Julie Bentley The charitys Real People, Real Stories campaign focused on mens mental health. Samaritans research with men found that 42% felt that pandemic restrictions had a negative impact on their mental health Samaritans offers face-toStructural change face help, too in the Lots of people are finding it extraordinarily In the first quarter of 2020, MEL community, at music Research conducted a study festivals, and even in prisons, on behalf of Samaritans to where listening is done by gauge how beneficial the trained fellow prisoners. helpline was to callers. While Bentley has won numerous the majority felt less lonely, awards, including, in 2019, the Charity Times Outstanding more hopeful, and better able to cope as a result of the call, Individual Achievement Award. The judges praised her unique there was little lasting effect on those with suicidal thoughts. leadership style, honesty, humour and empathy, passion for Given the complex needs of many callers, this is unsurprising. social justice and the culture of transparency and trust she But it raises the question as to whether Samaritans can ever be engenders in the organisations for which she works. more than a sticking plaster on the running sore of growing Judith Moran, chief executive of Quaker Social Action, was one societal inequalities. of those judges. We are so much more than a sticking plaster, insists Bentley. She says: Julie has no ego. She is very confident in her People tell us time and time again that reaching out to Samaritans own leadership but characterises herself as an Essex has had a lasting and positive impact on their lives. But that is not girl made good. Her humour and humility help her enough on its own. We need to try to change the structures and broker relationships. systems that create the scenarios in which peoples wellbeing is Bentley believes her passion for justice was born at secondary damaged in the first place. school, when, despite being terrified by the prospect, she Samaritans works closely with policy- and decision-makers in decided to stand for the position of head girl. From a workinggovernment, and the focus of Bentleys conversations at the class background, she was raised in a very loving family but moment is the need for what she describes as a properly-funded spent most of her youth extraordinarily insecure, and nervous of long-term recovery plan around peoples mental health. my own shadow. She says: Everyone is affected by this pandemic from young She stood for head girl to challenge the assumption among the children, who are forming a concept of relationships through the students that the most popular girl would win the laurels. That lens of social distancing, to children and teenagers who are missing fired something in me: it didnt seem fair. Surely it should be the out on school, university students struggling with isolation, parents person who would do the job best. Being elected was a pivotal trying to juggle jobs with home schooling and looking after ageing moment: I felt Id found my purpose, I made a difference and I parents, and so on. All these things take their toll. became a lot more confident. She pays short shrift to any suggestion that we are building 24 Impact ISSUE 33 2021_pp22-25_Profile.indd 24 26/03/2021 10:00