Sanctus - The World's First Mental Health Gym
Sanctus, the brainchild of James Routledge and George Bettany, is taking the mental health space by storm. Back in 2016, they got £20k off the back of a blog post. This is their story.
Sanctus is a safe space and community to talk about your mental health & fitness. The team believes in treating mental health just like physical health, one day they hope that their safe space is the world’s first mental health gym on the high street.
"Once you create an environment where people have been given permission to talk, my goodness, they’ll talk. That’s been awesome to see and a real pleasure to be a part of. I’m also just constantly inspired by how amazing humans are."
- James, Co-Founder
Why do we need Sanctus?
We all need Sanctus! No, genuinely we believe that people deserve to take more time out for themselves. To explore themselves, to ask the question, to be listened to, and to talk about what’s happening in their life. That could be mental health challenges, but it could be opportunities too.
What would happen if Sanctus didn't exist?
If Sanctus didn't exist lots of people wouldn’t have access to an impartial and confidential space where they can talk about their feelings…There’d also be one less voice in the world pushing for more openness, honesty, and authenticity in the world.
What inspires you to get up every morning? Do you have a favourite quote?
“Be more you” is a quote we say quite a lot. I like that.
What’s surprised you most about creating Sanctus so far?
The biggest surprise which has been awesome has been people’s willingness to talk openly about mental health in the workplace. Once you create an environment where people have been given permission to talk, my goodness, they’ll talk. That’s been awesome to see and a real pleasure to be a part of. I’m also just constantly inspired by how amazing humans are.
How can people get involved or help out?
Follow them on @sanctusldn and sanctusldn if you want to be part of the community and see the stories they share. Get in touch with them directly if you want to know about how they work with businesses and workplaces. Just connect!
