Mental health is a cause that has been close to my heart for several years and after becoming a dad I do think about my two boys growing up in the world we live in. In recent months, I've attended lectures at my son's school and listened to the challenges that young people have today, challenges that we never had to face. The current statistics are appalling: 1 in 8 children today have a diagnosable mental health problem. 50% of people with lifetime mental health problems first experience symptoms by the age 14. Rates of depression and anxiety among teenagers have increased by 70% in the past 25 years.

Coutts and Adam & Company, the two banks I work for have teamed up with Place2Be and MQ who are working to address this issue throughout the UK. Place2Be provides emotional and therapeutic services in primary and secondary schools, building children's resilience through talking, creative work and play. They work with over 600 schools, supporting a school population of over 350,000 children and young people, helping them to cope with wide-ranging and often complex social issues including bullying, bereavement, domestic violence, family breakdown, neglect and trauma. MQ is leading charity that funds much-needed scientific research to transform the lives of everyone affected by mental illness.