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VÕS HELP and FAST HELP CIC are calling for continued support for serving military personnel and veterans as new government statistics highlight the importance of accessible mental health services. Supporting the Mental Health of Those Who Serve Last month, VÕS HELP founder James Priestley attempted a gruelling 12-hour rowing challenge to raise funds for free mental health support for British Armed Forces personnel and veterans. The challenge was intended to raise awareness of

Men's mental health in Leeds is an issue that deserves attention all year round, not just during Movember. With thousands of lives lost to suicide across England and Wales every year, the need for accessible mental health support has never been clearer. Across Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield and the wider Yorkshire region, men face challenges that aren't always visible. Financial difficulties, relationship breakdowns, loneliness, work pressures and anxiety can gradually take their

November marks Movember, a month when men's mental health gets some much-needed attention. You'll see people growing moustaches, raising money and sharing stories, but behind all of that is a problem that continues to affect families and communities across Yorkshire. Too many men are struggling in silence. Whether it's financial worries, relationship problems, loneliness or simply feeling overwhelmed by life, there are men across Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield and the wider Yorks

What UK mental health research reveals about obsessive-compulsive disorder, why relationship anxiety deserves attention and how VÕS HELP is making support more accessible. Relationship OCD Is More Than Overthinking How often have you heard somebody describe themselves as an overthinker when discussing their relationship? For some people, worrying about love and compatibility is an occasional experience. For others, relationship doubts can become obsessive, repetitive and emot

Why intrusive thoughts can make even a happy relationship feel uncertain and how VÕS HELP can help you find support. When Love Starts Feeling Like Anxiety Love is supposed to feel exciting, comforting and secure. But what happens when the relationship that means so much to you becomes the centre of your biggest worries? You might be spending a lovely day with your partner when an unexpected thought appears. "What if I don't actually love them?" "What if they're not the right

Finding your words, asking useful questions and taking the next step with VÕS HELP You finally tell someone that you are struggling, and they suggest you stop overthinking. You mention OCD, and the conversation turns to cleaning. You try to explain how much time your difficulties take up, but leave feeling that you have not made yourself understood. An experience like that can make the next conversation feel harder. You may begin editing what you say, minimising the impact or

Someone jokes that they are “a bit OCD” because they like their kitchen clean. Someone else uses the same phrase to explain why their wardrobe is colour coordinated. For someone living with obsessive compulsive disorder, those comments can feel painfully distant from their reality. Their experience might involve struggling to leave home, repeating actions until they feel right or being overwhelmed by unwanted thoughts they are frightened to explain. What other people describe

You have explained how you feel. You have asked for help. Perhaps a referral has been made. But you are still waiting, and everyday life has not paused with it. For young people and their families, the time between asking for support and receiving treatment can feel uncertain. There may be no clear appointment date, little information about what happens next and pressure to carry on as normal. You do not need to minimise your difficulties because someone else is also waiting.

Asking for mental health help can take courage. Being told to wait after finally speaking up can leave a young person wondering whether anyone understands how difficult life has become. Young people facing long waits for mental health treatment. Behind every waiting list is someone trying to manage school, friendships, family life or their first job while struggling emotionally. A referral may be progress, but it is not the same as receiving care. Young people need to know wh

Start with what is happening now When you have already felt dismissed, another conversation about mental health can feel daunting. You might worry that you will forget your words, become upset or leave without getting help. You do not need a perfect explanation. A short account of what is happening, how it affects you and what you need is a useful starting point. Being prepared can help you communicate. It does not make you responsible for the quality of care you receive. Wri

The Record Attempt Ended. The Reason he Started Didn’t. On Friday 2 October 2026, VÕS HELP founder James Priestley began one of the toughest physical challenges of his life: an attempt to break two Guinness World Records on a Concept2 indoor rowing machine. The plan was simple to explain, but brutal to attempt. Row for 12 hours. Push beyond the existing records. Raise as much money as possible to provide free mental health support for serving members of the British Armed Forc

For men in England, suicide is not a marginal issue. It remains one of the biggest causes of death in men under the age of 50. And for younger men, the figures are particularly stark. According to the UK Government’s Men’s Health Strategy, using Office for National Statistics data, in 2024: • For males aged 20 to 34, intentional self harm and events of undetermined intent were the leading cause of death. • For males aged 35 to 49, accidental poisoning, such as drug overdose,

When opening up feels disappointing You rehearse what to say. You wonder whether your problems are serious enough. You finally tell someone you are struggling, hoping they will understand. Then comes a response like, “Everyone gets stressed,” or, “You seem fine to me.” It can leave you feeling embarrassed, frustrated or even more alone. Asking for mental health support takes courage, especially when you have spent weeks or months keeping things to yourself. When that courage

There is something about September that can make normal life suddenly feel very real again. Summer plans slow down. Holidays finish. Schools reopen. College starts. Work gets busier. Diaries begin filling up and the darker evenings slowly creep closer. One minute you are thinking about summer plans and the next you are looking at deadlines, responsibilities and everything you told yourself you would deal with “after summer”. For some people, September feels exciting. For othe

Leeds Founder Takes on Guinness World Record to Support British Armed Forces Mental Health On 3 October 2026, VÕS HELP founder and SAS: Who Dares Wins winner James Priestley will attempt to row more than 153,000 metres in just 12 hours. But this is not simply an attempt to break a Guinness World Record. The challenge has one purpose: to raise enough money to provide 1,000 free mental health support calls for members of the British Armed Forces community, including serving per

September has a strange way of feeling like a second January. Summer ends, schools and colleges return, workplaces become busier and suddenly social media is filled with new routines, productivity challenges, career goals, gym plans and people promising to “get their life together”. For some people, that fresh-start feeling can be motivating. For others, it creates an enormous amount of pressure. If September has arrived and you don’t feel refreshed, motivated or ready for a

Have you ever looked around and thought: “How is everyone doing better than me?” Someone your age is earning more money. Someone has moved out. Somebody has the career you want. Someone has built a successful business. Another person seems completely confident about where their life is going. Meanwhile, you might still be trying to work out your next move. That gap between where you are and where you think you should be can feel enormous. But success is rarely as simple as it

You open Instagram and someone has bought their first home. Someone else has landed their dream job. A friend has been promoted. Another person has started a business, got engaged, graduated or seems to have completely figured out what they want from life. You are happy for them but at the same time, you feel that horrible sinking feeling. Why am I not there yet? Hearing other people’s success stories can be inspiring, but when you are already questioning your own direction,

Starting work with a knot in your stomach, replaying conversations after every shift or panicking whenever your manager asks to speak with you should not be dismissed as “just part of having a job.” Work can involve pressure, deadlines and difficult days. However, when worry becomes constant and begins affecting sleep, confidence, concentration or attendance, it may be workplace anxiety. What Workplace Anxiety Can Look Like Workplace anxiety is not always visible to colleague

Anxiety is not always obvious. It can appear as constant overthinking, irritability, poor sleep, avoiding certain situations or feeling physically tense without understanding why. Although everyone experiences worry sometimes, ongoing anxiety can begin to affect relationships, work and everyday decisions. Government guidance on mental health and wellbeing recognises that emotional health is influenced by many parts of life, including physical health, financial security, relat