Nicola Hodkinson, owner and director at construction firm Seddon, has been appointed chair of the workplace mental health charity Mates in Mind.
Hodkinson, who has served as a trustee of the charity for the past five years, takes over from Kevin Myers, a founding trustee who became chair in 2023 after succeeding founding chair Steve Hails.
Her appointment marks a significant moment for Mates in Mind as the charity continues its work to improve mental health and well-being across workplaces, with a particular focus on construction and other high-risk sectors.
Mates in Mind raises awareness and supports organisations to implement practical interventions to improve mental health at work. While the charity’s roots are in construction, it also extends support to sectors such as transport, logistics, and other high-risk industries.
Hodkinson’s appointment reflects her long-standing dedication to improving mental health in the construction industry and beyond, as well as Seddon’s commitment to supporting the charity’s mission.
Suicide remains one of the construction sector’s biggest challenges, underlining the urgent need for effective cultural and systemic change across the industry.
Hodkinson said: “Having seen first-hand the impact workplace culture can have on mental health, I joined Mates in Mind as a trustee five years ago because I knew our industry was not doing enough. Poor well-being and suicide are wider societal issues, but in construction, those challenges can be amplified by the nature of the work.
“What Kevin and Steve have built is incredibly powerful, helping turn Mates in Mind from a visionary concept into an organisation driving real, life-saving change.
“Awareness matters, but it is not enough on its own. We need to work with the sector to better understand the causes of poor mental health and suicide in construction, and scale practical interventions that help prevent people from reaching crisis point.”
Jordan’s conversation
Seddon launched Jordan’s Conversation following the loss of one of their own, Jordan Bibby, in 2017. The initiative has since engaged more than 3,000 people, trained more than 50 mental health first aiders, and helped create a workplace culture where open conversations about mental health are encouraged.
Recognising that support was lacking across its wider supply chain, Seddon partnered with Mates in Mind to launch the Champions Programme. This initiative builds mental health awareness across organisations, equipping employees to spot when someone may be struggling and know how to provide support.
Samantha Downie, managing director of Mates in Mind said: “We are pleased to welcome Nicola as chair of Mates in Mind. She brings deep sector knowledge, first-hand experience and a clear commitment to turning awareness into practical action.
“Her work with Seddon, including the Champions Programme, shows the difference that committed leadership can make across construction and supply chains, and how that learning can be adapted across other sectors.
“We also extend our sincere thanks to Kevin and Steve, whose leadership has helped establish Mates in Mind as an organisation driving much-needed systemic change in workplace mental health.”
As chair, Hodkinson will support Mates in Mind as it continues to move beyond awareness scale proven solutions and help ensure that people across all sectors know it is okay not to be okay, and that support is available.
Main image: Nicola Hodkinson, owner and director at Seddon, and chair of Mates in Mind
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