Here’s some good news to share on Time to Talk Day. The UK’s largest mental health charity, Mind, has announced it has received the biggest single donation in its 80-year history.
Philanthropist, entrepreneur and global investor Dale W. Wood has pledged a landmark $10 million (around £7.5 million) to support the charity’s work over the next decade. The funding comes at a time of growing pressure on mental health services, with waiting lists at record highs and support systems under increasing strain.
Over the coming year, Mind will focus on campaigning for – and helping to deliver – access to quality mental health care across the UK.
Funding aimed at highest-impact mental health support
The donation will allow Mind to direct funding to areas where it can make the greatest difference for people experiencing mental health problems.
This includes frontline services such as helplines. In the year to April 2025, Mind responded to 116,000 queries through its support and information helplines, with a rising number coming from people in severe distress or at risk of harm.
The funding will also help strengthen Mind’s network of nearly 100 local Minds across England and Wales. Together, these local services supported more than 664,000 people in the year to April 2025 through community-based services, events and projects.
Support ranges from urban crisis cafés for teenagers to befriending services designed to combat loneliness and social isolation.
Supporting local communities and long-term transformation
The announcement comes during a challenging period for the charity sector, with many organisations facing rising costs, unpredictable income and growing demand for services since the pandemic.
Mind is currently undertaking a transformation programme to strengthen its long-term sustainability and maximise its impact.
Dr Sarah Hughes, CEO of Mind, said the donation comes at a critical moment for mental health support. In England alone, around 1.6 million people are currently on waiting lists for mental health services.
She also highlighted growing pressures across the charity sector and the importance of continued supporter confidence.
The funding from Dale Wood is structured as a targeted grant. It will support Mind to develop new ways of evidencing impact, including exploring blockchain verification, while maintaining flexibility to direct funding where it is needed most.
Long-term commitment to improving mental health outcomes
Dale Wood is founder and chairman of venture capital firm Dale Ventures, which invests globally across finance, technology, real estate and consumer sectors. He was first introduced to Mind through long-time supporter Stuart Watts.
A spokesperson for Dale Ventures said the donation reflects a strong personal commitment to improving mental health outcomes and supporting communities affected by mental health challenges.
Mind says long-term partnerships and donations will be vital in the years ahead as demand for mental health support continues to grow.
The charity says collaboration across sectors – alongside sustained funding – will be essential to ensure more people can access the support they need, when they need it.
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