Alastair Campbell signs up for Grand Challenges

In his talk, Campbell will explore the importance of dealing with issues surrounding mental health. He will discuss his novels on the subject; including his most recent book My Name Is which directly tackles alcoholism in young people. Campbell will talk about the dangers of stigma and taboo around mental health and question how all of us could become more open to addressing and thinking about these important issues. He will also be available to sign books after the event in the Forum Street.

Alastair Campbell is a writer, communicator and strategist best known for his role as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s spokesman, press secretary and director of communications and strategy. He has written ten books in the past seven years, including six volumes of diaries, three novels, and a personal memoir on depression and the pursuit of happiness. A former ‘Mind Champion of the Year’, he is an ambassador for the Time to Change campaign to raise awareness about mental illness, and chairman of fundraising for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research. He continues to advise the Labour Party, and other left of centre parties, most recently acting as strategic director for the Albanian Socialist Party, who won a landslide victory in June 2013. He is Humanitas Visting Professor on media at Cambridge University, and was also recently honoured by University College Dublin for his contribution to the Northern Ireland Peace Process.

His first novel, All In The Mind, appeared in November 2008, to enthusiastic reviews for its frank examination of mental illness. His most recent novel, published in September 2013, is called My Name Is, and tells the story of a young girl’s descent into alcoholism. He has since become an ambassador for Alcohol Concern. In October 2008 Alastair broadcast an award-winning one hour documentary on BBC2 about his own breakdown in 1986. He won considerable praise from mental health charities and campaign groups for helping to break down the taboo surrounding mental health. He received the Mind Champion of the Year award in May 2009 in recognition of his work to break down the stigma around mental illness, and continues to campaign on the issue both in Britain and overseas.

This talk is part of a university-wide programme Grand Challenges. As part of this week-long project, undergraduate students work together in interdisciplinary research groups, alongside some of our top academics, to address some of the greatest challenges of the 21st century. The lecture is also the University’s annual Andrew Stratton Convocation Lecture. Andrew Stratton graduated from the University in 1939, and was an active alumnus of the University, as Chairman of Convocation for over 30 years. We look forward to welcoming Alastair to join us in discussing our Grand Challenges.

Tickets for this event will be free and are open to the public, with some tickets being reserved for Alumni and Grand Challenges students. Information on how to book a seat will be made available nearer to the time.

If you’re a student and haven’t signed up for Grand Challenges yet, make sure that you sign up today to avoid missing out on this fantastic talk.