Northern heroes of hope announced at Leeds awards ceremony

10 individuals from across the North of England have been named winners at an awards ceremony in Leeds to celebrate their efforts in improving mental health and preventing suicide.

The Hope Awards 2026, held on 8 October at New Craven Hall, Leeds, run by 2-year-old suicide prevention organisation, HelloHope, announced its winners and highly commended individuals across 10 categories, celebrating people who have provided hope to others.

The awards received more than 80 nominations and were judged by a prestigious panel of judges with more than 150 people in attendance at the ceremony.

Categories included Suicide Intervener of the Year won by Liverpool-based Jack Roberts who has successfully completed over 500 suicide interventions in the organisation set up in his sister’s name, the Jade L Roberts Project.

Innovative Mental Health Programme/Campaign Award went to Lizzie Collins of Cavalier Health for supporting the construction sector, White Fox Talking’s podcast hosts picked up the Wellbeing Superstar award with Education and Youth Support going to Shaheen Myers of Balance:ed, supporting leaders in education after losing her husband Rhys, a teacher, to suicide.

Workplace Excellence was won by Loretaa Duberry of Together Women, with Ben Slack of the Swan Song Project collecting the award for Creative Impact.

Sharon Burke of The James Burke Foundation secured the award for Unsung Hero, with South Yorkshire-based former refugee nurse, Blerta Ilazi collecting the award for Inspiring Individual for her work in RE:STORE, a programme to support refugees to become nurses, whilst Community Impact was won by Chris Sylvester of Getting Clean CIC, using his own lived experience to tackle addiction and homelessness.

A Special Recognition in Mental Health & Suicide Prevention award was chosen by the partners and was awarded to the late Megan Suckling, a University of Leeds graduate who set up SSAFE (Suicide Support and Awareness For Everyone) at the university, following her brother’s multiple suicide attempts. She grew the initiative to not only support students, but to manage a team of volunteers at major events including Leeds Festival.

The event was sponsored by Claire & Katy PR, Wren Brand and Marketing, Luwero Wealth Advisors, Josie Armitage Associates, RSJ, and Impulse Decisions, who ran a silent auction. The evening raised thousands of pounds for HelloHope to continue its mission to prevent suicides.

Ellie MacDonald, Founder and CEO of HelloHope says:

“We created the Hope Awards to celebrate the people who show up for others when it matters most. We recognised and celebrated nominees who have saved lives, changed workplaces, supported young people and built communities where it’s okay to not be okay.

“I’m especially proud that we could honour Megan Suckling with our Special Recognition award. What she built at the University of Leeds will continue to protect people for years to come, and her legacy is exactly what these awards stand for.

“Suicide is preventable, and every person recognised at the Hope Awards is proof that one person really can make a difference.”

Planning is now underway for the Hope Awards 2027 which is expected to return even bigger.

Winners of the Hope Awards 2026 are:

• Lizzie Crofts (Cavalier Health) – Innovative Mental Health Programme or Campaign
• Shaheen Myers (Balanc:ed) – Education and Youth Support
• Loreeta Duberry (Together Women Leeds) – Workplace Excellence
• Ben Buddy Slack (The Swan Song Project) – Creative Impact
• Mark Charlie Valentine & Sebastian Budniak (White Fox Talking) – Wellbeing Superstar
• Sharon Burke (James Burke Foundation) – Unsung Hero
• Jack Roberts (Jade L Roberts Project) – Suicide Intervener of the Year
• Blerta Ilazi (NHS South Yorkshire) – Inspiring Individual
• Chris Sylvester (Getting Clean CIC) – Community Impact
• Megan Suckling – Special Recognition in Mental Health & Suicide Prevention

As well as the winners, 4 Highly Commended awards were presented to:

• Melody Reed (Music Box CIC) – Creative Impact
• Tanya Bish (Living Potential Care Farm) – Unsung Hero
• Nicola Swales (Shine Bright) – Community Impact
• Madeleine France and Rachael Allen (Blossom Training CIC) – Community Impact

Hope Awards judges include:

• Greg Wright, Journalist and Deputy Business Editor at The Yorkshire Post
• Steve Phillip, Founder and Director of The Jordan Legacy CIC
• Sharon Watson MBE DL, Chief Executive and Principal of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance
• Miranda Arieh, Founder of NHS’ Healing, Education and Recovery of Emotional Strength programme