Bethan Evans wins wellbeing award for 'Messages of Hope'

Bethan Evans 25 was hospitalised twice back in 2021 after attempting to take her own life.

Since her attempt, Bethan has turned her life around and dedicated her time to supporting people with mental health issues.

She did this by creating ‘Messages of Hope’, a community interest company that provides ‘bags of hope’ which are overnight essential items for psychiatric patients when they arrive in hospital.Bethan Evans and her bags of hope (Image: Bethan Evans)Having been influenced by her own experience in hospital, Bethan explained how the business came to be. She said: “I’ve been having mental health problems since I was a teenager, but in 2021 I kind of reached the point where I was hospitalised twice after attempting to take my own life.

“It was a really, really, bad time. I was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, and basically whilst I was admitted I didn’t have any belongings on me.

“I sat on a ward for days without anything and I had this idea that I knew I wanted to create something for when I was better.”

Bethan was awarded the award for ‘most inspiring individual’ at the Mental Health and Wellbeing Wales Awards 2024.

The event took place at the Mercure Hotel in Cardiff last Wednesday (October 9th) and was attended by around 300 people.  Sadly, Bethan was unable to attend the award ceremony but said the following about receiving the award.

“It was amazing, I couldn’t believe it to be honest, I still can’t it’s just overwhelming because I never thought I’d be able to do the things that I’m doing right now.”

“Mental health, doesn’t necessarily get easier, but you find better ways to carry what you’re struggling with.”

Bethan recently ran an event at Urdang city university where she graduated from in 2022. Students were asked to wear blue as a part of the ‘Feeling Blue?’ campaign and donate £1. They raised £160.

Additionally, students donated over 200 items for bags of hope which enabled them to make 42 bags that were donated to patients at Newham Centre for Mental Health where Bethan was hospitalised in 2021.