Chester-based mental health charity Platform for Life has announced the appointment of Philippa Davies as the charity’s new CEO.
Platform For Life offers free counselling, art and play therapy, and practical family support, guidance and signposting to low-income individuals and families with services delivered locally in Blacon, Lache and Kingsway. It aims to stop the cycle of poor mental health being passed down from one generation to the next and, through early intervention, to prevent poor mental health becoming a life-long disability. Over the last five years, the charity has grown significantly, providing vital support to the communities in which it works under the leadership of outgoing CEO Ceri George. Ceri guided Platform for Life through the many challenges presented by the pandemic, enabling the charity to continue expanding the support it offers and meeting the increasingly complex needs of its clients.
Following Ceri’s decision to step down as CEO, Philippa Davies is now picking up the reins. She brings a wealth of experience to the role gained from nearly 30 years working within both the charity and education sectors in the UK and Ireland. In her career, Philippa has focussed mainly on the development and delivery of support initiatives for young people facing a wide range of significant challenges within their lives, but also on supporting disabled people. Philippa has worked for organisations including The Prince’s Trust, Business in the Community, National Learning Network (Ireland), and Further and Higher Education Colleges and Universities in England, Scotland and Wales. Most recently Philippa founded and led baby and pregnancy loss charity Our Sam, alongside working as Funding Manager supporting and developing the North Wales charitable foundation The Neumark Foundation.
Philippa says “I’m really passionate about the work carried out by Platform for Life. As a result of both professional and personal experiences, I have a significant understanding of the many mental health challenges that can be faced throughout childhood and adulthood. It’s a privilege for me to take up the mantle from Ceri, who has done a fantastic job despite the difficult challenges that society and the charity sector faced during and following the Covid pandemic.
“I’m looking forward to building on the achievements of the charity so far, to grow the support provision to help and enable more people across the Chester area to access our vital services, and to reduce the impact of poor mental health on the lives of families within our region.”
Ceri says “It’s been an amazing five years and I’m immensely proud of everything we’ve achieved during that time and the life changing and sometimes life saving impact this has had on the people we’ve supported. I wish Philippa all the very best as she steps into her new role.”
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