Days after welcoming their newborn son into the world, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have joined forces with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to launch a text messaging helpline to support those struggling with poor mental health.
The initiative, dubbed Shout, was formed from a £3m grant donated from the Royal Foundation, the charity that the four royals run together and use to fund various philanthropic projects ranging from wildlife conservation to supporting young people.
Shout aims to help those in need progress from “crisis to calm” by providing them with trained volunteers offering instant support. The service is anonymous, free to use and open 24/7.
Prince William, who launched the project at Kensington Palace alongside Kate on Thursday, said the four royals were “very excited” about the service.
“With the biggest investment by the Royal Foundation to date we are today able to formally launch Shout – a new UK-wide service that connects vulnerable people in a state of crisis to trained volunteers who are there to help,” he said.
“The conversations are run by volunteers who have completed 25 hours of online training, and are monitored by an exceptional clinical team.”
William revealed that in the last year, 1,000 volunteers have signed up to the service and 60,000 conversations have taken place so far.
“That is 60,000 moments when people who were feeling scared, frightened and alone were able to use their phone to connect with someone who could support them,” he added.
Kate said that she hopes Shout will offer support “when it is crucially needed” and give people the opportunity to turn their lives around.
Lorraine Heggessey, chief executive officer at the Royal Foundation, commented: “Our unique model and the influence of Their Royal Highnesses has enabled us to develop this innovative solution to tackle one of today’s biggest challenges – the increasing number of people needing mental health support.
“The pilot stages have demonstrated the huge need for this service and the potential impact it can have.”
The Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London will also contribute to the service by helping the team develop insights into mental health and identifying trends that will shape the nature of the support that is provided.
