Ben West

Ben West had to endure a heartbreak most dread: the loss of a loved one to suicide. Ben was only 17 years old when he lost his brother Sam, then 15, to suicide. Despite the devastation which came with this tragedy, Ben was determined to channel his energy into a force for good and began campaigning for mental health awareness. Now, Ben gives talks all over the country about mental health, suicide prevention, mental resilience and inclusive leadership, encouraging young male voices to speak out on mental health problems in a bid to reduce the stigma surrounding it.

After the event which would change his life forever, Ben organised a charity walk to raise awareness and money for his brother’s foundation, promoting the awareness of mental health in young people. Thereon in, Ben has gone from strength to strength and has been able to help many young people in their battle with mental health. The project he founded, #WalktoTalk, has raised over £100,000 to help deliver talks in schools, educating young people and giving them practical information on how to cope with stress.

Ben noticed that many teachers were not well educated or equipped with how to deal with mental health issues in the classroom. He wanted to change how mental health is approached in the education system and so started a petition to make mental health first aid a compulsory part of teacher training. Signed by more than 300,000 people, Ben worked alongside former prime minister Boris Johnson to accelerate its implementation. A talented writer, Ben released his first book ‘This Book Could Save Your Life: Breaking the Silence Around the Mental Health Emergency’ and had publications featured in The Sunday Times Magazine. With strong moral values, believing in building meaningful relationships with businesses, Ben has been working closely with the CEO and directors of Wagamama to develop their mental health and DEI strategies as their Board Member.

Despite his heartache, Ben is an incredibly upbeat and articulate person who believes that openness and vulnerability is not a bad thing. In recognition of his achievements surrounding men’s mental health, Ben was a recipient of The Diana Legacy Award. Having featured on the likes on Lorraine, BBC Morning Live and the podcast ‘Private Parts’, Ben is now a seasoned speaker who makes a necessary addition to any event on men’s mental health, leadership and suicide prevention. A natural speaker, he will transform any event into a force for good, giving you the necessary tools to cope with stress.