A Sheffield man has been inspired to create his own mental health charity after losing his close friend to suicide.
After struggling throughout lockdown with his own mental health and dealing with the loss of his friend, Jake Cook, Jojo Quattrocchi decided to quit his job and dedicate all of his time to helping others.
Mr Quattrocchi realised that many of his friends did not know about the help available in the local area. He said: “That really stood out to me and showed me that there is a really big problem in this area. The suicide rates in the UK are quite staggering.”
During a trip to Brazil while dealing with his own recovery, Mr Quattrocchi came across a yellow flower that changed his perspective on the world. Inspired by this moment, he decided to name his charity Amarelo.
He said: “It became such a huge moment of hope and I had it in my mind for a while that I could use my experience and suffering to try and help other people.”
With the NHS’ mental health services at breaking point, many Sheffield locals are turning to alternative kinds of therapy to help their anxiety and depression.
The charity plans to make people aware of alternative methods of coping with mental health aside from talking therapies. Yoga, meditation, and running clubs are all techniques that can easily be added to someone’s routine to improve their daily life.
Mr Quattrocchi added: “People don’t know this stuff exists. I didn’t know it existed until I did the research.
“I want to direct people through my website into those spaces that would really help them.”
The Amarelo charity hopes to encourage people to reach out for help by highlighting the scientific research behind alternative therapies, which tend to be stigmatised.
The charity also plans to share people’s personal stories to encourage others to speak openly about mental health. He said: “I want to create a community of sharing.
I want to create a community of solidarity to help each other to get better.When we come together, it can be so powerful.”
Mr Quattrocchi plans to launch Amarelo in May during National Mental Health Week.
