“I didn’t just want to talk about mental health. I wanted to build something that felt like a lifeline — something real, from the heart, for the people.” Chris Jordan is the Founder and Director of Managing Our Mental (MOM CIC) — a community-rooted mental health organisation shaped by his own lived experience and driven by a deep passion to create change where it’s needed most. Chris’s journey with mental health is personal, complex, and powerful. Like many, he grew up in a world where emotional struggles were often hidden, dismissed, or stigmatised. It wasn’t until he faced a severe mental health crisis himself — during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic — that he truly realised how fragile and unsupported many people are when it comes to their emotional wellbeing. That experience changed him. At a time when isolation and fear were overwhelming, Chris found himself navigating not only his own mental health but also witnessing how many others in his community were silently struggling too. The systems in place felt cold, distant, and difficult to access — and when help came, it often lacked cultural understanding, empathy, or continuity. That’s when the seed for MOM was planted. Chris envisioned a space that felt like a hug, not a form. A place where people could talk honestly about what they were going through without judgment, labels, or red tape. He wanted to create the kind of support he never had — rooted in compassion, not bureaucracy. That dream became Managing Our Mental (MOM) — a community for healing, for expression, for togetherness. But Chris isn’t just a passionate advocate — he’s also a doer. He holds a Level 2 Certificate in Mental Health Awareness, and is currently training to become a certified Mental Health First Aid England Instructor. His unique ability to connect with others through empathy and storytelling has earned him recognition from the NHS as an Expert by Experience, and he regularly delivers motivational talks and workshops to inspire others. Professionally, Chris works as a Commercial Manager in central London, balancing his leadership of MOM with a full-time career. But what sets him apart is the way he brings his whole self into every space — from boardrooms to peer groups, workshops to cafés. Chris is also MOM’s resident Wellbeing DJ, using music as a therapeutic tool to connect, uplift, and create shared joy. Whether spinning vinyl at a community pop-up or leading a breathing workshop to the rhythm of soul and house beats, Chris knows the power of music to heal and unite. At the heart of everything he does is a simple belief: "Mental health support should be accessible, human, and filled with heart." His mission is not just to support people in crisis, but to create spaces of prevention, education, and empowerment — especially for those who are often left out of the conversation: men, global majority communities, LGBTQI+ individuals, young people, and anyone made to feel like they don’t belong. Chris has built MOM on trust, empathy, and solidarity. Every project is shaped by real stories, real people, and real care. He’s living proof that with compassion, courage, and community, healing is possible — and that even the hardest chapters in life can lead to something beautiful.