Mark Williams - Campaigner
| Mark Williams - Campaigner | |
|---|---|
 mark will.png | |
| Native name | Mark Williams |
| Born | Bridgend 1974/08/01 South Wales |
| 🏡 Residence | Wales |
| 🏳️ Nationality | Welsh |
| 🏫 Education | Ogmore Comphensive School |
| 🎓 Alma mater | Bridgend College |
| 💼 Occupation | |
| Height | 5ft 9in |
| 🌐 Website | https://www.markwilliamsfmh.co.uk/ |
| Twitter=MarkWilliamsFMH | |
Early Life[edit]
Born in Bridgend, lives in the Ogmore Valley. Mark left school at fifteen years of age, while the same year become a British champion.
Mark Williams led a content life; from a working-class background, he worked his way up into a promising career and then met the love of his life. When his wife Michelle fell pregnant, it seemed as though everything had fallen into place for them. But when Michelle’s labor didn’t go well, she fell into a deep, dark depression.
Mark too felt as though he had lost something, succumbing to feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. He had never heard of fathers going through postnatal depression, but with a baby that wouldn’t stop crying, and a wife he could no longer connect with, he felt like he was losing himself more and more each day.
Mark was diagnosed with ADHD at forty years of age.
Career[edit]
After working in sales for over ten years changed his career in 2006 becoming a youth worker and then working on projects in mental health.
Today Mark Williams is a Keynote Speaker, Author and International campaigner. In 2004 he himself experienced depression and suffered in silence for years until he entered community mental health services. He founded International Fathers Mental Health Day and #Howareyoudad campaign to make sure all parents are having support for the whole family.
Mark has spoken on television and radio stations around the world while working with Doctor Jane Hanley who have both published articles on Fathers ( Paternal) Mental Health together. Mark was awarded Inspirational Father of the year and local hero at the Pride of Britain Awards in 2012 even invited to meet The Royal Family on World Mental Health Day. Mark was also awarded the Point Of light Award by the Prime Minister in 2019 for his voluntary work and campaigning for the mother and baby unit in Wales which has since opened since closing in 2013.
In 2020 Mark published a report called "Fathers Reaching Out - Why Dads Matter" with the aim to include fathers in perinatal mental health services.
In 2021 based on his first published book called "Daddy Blues" aired on Amazon Prime as an independent film.
Ambassador for Mother's for Mother's Charity.
Personal Life[edit]
Mark is married to Michelle Williams who is a youth worker and mental health advocate, who have a son named Ethan.
References[edit]
Men get postnatal depression, too | Postnatal depression | The Guardian
Postnatal depression: Call for new fathers to be screened - BBC News
Male postnatal depression: are we doing enough to help dads? (telegraph.co.uk)
Daddy Blues - Trigger (triggerhub.org)
Fathers Reaching Out - Points of Light
International Father’s Mental Health Day | Postpartum Support International (PSI)
One Man’s Story Of Suffering From Male Postnatal Depression (elle.com)
Why we need to talk about postnatal depression in men - BBC Three
Meeting the mental health needs of new fathers | Nursing Times
Meet The Team - Mother for Mothers (mothersformothers.co.uk)
Dad’s mental health: discovering you have ADHD as an adult : ADHD Foundation
Mother and baby unit campaigner meets Health Minister Mark Drakeford armed with 10,000-signature petition - Wales Online
More support needed for fathers in perinatal period | Nursery World
Watch Daddy Blues | Prime Video (amazon.co.uk)
