Wallers become first ever Official Patrons for BABCP
A SENIOR Appeal Court judge and his wife have been appointed as the BABCP’s first-ever Patrons.
Sir Mark and Lady Rachel Waller set up the Charlie Waller Trust in their son’s name when he committed suicide after suffering from depression. The couple have funded the first ever Chair of CBT in Britain and created a web site specifically for students suffering from depression.
They were “honoured and delighted” to accept being nominated as Patrons following a meeting of the BABCP Board.
Sir Mark and Lady Rachel have worked tirelessly since their son Charlie’s death ten years ago to raise greater public awareness of depression and the value of CBT as a treatment.
As well as creating their own charity, the Charlie Waller Trust, they have also begun a national programme of employing staff to raise awareness amongst GP’s and nurses, created a web site about depression amongst students and supported Lord Layard’s crusade to make CBT more accessible.
BABCP President David Veale said: “They have done a huge amount in a very practical way to reduce the stigma which still surrounds depression, to make more people aware of CBT therapy and to provide real help to other young people.
“They are extremely committed and active and will be very effective champions for CBT – I am very proud that they have agreed to be the first ever Patrons of the BABCP, as the leading organisation for CBT in the UK.”
Sir Mark – one of Britain’s most senior judges – said: “It’s ten years now since Charlie died, but our main thought ever since has always been to do all that we can to make sure that there are fewer young people like him who will suffer from depression.
“And to make sure that there are fewer families who have to go through what we went through. It helps us to know that we are doing something useful.”
The Charlie Waller Trust (http://www.cwmt.org/index.html) has contributed £250,000 for the first chair in CBT at Reading, held by BABCP member Professor Roz Shafran.
The web site for students - Students Against Depression - is at (http://www.studentdepression.org/site/)
Sir Mark and Lady Rachel have also welcomed the Government’s recent announcement of £170million to improve access to psychological therapies like CBT.
Sir Mark said: “CBT has unquestionable relevance as a psychological therapy for conditions such as depression, because its efficacy can be tested. It is evidence-based.
“We are delighted to give our support to the BABCP in any way that we can.”
- A fuller version of this article is available in the latest edition of CBT Today, which also includes news about awards for two young researchers.