Supporting Olly's Teen Crusade

Anita, Founder of the Facebook Group "Olly's Teen Crusade", is working to help to support and fundraise for psychiatric units and wards, detox units and ward for adolescence and teens across the United Kingdom. Anita is working for drop in centers and training people to run them, training people in schools/colleges and universities to educate and share awareness about Mental Health and Substance Abuse.

Anita and Olly's story is a very powerful and should be shared, so here is their story:

" I'm Anita the Founder of the group working in memory and honour of my late son Olly whom Sadly Lost His Battle To mental health aged 17 and 4 months last December.

Olly struggled immensely with his Mental Health - this first started with anxiety as a young child, Olly also had Autism Spectrum Condition - I prepared myself to look for vital signs of mental health decline as spastics show Adolescents with Autism are very prone to develop Mental ill Health.

Olly's decline started at age 15, from there I reached out to every professional available without success.
Just myself to support him and ensure he felt heard - I was honored to be his "safe person/place", honored he could talk to me about anything, and honored he was also my best friend.

As a family we went through a lot of Trauma - his worse decline was when his father whim had remained a huge part of our lives, holidayed with us, ate with us several times a week, still spent Christmases with us, and even lived with us for six months even 10 years on from separation and amazing co-parenting walked out of his life completely for a woman.

We also had to move house and suffered D.V from new partner.

Olly was also desperate to fit in and keep his girlfriend happy and felt he couldn't do so due to severe anxiety and panic disorder - this led to Olly Self-Medicating with Drugs bought off the internet very cheaply and on the streets.

Olly confided in me and I sought help from every resource as well as using my own skills and maternal instincts.

TO SAY A LACK OF RESOURCES WAS AVAILABLE IS NO JOKE - AND I BEGGED, PLEADED, SHOUTED, CRIED AND SCREAMED FOR HELP to the professionals that were - sadly they let him down.
OLLY SUCCESSFULLY GOT CLEAN - HE HAD A COUPLE OF LAPSES - BUT KNEW HE WOULD ALWAYS STRUGGLE AND BE AN ADDICT.

Olly also self-harmed to great lengths and the last 18 months of his life were extremely distressing for him, myself and his Siblings and he sadly lost his battle 08.12.2022 - just 9 months ago.
After Olly fell asleep I discovered fro. People and their Parents he had helped and saved many many people all across the world whilst struggling himself and at his lowest points in life.

OLLY IS TRULY A UNSUNG HERO.

Olly was a handsome, intelligent, kind, caring, loyal, respectable young man with the purest heart. He would walk miles daily to ensure a homeless gentleman ate and had some company.
He was the young man that would help an elderly or disabled person carry their shopping or step In if he saw bullying.

He was no danger to anyone except himself.

He was my Son, MY Best Friend, MY Anchor, MY Rock, MY Light and my strength - I died alongside him - but had to keep functioning and existing for his two Siblings.

Olly and I Set Up the Crusade together initially as a private group - to tell his story and to support and Signposting as many people as we could as well as aiming to register as an official charity and raise funds for much needed
- Psyche units
- Psyche wards
- Detox Wards
- Detox units for teens as there aren't any and they don't know what to do with a Teenager no longer a child
but not classed as an adult.

After Olly went to sleep I wanted to hide and give up but I don't have that option instead I VOWED to continue the work we started together." Taken from Olly's Teen Crusade Facebook Group.

The InspireU Trust is going to support Anita and her team by providing FREE safeguarding training and provide safeguarding support.