Leeds Mental Health Advocate Shares Crucial Message with Local School Pupils ahead of Exam Season

A new Leeds-based educational travel provider has teamed up with a renowned mental health advocate to deliver a crucial message to secondary school students across the city.

This Mental Health Awareness Week (May 12 – 18), Ottimi, an offshoot from the long-standing family business Max Ski, is collaborating with Oly Newton to remind pupils of the importance of resilience through a number of free talks taking place at schools across the city.

Oly, an international advocate for mental health and neurodiversity, will be speaking to students including Year 9 pupils at Corpus Christi Catholic College, in Neville Road, Leeds, and Year 10s at 14+ Academies, in talks organised by Ottimi, drawing from his personal journey of overcoming severe mental illness.

He said: “Exam seasons can put a phenomenal amount of stress on children, where they are facing the dual pressures of final exams and important decisions around their GCSE options or future pathways. Movement and mindset transformed my life, and grasping how earlier mental health interventions and an understanding of neurodivergence within educational settings can prevent many issues from escalating into adulthood.”

The message is one which Oly has conveyed in his previous “100 Talks for Schools” tour, in which he spoke with over 10,000 students across the country in 20 days.

Ottimi’s collaboration comes at a crucial time. Recent national statistics show that 1 in 5 individuals aged eight to 25 in England now have a probable mental health disorder, with young people in deprived areas almost twice as likely to be affected. Mental health challenges in these communities are linked to higher rates of absenteeism, lower academic achievement, and long-term social exclusion.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) such as abuse, neglect, or instability—more common in areas facing economic hardship—double the risk of mental illness later in life. Despite this, access to mental health support in underserved areas remains disproportionately low, with long waiting times and under-resourced services. Initiatives like Ottimi’s school talks offer vital early intervention, helping young people build resilience, improve life outcomes, and break cycles of disadvantage that can persist across generations.

Tom Bedford, CEO at Ottimi, said: “There are a number of unique pressures that children face today which weren’t as prevalent a decade ago, particularly from social media, which we know can place a significant strain on their mental wellbeing. That’s why we need to keep adapting to meet these needs to make sure pupils get the most out of their extracurricular experiences.

“We’re more than just an educational trips provider, we place strong focus on wellbeing, by creating subject- and sports-based school travel experiences that nurture emotional growth, confidence, and a sense of belonging. We push for any chance we can to share these crucial messages of resilience with pupils, so getting in to as many schools as possible this Mental Health Awareness Week is a great way to share this message.”

Ottimi is offering £20,000 worth of prizes for schools, including all expenses paid three-day, two-night trip for 40 students inclusive of accommodation, food, travel and insurance to London or Edinburgh.