The Judi Meadows Memorial Fund has been established by Judi’s family in her memory to help save lives which are threatened by suicide.
The Fund sets out to achieve this by:
- Raising funds
- Promoting and carrying out research
- Building awareness and sharing information
- Improving policy and practice
- Providing support to those affected by depression and their families and friends
We are committed to collaborating with mental health charities, academics and campaigning individuals in order to increase our understanding and management of people with mental health problems and the factors that heighten suicide risk.
Our partnership work includes being founding members of the Mental Health Funders Forum (www.mentalhealthresearchfundersforum.org.uk), a group that share a mutual interest in providing grants to support mental health research, and the Alliance of Suicide Charities (TASC). By contributing to TASC we ensure we share information, build on each other’s programmes of work and avoid duplication.
As a small organization, with limited funds, we work in a highly targeted manner to ensure a meaningful and measurable impact from the activity we undertake. We are particularly keen to act as a catalyst, supporting important programmes of work that would otherwise have not taken place.
Our primary focus is to support research in order to help inform improvements in the knowledge and practice of health professionals and the general public. For information about the current projects we are supporting please visit current projects.
Terms of reference
The Judi Meadows Memorial Fund is a restricted fund of the McPin Foundation. The McPin Foundation exists to provide grants to improve mental well-being. Charity number: 1117336.
The Fund is not-for-profit and its Founders run the organisation in a voluntary capacity.
The Fund seeks to add value, not replicate the work that is already taking place.
The Fund is committed to building strategic alliances with relevant partners across mental health and other health charities, the Department of Health, Primary Care Trusts, professional associations such as the Royal Colleges and key individuals.
Significant milestones
- June 2009 – JMMF was set up by Roger and Amy Meadows following the death of Judi Meadows on 1 June 2009.
- October 2009 – JMMF became a restricted fund of the McPin Foundation. We decided to join with an existing charity, rather than establishing our own, in order to benefit from the structures, processes and charity management experience of an existing organisation. The McPin Foundation strongly complements our Fund as they exist to provide grants to improve mental well-being. Our supporters therefore receive the peace of mind that comes with formal Charity Commission registration whilst knowing that we will continue to be a dedicated focused team intent on achieving our mission. The McPin Foundation also brings important additional professional skills and contacts. By working together we believe we are better able to achieve our objectives and ultimately help more people whose lives are threatened by suicide. We maintain the identity of the JMMF and keep control of the application of JMMF donations and funds.
- November 2009 – JMMF hosted an art auction in London and sold over 80 artworks and raised over £50,000.
- July 2010 - JMMF issued our first formal tender specification. A shortlist of applications was peer reviewed by a host of well-respected academics.
- November 2010 – the successful programmes were chosen – Dr Ann Adams at Warwick University and Professor Keith Hawton at Oxford University.
- January 2011 – successfully obtained a significant grant from the South London and Maudsley Charitable Trusts.
- July 2011 – our funded programmes began.
- August 2011 – JMMF awarded a grant to the British Tinnitus Association to undertake a James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership on tinnitus. This will develop a list of research uncertainties, to be added to the UK DUETs database and to be used by the BTA to lobby for further research funding and encourage the research community to undertake research identified as a priority.
- September 2011 – provided a consultation response to the Department of Health’s Draft Suicide Prevention Strategy.
- September 2011 – joined the Samaritans Call for Action.