A Bristol clothing brand has released a t-shirt to help raise money for a mental health charity in tribute to former University of Bristol student Olisa Odukwe.
Young Goat, a Bristol-born lifestyle brand, is hoping to raise £10,000 for Black Minds Matter UK with the release of a t-shirt in tribute to the founders friend and colleague Olisa Odukwe, who lost his battle with mental health at just 20-years-old.
The t-shirt sleeve will contain a purple heart to represent Olisa's love for the rapper Dave and his song 'Purple Heart' , with all profits donated to the charity.
Read more: Where to find support in Bristol if you're struggling with mental health
Arthur Leventhorpe, co-founder of lifestyle brand Young Goat, said: “Oli was an unbelievable guy, something that anyone who met him would attest to.
“He was kind, brave and loyal – not only a pleasure to work with but a great mate to us as a group.
“His struggle was unknown to practically everyone—even most of those closest to him.
“Despite speaking to him on a regular basis, none of us were aware of what he was personally dealing with which serves to demonstrate how you can never really be sure how others are feeling.
“More than anything, losing Oli emphasised just how important this initiative is and it massively invigorated our desire to make it a huge success.
“The purple heart on the t-shirt sleeve was added in his memory, an addition that we made due to his love for UK rapper Dave and his song Purple Heart.
“Oli's passing has already led to many discussions about mental health within the communities that he was a part of.
“We are hoping that with this campaign, we open up these discussions to even more people and support an important cause along the way.”
Black mental health has been brought into sharper focus this year, notably due to the bravery of sports stars Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles.
And even though Young Goat, which means Greatest Of All Time, is not a mental health clothing brand, its first two charity partners were Bristol-based Second Step and Off The Record.
Mr Leventhorpe said: "“The pandemic has been extremely tough for a lot of people mentally and financially, so the fact Black Minds Matter UK are offering free mental health services at a time when so many need it but may not be able to afford it is really great.
“We also love how each session is conducted by a black therapist, as it guarantees that there is a nuanced and unspoken grace in the therapeutic space, with people who have been on similar journeys and who understand how to process them.”
The clothing brand has a primary goal to raise £10,000 which will help Black Minds Matter UK fund multiple therapy sessions.
However, beyond that, it hopes to make more people aware of the services the charity offers.
He added: "They have great resources on their website and an active Instagram account that shares tips and testimonies.
“We also hope that people like the t-shirt and continue to wear it out long into the future.
“We feel like the design, as well as having the Black Minds Matter UK logo on the back will prompt conversations about mental health which are always important.
“If we can spread our message to people nationwide, the campaign will have achieved the success we’re really hoping for.”
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