Welcome to Village Connect

Since losing their daughter to suicide in December 2018, Kelly’s parents Rachael & John Hewitt and her sister Amy founded We Mind & Kelly Matters. Kelly played football, hockey & cricket for local teams and she also played cricket for Northants County up to the age of 17. She became a qualifi ed cricket coach when she was 17 years old and loved spending time coaching kids and managing their cricket teams. Kelly would be the last person you would think would suffer with her mental wellbeing but, at just 24 years of age and after a short battle with anxiety and depression, she took her own life.

Initially set up to help raise funds for other mental health charities, in less than two years We Mind & Kelly Matters have now rolled out their own support services including live chat services, free counselling, mental health & suicide talks as well as teacher training in local schools and businesses. As a family, Rachael, John and Amy had a decision to make and they chose to try to make a difference by helping people struggling with their mental health; the family also recently started Northamptonshire’s fi rst SOBS (survivors of bereavement by suicide) group.

Unless you are affected or know someone struggling with Mental Health it’s diffi cult to understand. There is often still a stigma associated with it, leaving many to suffer in silence, so the aim is to raise awareness and help to prevent suicide. We all have a role to play in looking out for friends, family and colleagues who may be suffering. Pay special attention to some of the warning signs and it could be that just a few nice words or listening to them could be saving their life.

Please don’t hesitate to contact We Mind & Kelly Matters online via live chat or the online self-referral form if you struggle or know someone who needs help. If you feel you can contribute in any way, be it by volunteering, fundraising or donating for this worthy cause, please also visit the website.