A Cambridgeshire mental health campaigner has been awarded the British Empire Medal in the New Year Honours list. Ben Hawkins, from Yaxley near Peterborough, was recognised in the awards list for his work with the emergency services to improve staff wellbeing and mental health.
The 26-year-old began campaigning for better mental health support for emergency services staff several years ago after one of his friends took his own life. He was working as emergency responder for the East of England Ambulance Service at the time and began struggling with his own mental health.
“I wanted to campaign about how it was and how I struggled,” Mr Hawkins said. He worked with The Ambulance Staff Charity to create a short documentary about his experience, which ‘blew up’.
He began writing blogs about mental health and working with other charities, including the Royal Foundation and Mind’s Blue Light Programme. “People [in the ambulance service] were getting told they could have six hours of mental health support,” he said.
“I was like, hang on a minute – six hours of mental health support when somebody’s suffering in a crisis is not acceptable. It should be unlimited.”
Mr Hawkins’ campaigning led to the six-hour limit being lifted, with staff now able to access unlimited mental health support. He also launched mental health programmes at other NHS trusts.
He said he was very excited and overwhelmed to be recognised for his work at the age of 26, and that it had been difficult not to tell people about it after finding out about the award in November. “Imagine getting through your door a letter that literally says, ‘On behalf of His Majesty the King’,” he said.
“I was thinking, you’re joking. You’re winding me up.” Mr Hawkins, who is now a police officer, is looking forward to going to Buckingham Palace for a garden party to celebrate the award in the New Year.