King Charles’s charity partners with Geo for mental health awareness

LONDON: His Majesty King Charles’s charity, The British Asian Trust (BAT), has announced the King’s charity will be working in partnership with Geo News to promote mental health and well-being on a scale never seen before.

The announcement was made on behalf of the King by Richard Hawkes, the British Asian Trust Chief Executive, at the charity’s annual Iftar fundraiser.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, Lord Tariq Ahmad, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, High Commissioner of Pakistan to the UK Dr Mohammad Faisal, Pakistani actor Sanam Saeed and hundreds of prominent figures from the British Asian community were in attendance at the event that raised over £250,000 for mental health work in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

About partnership with Geo News, Richard Hawkes said: “We have really got ambitious plans for the future of our mental health work. In Pakistan this year, we will be entering an incredibly exciting partnership with Geo TV. We are going to be launching a high-profile national multi-media campaign that will reach millions of people across the country to promote mental health and well-being on a scale that has never been seen before in Pakistan.

“Together with Geo, we will get people talking about mental health at home, in schools and in the workplace. And we are looking forward to getting this ambitious credible programme up and running in the next couple of months.”

The British Asian Trust was founded in 2007 by His Majesty King Charles III (when he was His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales) and a group of British Asian entrepreneurs, to tackle poverty, inequality and injustice in South Asia. The Trust is running several programme in South Asian countries.

Richard Hawkes warned about the rising level of Islamophobia and attacks on Muslims. He said: “It’s a time when we are seeing unprecedented levels of Islamophobia across the world and Muslims have been persecuted like never before. I love the British Asian Trust because of what I learn about Islam and what I see on evenings like this: the incredible spirit of kindness and generosity that I wish existed across the whole world because that would make this world a better place.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said Geo News is watched across the world by millions of people. The London Mayor said: “It’s a matter of pride that Geo TV will be working in partnership with the King’s official charity. The King recognises the massive contribution British Asians make in this country. He wants the Asian diaspora to prosper and help others. Geo is a leading brand watched across the world. When people see the work of BAT through Geo they will also donate.”

Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK Dr Muhammad Faisal said working with the King’s official charity is a brilliant initiative. “Working with a leading broadcaster like Geo TV will be hugely beneficial for the BAT.”

Shahrukh Hasan, Jang Group’s Managing Director, said: “Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Foundation (MKRF), Geo and the Jang Group are delighted to partner this exciting and much needed campaign on mental health with The British Asian Trust. Almost 20 per cent of our population faces some form of mental health challenge. The lack of awareness and the stigma associated with mental health makes it an even graver challenge; and these are the issues that the ‘MILKAR’ campaign seeks to address. We are also happy that a large number of NGOs, already operating in this field, have joined the campaign. This will be an intensive, 12-month campaign that will turn every Pakistani into an informed crusader and enable patients and their family and friends to recognise the red flags and confidently approach caregivers.”