Chasing the Stigma launches ‘Summer of Hope’ campaign today, to help keep the Hub of Hope free for the 500,000 people expected to use it by 2026.
One of the UK’s most widely used mental health tools, the Hub of Hope, is raising awareness that is it is hugely underfunded – despite helping over 300,000 people access support last year. National mental health charity Chasing the Stigma who created the app are now urging the public to back its ‘Summer of Hope’ fundraising appeal to secure the service’s future.
The Hub of Hope is the UK’s largest mental health support database, featuring over 14,500 local, NHS, independent and voluntary services. With demand increasing by an average of 75% year on year, the platform could be supporting half a million people by next year.
Despite being relied on by more than 75 NHS trusts and 50 government departments, the Hub of Hope receives no central government funding and currently survives through public and corporate partnerships. The charity is determined to keep the Hub of Hope free at the point of use, but say the wide scale use by organisations relying on it as a professional referral resource is putting the platform and the charity under immense financial pressure.
Jake Mills, CEO and founder of Chasing the Stigma, said: “We’ve built a platform that is doing what we intended, making it easier for people to find timely support for mental health support and we are proud that it is genuinely saving lives. While many NHS trusts, government ministers and large corporates champion the app and help drive traffic towards it, they aren’t yet supporting it financially, and that is just unsustainable. We desperately want to keep the Hub of Hope free, and it is clear the platform is needed, but we need people to help us secure its future by fundraising for us this summer any way they can.”
WHY THIS MATTERS
- 300,000 people used Hub of Hope in 2024 with 500,000 predicted to be using it by next year
- Over 1 million mental health support searches were done on the app in 2024
- For every £1 donated, 1 person is able to use the Hub of Hope to connect to vital support
- £4.45 million a year could be saved by the NHS if just 1% of users avoid A&E, something the Hub of Hope is helping to do
The newly relaunched platform now includes filters such as ADHD, which quickly became one of the top five most-used categories—highlighting how important the ongoing development of the app is for helping people access timely and specific support.
There is also now a dedicated pathway for young people seeking support and those searching on their behalf directing users to around 5,000 specialist youth support services. With a record 1 million referrals to CAMHS and over 270,000 young people currently on waiting lists – 39% of whom will wait more than 2 years – the Hub of Hope offers a vital lifeline.
Suicides rates last year were at a record high since 1999 – at 7,055 suicides in the UK – three quarters of whom had no contact with any mental health service in the 12 months prior to their death. Thousands of people are suffering in silence and feeling there is no way out before getting the help they need. Suicide is now the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, including over 200 children last year. Now, more than ever, we need investment in tools like Hub of Hope that can help connect people with the support they need that can literally be lifesaving.
“We know what works. We’ve seen the data, we’ve heard from users, and we know demand will continue to rise,” Mills added. “But we need public backing to ensure we can build a sustainable future for the platform.”
HOW TO SUPPORT THE ‘SUMMER OF HOPE’
The public is being asked to help create a ‘Summer of Hope’ by getting involved in one of the following ways:
- 🎂 Create a birthday fundraiseron Facebook for Chasing the Stigma
- 📲 Join the Club of Hopeby setting up a regular monthly donation
- 🏃♀️ Take on a #ChallengeTheStigma event, including fun runs and inflatable assault courses
- 👥 Workplace challenge– raise £1,000 as a team of 10, just £100 each
- 💷 Donate directly – just £5 helps 5 people find vital support
🔗 Visit https://www.chasingthestigma.co.uk/post/help-chasing-the-stigma-create-a-summerofhope-fundraising-for-us or follow us on social media for campaign ideas and sign-up info
🔊 BACKED BY EXPERTS
Rebekah Cresswell, Chief Executive of Priory – the largest independent provider of mental health, addiction and working age adult social care services, and one of the first independent organisations to sponsor the Hub of Hope – said: “We are proud to back the Summer of Hope campaign and support Chasing the Stigma with its vital work in the mental health sector. The Hub of Hope is an excellent signposting resource for a wide range of support options that can help people get the help they need early on, meaning many can avoid reaching crisis point. It literally saves lives. Ensuring everyone in the UK can access clear pathways to mental health support is absolutely critical and we hope the charity continues to receive the recognition it deserves for its efforts to change the landscape for those in need.”
🧠 ABOUT CHASING THE STIGMA
Founded by mental health campaigner Jake Mills following his own experience with suicide and recovery, Chasing the Stigma aims to make mental health support visible and accessible to all. The Hub of Hope was created to ensure that no one has to struggle in silence or waste time searching for help that feels out of reach.
The charity continues to update and maintain the app manually and in partnership with volunteers. With over 14,500 services currently listed, it would take one person over two years working full-time to keep the entries updated—making donations essential to maintaining the platform’s quality and relevance.
Follow the campaign via #SummerOfHope on
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