A charity in memory of our son, to support those with mental ill - health, those bereaved by suicide and campaign for equal rights and better mental health care for all. Our son, William Zacharia Pritchard, known to everyone as Zac, struggled with his mental health for many years whilst trying to cope with the stresses of everyday life, he did not feel able to be open about it due to fear of stigma / exclusion, only those close to him knew what he was really going through. We looked for support for him in our area of Worcester and there wasn't any. We then found out there was no support in our area for those affected by suicide bereavement. When someone dies by suicide, those who are left behind are left with the shock and devastation of losing their loved one. Death by suicide can be different to that of a death where you have the chance to say goodbye, as you are not given that opportunity, you are also left with lots of unanswered questions. If the death is at home you will have the house sectioned off and not allowed to be there until the investigations are completed. There are police statements to be made, if other authorities are involved such as the mental health teams there is internal investigations to be heard. There is also the inquest to be heard, which maybe weeks, months after the death and can be another traumatic experience. Being through this unfortunate experience we want to support others and carry them through the awful shocking and traumatic journey, as there is very little support around. To create a meaningful legacy from Zac’s untimely passing we set up this charity to provide information and practical support for people with mental health issues, linking in with the LGBTQ+ community, where possible and for those affected by suicide. Zac felt strongly about diversity and equal rights for all, he identified as gay himself and in line with his values we will aim to support all who reach out to us, especially those with mental ill-health. Our starting point has been setting up peer support groups, for those with poor mental health. We also aim to campaign for better mental health services for all. About Zac;
Zac was 29-year-old, he graduated in 2017 from the university of Worcester where he was a student trustee and a student union diversity officer, among other things. He was passionate about politics and an active Labour supporter; he spoke at various conferences including a TUC conference on LGBTQ+ rights. Zac was not always comfortable with being gay but he embraced it and was part of the LGBTQ+ network, he attended many rallies including Pride and other union marches,
During his time at university he volunteered for various organisations including the homeless and spent most of the last few years working in the care sector in nursing / care homes.Zac always wanted to help others in work and in life, so helping others and helping to overcome the stigma associated with mental health issues and supporting those in a similar situation, will honour his memory. We found a lot of people, like Zac, hide behind the stigma of mental health and put on a smile to the outside world, whilst battling inside, so until you get to know the real person you don't always know whats going on Behind the Smile............ hence the charity name;
