Mates in Mind appoints James Rudoni as Managing Director of the charity

Steve Hails, Chair of Trustees of Mates in Mind, said: “The Trustees welcome James Rudoni to the charity as Managing Director this month and look forward to working with him and the team. We believe James’s experience and insight will be of great value to Mates in Mind as it continues to grow in support of the industry’s recognition of the imperative to address mental health and wellbeing given the higher rates of suicide amongst construction workers and finishing trades.

“Mates in Mind, as a new industry charity, has been a real success over its first year thanks to key people behind it. In this period, our message has reached almost 200,000 workers through our more than 175 Supporter and partner organisations. But with the industry employing more than 2 million, we still have some way to go.

“James has a successful track record of delivering strategic objectives, operational leadership and service innovation within the commercial and charity sectors. He was previously Director of RBLI Living, Royal British Legion Industries during which time he doubled the reach to beneficiaries, delivered RBLI’s first national charitable training programme which resulted in 83% of beneficiaries getting into sustained employment and created a welfare support model which offered a tailored programme of assistance to help the hardest-to-help into housing, healthcare, wellbeing and employment.”

In his first week with the charity, James said: “The work that Mates in Mind has done in year one, has been hugely impressive and is already having a significant impact in improving understanding of mental health and wellbeing across the construction Industry. I am delighted to join Mates in Mind at such an exciting time and I am looking forward to working with the Trustees and my colleagues, as well as our Mates in Mind Business Champions, partnering organisations and our many Supporters across the UK.

“It is clear that this charity has given many in the industry a voice. I look forward to taking our vision forward to ensure that by supporting organisations across the construction sector, we can bring about the change needed to promote the importance of proactive mental health management in the workplace.”