Two Years of the Mindstep Foundation

This month, we sadly mark two years since the passing of the brilliant Max Davies, in whose memory the Mindstep Foundation was established.

Mindstep began as a Go Fund Me page, primarily as an outlet for loved ones at a loss following Max’s passing. It is thanks to the enormous generosity of those who donated then, and those who have continued to support us, that we were able to achieve registered charity status this year. Over the past two years, we have raised £70,000 towards our aim of funding mental health research, awareness and support.

Supporting research into suicide prevention has always been one of our principle aims. Suicide is a hugely sensitive, complex issue with a multitude of causes and the very nature of a death by suicide means we can never fully know the reasons behind it. In 2019, Max’s mum, Tracey, reached out to Professor Rory O’Connor, leader of the Suicidal Behaviour Research Laboratory (SBRL) at the University of Glasgow. Since establishing a partnership with the SBRL, Mindstep now funds a PhD researching the causes of suicide, and more recently, research into the effects of Covid-19 on mental health. The below video of Professor Rory explains why research into suicide is so important.

As we move forward, we will continue to support this vital research. We are also looking for ways in which we can support those bereaved by suicide, as well as mental health awareness workshops and support groups.

As Max’s family, our mission is to take steps, however small, towards ensuring that no one suffers the loss of a loved one to suicide. We hope that this work will be a testament to the incredibly kind, generous and funny boy that gave so much in his short time.