Our Ambassadors

Katrina Mohd Ibrahim

SOS are delighted to announce volunteer Katrina Mohd Ibrahim on board as an Ambassador.

Kat’s passion for emotional health and desire to support those in need, has shone through consistently during her time with us.

‘My name is Kat and I have been a telephone listening volunteer with SOS since September 2020. I began volunteering for SOS alongside studying for a Masters degree in Psychology because I wanted to do more to support others in crisis. I ultimately plan to become a Clinical Psychologist where I can help and treat those in crisis.

I have always been passionate about supporting people struggling with their mental health, particularly as I have known many people whose lives have been forever changed by the loss of a loved one to suicide. I also know first-hand the pain of struggling with depression, and feeling there is nowhere to turn. This is why I believe the work SOS does to support our communities and de-stigmatise suicidality is so vital, and why I am so honoured to be representing SOS as an ambassador.’

Rob Rinder

Barrister, columnist and television host Rob Rinder has supported SOS since its inception, attending our inaugural event in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, back in 2015.

Besides having a personal interest in mental wellbeing, Rob is especially keen to ensure that men’s mental health is spoken about more often, on more platforms.

We are delighted to welcome Rob on board as one of our Ambassadors and thank him for his continued support of our Charity.

Emma Kenny

We are delighted to announce the appointment of TV psychologist Emma Kenny as Ambassador to SOS.

Emma & her husband Pete, have been very supportive and pro-active in relation to SOS.

Emma Kenny is a Registered Psychological Therapist, TV presenter, writer and expert media commentator, and is now recognised as one of the UK’s leading TV psychological experts. She is perhaps best known for her role as resident psychologist on ITV’s This Morning where, during the viewer phone-in segment of the show, she provides expert advice on a whole range of sensitive issues. Emma has also emerged as a fan favourite for her presenting roles on true crime programmes – most notably Britain’s Darkest Taboos on the Crime & Investigation Channel.

A regular voice on the airwaves, Emma provides expert opinion on many radio stations, including BBC Radio, Heart, Magic and many of the popular stations across the globe. Emma has featured on popular podcasts including Russell Brand’s Under the Skin and True Geordie.

Contributing regularly to editorial for publications including Grazia and Cosmopolitan, Emma’s weekly column and On the Couch therapy sessions are a popular feature in Closer magazine.

In her corporate work, Emma is a highly sought-after authority, overseeing large PR campaigns and providing expert research for some of the world’s biggest brands, including Huggies, BT and Disney.

Emma is a member of the British Psychological Society and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and runs private sessions from her therapy clinic in Manchester.

Emma is the founder of Appy the health and wellbeing social media app.

Hugh Quarshie

SOS are delighted to announce that British actor Hugh Quarshie has joined our team as an Ambassador.

Hugh has had a long and distingushed acting career both on stage and screen. He is perhaps best known for his long standing role as Ric Griffin in Holby City although he is also a member of the Royal Shakespeare company and has appeared on stage in many productions.

Having emigrated with his family from Ghana to the UK when he was 3, Hugh went on to to read PPE at Christ Church, Oxford.

Hugh has shown immense interest in the work of SOS and is proud to be joining our existing Trustees and Ambassadors who are all dedicated to helping SOS support more people in more places who are affected by suicide and mental wellbeing in general.

Wendy Turner Webster

Wendy is a TV Presenter and Producer, known for Pet Rescue and Absolutely Animals on Channel 4 and most recently for Crafty Beggars and Brits Rescue Romanian Dogs on Together TV and My5. She is an award winning animal rights campaigner and is passionate about raising awareness for the subject. She has been an ambassador for the charity REFUGE for over 20 years fighting, to raise support for those suffering from domestic violence and has spoken at many conferences after being subjected to both mental and physical control herself in her first marriage. She is also passionate about speaking out on mental health issues, having lived with severe depression for as far back as she can remember… “Being diagnosed with clinical depression and being prescribed the correct medication most definitely saved my life and it’s devastating to think how many people suffer in silence for the want of speaking to the right person and being given the right help. A more recent diagnosis of existential depression was a game changer for me as it explains mental anguish and confusion which started from when I was around 7 years old! Knowing how close to the edge one can find oneself when life is at its blackest, I am both humbled and thrilled to be an Ambassador for SOS and to help in any way I can to prevent the act of suicide from appearing to be the best and only solution.”

Gary Webster

Gary is an actor and writer who shot to fame as Ray Daley, taking on the iconic role of Arthur Daley’s ‘Minder’. He has appeared in some of the UK’s top soaps, most notably winning a British Soap Award for his portrayal of Gary Costello in Channel 5’s Family Affairs. Most recently he has taken on several critically acclaimed theatre roles, starring alongside Stephanie Beacham in A Princess Undone and Lucy Benjamin in Ruffian on the Stairs. But as Gary knows only too well, an actor’s life can be a precarious one… “Not many actors are lucky enough to be in constant and full time work and when I hit a lean point a few years ago I looked for work elsewhere. It was all going really well until the company I was working for reneged on paying me. As we’d borrowed against it we were suddenly in debt, which escalated until we were homeless and living in Travelodges and B&B’s.” Gary is a published author and recently had his highly emotional account of life in debt featured in ‘The Big Issue’ to universal and critical praise for its searing honesty. “Known for my joie de vie and eternal optimism I found myself battling depression and questioning whether life was actually worth living. It’s an honour to become an Ambassador of SOS and to help raise awareness of mental health issues.”

Lorraine Kelly

SOS Silence of Suicide are delighted to welcome Lorraine Kelly OBE as an Ambassador

Lorraine Kelly left school at 17 to work as a cub reporter on her local newspaper “The East Kilbride News”. She then joined the BBC as a researcher and was appointed TV am’s Scottish Correspondent in 1984.She became TVam’s co-host in 1990 and also presented GMTV before being given her own show in 1994. She currently presents “Lorraine” on weekdays for ITV.

Lorraine was voted Rector of Dundee University in 2004, and received an Honorary Degree in 2008.

She was appointed Honorary Colonel of the Black Watch Cadets in 2009.

She was awarded an OBE in 2012 for her services to charity and the armed forces.

Lorraine writes a weekly column for The Sun and has written for The Sunday Post and Mail on Sunday.

She has appeared in and hosted a range of TV shows including “Question Time”, “Have I Got News For You” and “Murder In Successville”.

John Junior

SOS are delighted to welcome mental health activist John Junior (they/them), also known as John and Charlie’s Journey, onboard as an Ambassador.

John is a passionate mental health activist, fighting for better mental health therapy, working closely with charities, lobbying MPs, and raising awareness. John was born with XXY Syndrome, meaning they have an extra X female Chromosome

John created the suicide and mental illness awareness movement ‘John & Charlie’s Journey’ in 2019, and in 2020 the “(DBT) dialectical behaviour therapy for all campaign’ helping to ensure anyone who is suicidal and has self-destructive behaviours, could access this treatment more widely on the NHS throughout the UK.

As a media personality, John credits Hollyoaks cast member Ashley Taylor Dawson. with saving his life. BBC Radio 5 filmed John thanking Ashley.

John, who believes mood is temporary, is well known for his upbeat personality, says “men don’t like to talk because it make us look weak, we’re not weak, we’re human, its okay to cry, its okay to reach out for help”

John is currently working on a film “The Mood is Temporary” based on the struggles of their life and inspired by a Hollyoaks story line.

”I am honoured to of been invited to join SOS as an ambassador, we are going to amazing things together.”

Maxine Peake

Maxine Peake is a much loved and well known British actress, who first came to the public’s attention in the late Victoria Wood’s ‘Dinnerladies’. Since then, Maxine has enjoyed much success, appearing in numerous stage and television productions including playing Moors murderer Myra Hindley in See No Evil: The Moors Murders. Broadcast in May 2006.

Maxine says: ‘I’m honoured to become an Ambassador of SOS. As a society we need to be more open about the causes and affects of suicide. People need a voice and they need support in these difficult times. As the life gets harder we all need to know we are not alone, we are not failures and that we can have somewhere to turn.’

SOS says: ‘Having met Maxine and being utterly engaged by her compassionate and caring nature, especially in relation to the under represented and vulnerable, we were compelled to approach her to consider being an Ambassador. We’re delighted to say she agreed’

Rob Harkavy

Rob Harkavy is a journalist who has been editor of the LGBTQ+ online magazine OutNewsGlobal since 2016.

Since his own breakdown in 2003, resulting in a trip to a well-known mental health establishment followed by extensive therapy, Rob has leveraged his position within LGBTQ+ media actively to promote good mental health and to campaign for better resources within the NHS.

Fortunately for Rob, he was able to call upon the private sector for treatment but is fully aware that financial constraints prohibit most people from being able to access private mental health services.

Although mental health issues do not discriminate on the grounds of sexuality, it is well reported that incidences of depression and suicidal thoughts are higher among those who identify as LGBTQ+ than in the general population. OutNewsGlobal has consistently highlighted the scourge of suicide and is committed to campaigning for more funding, societal change and increased understanding until the terrible toll wrought by the suicide epidemic is addressed and reversed.

Jasmine Ashraff

My name is Jasmine, and I’m currently training to become a mental health nurse at university, but due to a relapse in my own mental health, I took a year out to recover and found myself bored during the lockdowns. This is when I found SOS, and I became a phone line volunteer in December 2020.

I completed my own fundraiser for the charity in Feb 2021 called 20 Miles in 20 Days, and raised £125. I then got a bit of a bug for fundraising, and completed the #skydivingagainststigma skydive on May 1st, raising over £800! I am now supporting SOS on their email support line, which has been a real eye-opening experience.

It’s an absolute honour to have been asked to be an ambassador for a charity that I care so much about, and am proud to be a part of – I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Peter Devlin

SOS are delighted to announce that snooker player Peter Devlin has joined our team of Ambassadors.

Peter is 23 and from Leyton in London.

‘Snooker is a passion, an addiction, a way of life. It’s in the blood. And for me, it’s a dream, a future career, and pretty much my life! In 2016, I became the English Under 21 Champion. And since then, I’ve been knocking on the door to turning professional. And that is the next major goal to achieve!

Snooker is one of the most mentally and emotionally challenging sports in the world in my opinion. You’re on your own. And when you’re playing, there is often nothing you can actually do apart from sit and watch the opponent play, while you think about every doubt, worry, fear and negative thoughts about yourself and your life.

You travel long distances alone, sometimes after heartbreaking defeats that not only cost you a lot of money, but also crush your dreams.

You practice hour after hour in quiet lonely clubs, banging your head against a wall trying to improve, but not knowing how.

It can be mental torture. And a lot goes on inside the head of a snooker player.

This is why I support this charity. Because I think it’s very important to talk about your feelings. I believe admitting and opening up is the first stage to helping to beat it.

I do believe suicide is one of the saddest ways to die. Many deaths are unavoidable. But suicide is not. It leaves so many family, friends, and loved ones confused and helpless. It leaves so many unanswered questions and lost souls.

Inside and outside of snooker, I think mental health is something that is definitely getting talked about more. And I support the movement that it should continue to be talked about even more.

No one should be ashamed or embarrassed to talk about their feelings and insecurities’

James Harknett

SOS are delighted to announce that leading spray tanner James Harknett has joined our team of Ambassadors.

My passion for all things tanning started in the late 90s when I joined the now iconic St Tropez. I was delighted to launch key products in the brand such as the Bronzing Mousse and Mist. I was personally trained how to spray tan by the founder of St Tropez back in 2002 and it wasn’t until years later that I launched my own bespoke spray tan service. From a few hotel room visits, the service evolved to me visiting clients at home and culminated with me taking a residency at the incredible W Hotel London. I recently received a GQ award, for best wellness experience in the UK! Over the past 15 I have worked as a tanning expert for the world’s major tanning companies such as L’Oreal, Garnier, Xen Tan and Sienna X. I’m now very proud to be the creative consultant for Fakebake.
My expertise has been used on numerous shoots and campaigns. I’ve received over 200 global press pieces and worked on major television and film projects.

I’ve personally struggled with depression throughout my life. It’s not been something I talk about but as I’ve grown older I’ve learnt to be more open and feel I can share my experiences to help others.

I know only to well that feeling of darkness and desperation. But having such a strong caring family and the strength of such caring friends I’ve battled through and become stronger and more defiant. It’s this strength as I’ve grown older I want to use to help others. Knowing that so many men and woman feel that suicide is the only way out pains me and i must do anything I can to help.

I’m delighted to be joining SOS as an Ambassador and help encourage conversation and reduce stigma around mental health and suicide.