SHARE selects a charity each year that will benefit from the event.

Commenting on this year’s choice, CEO Daryl McIntosh said: “The Samaritans is such a well-known charity that it is sometimes easy to overlook the fact that they will be struggling to raise the essential funding needed to reach those who need help the most, we are blown away by the support from our delegates for this most worthy cause and the £850 raised will go a long way in supporting this service.”

Delegates were also given leaflets from the charity with tips on how to start a conversation with someone that they suspect may be struggling with their mental health.

SHARE’s own mental health first aider, Melanie Gilmour, remarked: “Starting these conversations can be difficult, but in most cases the person you are worried about will be relieved to know that someone has recognised their difficulties, and even if you are not confident in helping them, you can always direct them to others that can, like their GP or the Samaritans.”

This being his first Annual Conference as CEO, Daryl was excited to meet many delegates and supporters of SHARE.

He said: “The return to in-person events has been a great chance to network and meet many staff and committee members from across the country. The team put together a fantastic programme, covering a host of interesting topics and topical viewpoints, and hopefully the delegates felt the benefit of this. We are now busy planning our 2024 event and look forward to continuing these conversations and supporting the sector in the evermore vital work that it does.”