GRANTS OF UP TO £10,000 FOR CHARITY, GROUP, LOCAL PROJECT OR SELF-HELP INITIATIVE

#DigitalDetoxDay

INFO ON THE GRANTS HERE

APPLY HERE

#IAMWHOLE, co-founders of Digital Detox Day, are encouraging small charities, local projects and self-help initiatives to apply for grants of up to £10,000 from their Wholeness Fund.

On 5th September, #IAMWHOLE co-founder Jordan Stephens (½ of British band Rizzle Kicks) joined forces with Zoe Sugg (founder of Zoella) and LUSH to host the world’s first Digital Detox Day. A day where participants stepped away from social media for a whole day taking time out for their mental health and themselves, it saw support from the likes of Sam Smith, Rita Ora, Davina McCall, Stacey Solomon, Jade Thirlwall and Tom Grennan, to name just a few.

To coincide with Digital Detox Day, LUSH released an exclusive bath bomb called IRL, which was sold in stores across the world and online. Money raised from the sales of the IRL bath bomb went into the Wholeness Fund, which aims to make grants available to grassroots groups focusing on mental health and wellbeing across the world. The current standings of money raised from the bath bomb is around £170,000.

Similar to LUSH’s existing Charity Pot, the fund will accept applications for consideration from small charities, groups, local projects and self-help initiatives, with grants up to £10,000 on offer. The aim is to reach through to those groups who struggle to get funding and are often volunteer led, and applications from groups worldwide are encouraged. 

All applications will be assessed by a panel, made up of professionals from a variety of sectors including Zoe Sugg, founder of the brand “Zoella”, #IAMWHOLE co-founder Matt Campion, Solly Solomou, founder and CEO of LADbible Group, Natasha Giraudel, Marketing and Brand Manager for the homelessness charity Crisis, Twitter’s Head of Policy, Niamh McDade, LUSH’s Ethics Director Hilary Jones and Rich Dawes co-founder of DawBell entertainment PR & Communications company.

More info on the panelists below.

You can find more details about the Wholeness Fund here or apply here

INTRODUCING THE WHOLENESS FUND PANELISTS

Matt Campion

Matt is the Founder and Creative Director for Spirit Studios and is known for creating award-winning brand campaigns as well as many successful TV and digital formats for the BBC, ITV and C4.

In 2016 Matt co-founded #IAMWHOLE, a global mental health movement that challenges the stigma surrounding mental health in young people.

#IAMWHOLE has now reached over 5 billion people and has had support from a host of artists, from Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith to Rita Ora, Liam Gallagher and Anne-Marie.

ZOE SUGG

Zoe Sugg, founder of the brand “Zoella” is a multi-hyphen businesswoman, content creator and multiple Sunday Times bestselling author.  In her 10+ years online, Zoe has amassed over 25million followers across her YouTube and Instagram channels, as well as being a Sunday Times best selling author.  In 2012, Zoe was amongst the first content creators to speak openly about her mental health online. Opening up about her anxiety and panic attacks so honestly lead Zoe to become a huge source of support to her millions of followers. In 2014, Zoe became the very first digital ambassador for the mental health charity Mind who campaign to improve services and raise awareness as well as provide incredible support to those dealing with mental health issues. Alongside fundraising and awareness for mental health, Zoe also regularly speaks out against cyberbullying and brings much needed attention to women’s health issues working with charities such as Jo’s Trust and Coppafeel.

HILARY JONES

A long time activist and campaigner, Hilary is Lush’s Ethics Director, spearheading campaigns that speak out on many issues around human rights, animal protection and preserving the environment.  Lush uses its global presence to shine a light on little known issues, handing its platform over to small grassroots organisations who often struggle to get heard but who are dedicated to tackling the root cause of issues and creating lasting change.

Hilary comments: “We know that there are people out there in their local communities organising self help groups and offering support to those around them who are struggling to cope with the mental pressures that so much of today’s life brings. Our customers really want to help this invaluable work, as was seen by the fund raising bath bomb selling out so quickly.  We hope all these small, often overlooked, groups will hear about the Wholeness Fund and apply for a grant and reach out to that helping hand our customers were so keen to give.”

SOLLY SOLOMOU

Founder and CEO of LADbible Group, Solly Solomou has built one of the largest and most engaged social publishing companies in the world. LADbible Group reaches two thirds of adult Gen Z’s in the UK and has more than 240 million followers across its nine core brands including LADbible, UNILAD, Tyla, SPORTbible and GAMINGbible.

Since its start, LADbible Group has played a pivotal role in providing a platform for audiences to connect to one another and have a safe space to share their inner most thoughts. Now more than ever, they recognise their responsibility to help make social media a safer place and to advocate for best practice in social media for looking after mental health.

Solly said “I am incredibly proud to join the panel of the Wholeness Fund.  Raising awareness for mental health support and the role that digital channels have to play within this is something very important to me. Social media can be an incredibly powerful tool in highlighting, as well as encouraging people suffering with anything to seek help.

NATASHA GIRAUDEL

Natasha’s career has spanned a very rewarding and enjoyable 20 years in print and online publishing with the last 12 years being within the third sector, and has focused on education, youth, homelessness, mental health and international development. She is currently the Marketing and Brand Manager for the homelessness charity Crisis, whose aim is to end homelessness for good.

Natasha said “Having previously worked for charities that support and promote mental wellbeing, and currently working at the homeless charity Crisis, raising awareness and support of this issue is of great importance to me. I see the positive impact that Crisis’s own wellbeing services have on the people we work side-by-side with and how crucial it is in helping them rebuild their lives after the devastating effects of homelessness. Today, and particularly during the pandemic, it’s more important than ever to provide the support needed to ensure good mental wellbeing for all of us.”

NIAMH MCDADE

In her various roles, Niamh has advocated for the power of creativity and media to be used as a force for good by campaigning with a range of organisations to champion the vital importance of good mental health and wellbeing for individuals, families and communities.   Previously at The Royal Society for Public Health, and now Deputy Head of UK Public Policy at Twitter, Niamh is well placed to champion safe guarding for mental wellbeing on social channels.

Niamh said “I am delighted to be part of the Wholeness Fund panel. 2020 has been an uncertain, stressful and challenging year in which the work of small local groups to support the mental health and wellbeing of their communities has been truly invaluable. From my own personal experience and the opportunities I have had to work with a range of brilliant mental health organisations throughout my career so far, I know that having the right support at the right time can be the lifeline a person needs and indeed life changing.With the negative mental health effects of the pandemic likely to last much longer than its physical health impacts, the Wholeness Fund will provide organisations the resources they need to support the ongoing mental health and wellbeing of those in their communities who may need it”

RICH DAWES

Rich Dawes has worked in the music industry for almost 25 years.  In 2009 he set-up his own entertainment PR & Communications company ‘DawBell’ with long time friend Stuart Bell.  With many high profile clients within the music and entertainment industry, Rich sees first hand the power social media has to make or break careers and the impact that can have on mental health. 

Rich Said “Before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, mental health was the fastest growing underlying issue facing society today. Now with a constant climate of fear, lack of control and so much unknown about the future mixed in with far too much exposure to screens over humans, this has become THE most important issue and it is gaining momentum… We desperately need to find practical and impactful ways to get help to the ever increasing number of people suffering from mental health.

#IAMWHOLE is an amazing organisation that we have known for a number of years and have helped directly more recently around their Digital Detox Day.

I’m excited to join the panel of The Wholeness Fund to help find ways to ensure that money and resources get to those that need it most.”

FOR EDITORS

For more information on Digital Detox Day, please contact lushpr@lush.co.uk