(Photo: Samaritans)
Abdul Adil
King’s College London awarded an Honorary Fellowship to the poet Hussain Manawer, 27, for raising mental health awareness on July 27.
President and Principal Professor Edward Byrne AC presented Manawer the award at the Barbican Centre.
Being the youngest Honorary Fellow at King’s, he joins the exceptional list of King’s Fellows which includes Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Lord Attenborough, Lord Hall of Birkenhead and comedian Jo Brand.
The Fellowship comes at a time Manawer had just launched the UK’s largest mental health youth festival in partnership with Twitter #HussainsHouseLive and having recently set the Guinness World Record for The World’s largest mental health lesson.
Receiving the honour, Manawer said: “I put my heart and soul into everything I do because the journey of my own mental health has been an adventurous one, I just don’t want anyone to ever feel alone. I am very grateful to King’s College London for recognising my work, this is a big deal I can’t lie!”
Manawer is a Samaritans Ambassador, who has been working with the charity to reach young audiences on the importance of mental health.
Samaritans CEO Ruth Sutherland said: “Hussain is a true advocate for mental health and we love working with him and supporting his drive to get people to talk about their mental health.
“He is a passionate, inspiring and talented artist who really deserves this prestigious award. His poetry and the way he speaks about mental health in such a powerful way gives others the courage to share what they are going through. This can be the first step to recognising you need help and that can save lives.”
Reaching a diverse audience ranging from presidents, princesses, professors and prisoners. Hussain’s work has also led him into supporting Oscar-winning actress Cher, pop-star Ellie Goulding and sharing global stages with leaders such as Justin Trudeau, Kofi Anan and The Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle.
Manawer has just released his latest poetry video entitled ‘The White Rose’ dedicated to his late mother.
Manawer, from Ilford, Essex, saw off thousands of other entrants from more than 90 countries in a competition to be an astronaut.
