The wellbeing of young people in the UK is amongst the lowest in the world and mental health difficulties are widespread too. 

Research in 2020 showed that 1 in 6 young people (5-16 year olds) reported probable mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression, an increase of 5% in just three years. This rise was closely tied to the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, where experiences such as witnessing arguments at home, sleep problems, lower levels of support from school or colleges, living in a household that had fallen behind on payments and reporting that lockdown had made life worse, were influencing factors for those who experienced mental health difficulties.

#BeeWell started when David Gregson, a philanthropist and board member of multiple national charities and sporting bodies, contacted The University of Manchester in 2019 looking to collaborate on a project to address his concerns about the wellbeing of young people in the UK.

#Beewell saw that the challenge and opportunity to improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people in the UK was more pressing than ever, and believes that young people’s wellbeing is as important as their academic attainment.

Big Change funded #Beewell to launch a co-designed survey to assess wellbeing and the factors that influence it, to secondary schools across Manchester in 2019. This work was delivered in partnership between the University of Manchester, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Anna Freud Centre.

Three years into a 10 year plan, the survey had been completed by over 85,000 young people in more than 190 secondary schools, and in 2023 they expanded beyond Greater Manchester to deliver in Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton. They publish the results privately to schools and publicly by neighbourhood and drive action across society to improve young people’s wellbeing and to help them thrive.

Young people’s wellbeing depends on collaboration across communities, businesses, the voluntary sector, the health sector, government and schools to take collective action that will give young people new opportunities, empower them to act and support them to thrive. 

#Beewell convene a coalition of partners - an influential group ranging from local community organisations focused on neighbourhood impact, to campaigners and charities, and government bodies who can influence policy on a national level. This coalition responds to the survey data, and works together to improve the wellbeing of young people.

#Beewell also have a research team – led by Professor Neil Humphrey, based at The University of Manchester, and Professor Jess Deighton, based at UCL and Anna Freud who use the survey data to identify trends in what young people are telling them, so that we can act together to improve their wellbeing.

David Gregson is Chairman of The Gregson Family Foundation; an Executive Committee Member of The Institute for Fiscal Studies; a Trustee of Pro Bono Economics and The Windsor Leadership Trust; an advisor to both Sutton Trust, which seeks to improve social mobility through education, and the Invictus Games to be held in 2022 in The Hague; a Director of the FA Women’s Super League; and a member of the Advisory Boards of Phoenix Equity Partners, a leading UK mid-market private equity business, and of Alliance Manchester Business School. Previously, David was a co-founder and Chairman of Phoenix.

Over his career, he has been a director or Chairman of some 30 companies or charities. Most recently, David has been Chairman of the LTA, which is responsible for tennis in Britain; Chairman of CGL, the UK’s largest social and healthcare charity; and a Director of LLDC, which is transforming East London following the 2012 Games. David has an MBA from Alliance Manchester Business School and an MA in Maths and Physics from Cambridge University.