We are delighted to share that Montgomery (Monty) Lord, who is an active member of your Young Persons Advisory Group, was presented with a Points of Light Award from the Prime Minister last week. The award celebrates his impactful research contributions, app development, and charity work, all focused on supporting the mental health of young people.
In a personal letter to Monty, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:
“Congratulations on all that you have done over the last year to help other young people. From your pioneering peer research, to the creation of your app, you have opened up conversations around mental wellbeing which are more important than ever at the moment. Through your charity ‘Young Active Minds’ you are also making a fantastic contribution to learning and mental wellbeing.”
The charity, Young Active Minds, started out as an initiative by Monty to help others improve their memory retention and learning skills. The charity aims to advance education and mental health awareness throughout all community groups. The mission is to provide specialist memory training which would support the development of all individuals’ capabilities, competencies, understanding and skills, irrespective of financial background, current attainment levels or cultural diversity.
As a young researcher, Monty ran a citizen research project exploring whether bedtime technology has an effect on the body’s circadian rhythm. He recruited 864 adolescences between 11 and 17 years old from 3 UK establishments. The final thesis was 55,000 words and the results can be found here. He presented these findings to the UN and recommendations have been made to improve sleep quality and wellbeing.
More recently, Monty has conducted a research project into the effects of coronavirus isolation on the mental health of young people. The results are now being used by the NHS to provide a better understanding of the effects of coronavirus isolation on young people.
On receiving the Prime Minister’s award, Monty commented:
“I am lost for words. I felt very honoured to be presented with this award from the Prime Minister. I think every person, in their own small way, has helped their friends, families and neighbours throughout this difficult time. It’s testament to the great British spirit that we are resilient and help each other to pull through such difficult times. I would like to thank the Prime Minister and the Points of Light awards programme for this wonderful recognition.”
Congratulations Monty!
Read the article on the Points of Light website here.
Find out more about joining our Digital CAMHS Advisory Group here.
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