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Our Ambassadors

Support in Mind Scotland is proud to have a team of volunteer charity Ambassadors representing us and our work.

Ambassadors Scott and Jenny Hastings were appointed in May 2017. 

They were joined in April 2018 by Gary Little and Marius Pelser, and in April 2019 by Maria Lyle.

You can learn more about our ambassadors below. 

Maria Lyle

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Track star, Maria Lyle

Inspirational Maria Lyle, born in Dunbar in 2000, is a highly successful Parasport athlete who competes mainly in the 100m and 200m in the T35 category.

Maria, who has cerebral palsy, has won medals at the Tokyo Paralympics, Commonwealth Games and World Championships, and won double gold at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai.

Maria, who has been named as the 2019 Evening Times Young Scotswoman of the Year, is an appointed a charity ambassador for Support in Mind Scotland since 2019 and supported fundraising events like our 100 Streets Challenge.

You can read more about Maria in our blog section:

Paralympics on hold, but I'm staying focused and positive

I am enjoying life and feeling ready to cope with whatever lies ahead this summer.

Track star Maria Lyle backs our 100 Streets Challenge

Published: 25th March, 2019

Updated: 26th May, 2022

Author:

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Gary Little

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Gary Little is one of the most consistent and funny acts in Scottish comedy. A proud Glaswegian, Gary is recognised as a master storyteller, and is a regular headliner at many of the top comedy clubs in the UK.

Gary - who has lived experience of mental ill health - became a charity ambassador for Support in Mind Scotland in 2018 and has headlined three comedy nights (two in Glasgow, one in Edinburgh) to raise funds for SiMS.

Read an interview with him here.

Visit his website here: http://www.biggarylittle.co.uk/

Published: 25th March, 2019

Updated: 12th April, 2019

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Marius Pelser

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Marius Pelser, a Business Architect who lives and works in Edinburgh, was appointed a charity ambassador in 2018. He has also run and cycled in a series of events, raising thousands of pounds for Support in Mind Scotland.

In 2016, Marius was diagnosed with PTSD and all its related symptoms. He says: "I felt that I would not let this diagnosis get the better of me and looked into ways of managing my symptoms without the need for medication. I found the world of running and quickly became a supporter of the hypothesis, probably more a fact, that there is a very close link between mental and physical exercise.

"Support in Mind Scotland has helped me by being a platform which I can use to profess this, encourage people to improve their mental health and enjoy a healthier life."

Marius blogs about mental health, fundraising, and other things. Visit it here.

Published: 25th March, 2019

Updated: 11th March, 2021

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Scott and Jenny Hastings

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Scott and Jenny Hastings have been great supporters and ambassadors for Support in Mind Scotland since 2015.

Jenny - a finalist in the 2018 Scottish Charity Awards - says: "Support in Mind Scotland is an organisation that gives hope, raises awareness and reduces stigma towards mental health. They are the founders of the 100 Streets challenge which is bringing people together from all walks of life, helping to show society that physical and mental health are equal."

Rugby legend Scott, who won the Grand Slam with Scotland and represented the British & Irish Lions, says: "Mental health is every bit as important as physical health, and anyone affected by mental illness should be able to seek the help they need without fear of stigma or discrimination. Attitudes are thankfully starting to change through the work of charities such as Support in Mind Scotland."

Published: 3rd April, 2019

Updated: 26th February, 2021

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About us

Support In Mind Scotland is the operating name of the National Schizophrenia Fellowship (Scotland), a company limited by guarantee registered in Scotland SC088179. Charity Number SC 013649.

Contact us

Information Line: 0300 3231545
Office number: 0131 662 4359
Support in Mind Scotland
6 Newington Business Centre
Dalkeith Road Mews
Edinburgh EH16 5GA
[email protected]

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