and initiatives always encourage individuals to speak openly, share their stories, and feel supported without judgement. The trends in the use of our services demonstrates this is encouraging those in need of help to reach out, whether it’s through our listening ear service or counselling.

Our communities are a major vehicle in delivery of these messages at events, our campaigns always reinforce the message that asking for support is a sign of strength, not weakness. Towards the end of the year we launched our creating connections newsletter, this will now play a monthly fixture in our communications.

Expanding Community Impact

Early in the year our community partnerships, centred around collaborations with schools, sports groups and local employers to widen our reach and provide tailored guidance for a broad range of age groups and needs.  At the end of this year we started to explore opportunities to take the charity further to those in need.  Our campaign Beyond the chair is doing just that! by shaping training and workshops for hairdressers, barbers, tattooists and beauticians to give them the listening skills and guidance to support their clients.

Key areas of impact include:

• Mental Health First Aid training
• School-based wellbeing workshops
• Tailored and adapted bitesize training – beyond the chair
• SOBS groups, continue weekly with xxx

These initiatives ensure individuals can access help before challenges escalate, reinforcing our focus on prevention and early intervention.

Driving accessible support when it’s needed

Throughout 2025, we have provided immediate, compassionate support to schools and businesses affected by suicide, giving them a dependable place to turn. Being trusted in moments of shock, grief, and vulnerability is a profound responsibility, one we do not take lightly. We are proud to be a dependable point of support, relied upon when individuals and organisations need stability, reassurance, and care the most.

Engaging Fundraising with community at Its Heart

Fundraising remains crucial in enabling the work we do and we are truly thankful to everyone that has supported us throughout the year. Events, such as wellbeing walks, community gatherings, and our main fundraising challenge, have brought people together in positive and uplifting ways.

Not only do these events raise vital funds, but they strengthen social connections, reminding communities of the collective power in supporting one another.

Supporting Workplaces to Build Healthier Cultures

With mental health increasingly recognised as a business-critical topic, Kelly’s Heroes has seen growth in workplace engagement. Employers are seeking guidance on creating healthier cultures, and the charity has responded with structured programmes focused on awareness, training, and practical support pathways.

By helping companies build open and supportive environments, we are contributing to long-term cultural change across sectors.

A Look ahead to 2026, what we’re planning.

In 2026 we will welcome our first London Marathon teams, with staff from HVSS proudly running to support us. We also have a new autumn fundraiser planned, something completely different, with a little extra sparkle.

As demand continues to grow for our services, we will be seeking new volunteers to support our small but dedicated team. We will also be stepping into the world of industry exhibitions, showcasing our training schemes and workshops to businesses across the construction, education, and hospitality sectors.

Our digital presence is critical and ensuring people can get the support/guidance they need when the need it essential in all we do. We’ve invested in the redevelopment of our website, which we will be rolling out in the new year. This will have clearer actionable content for help and support in addition to a range of updated information and assets.

At the heart of all of these plans is our unique charity. Kelly’s Heroes began as a family focused start up in 2019, shaped by lived experience, hope, and a commitment to helping others through their darkest moments. Today we are an established, dependable, trauma informed organisation, and one of the fastest growing charities in a challenging time. Everything we do is grounded in compassion, real experience, and genuine connection.

As we look ahead to 2026, we are focused on growing our charity and extending our support to as many people in need as possible