Sussex's ADHD Coaching Agency joins forces with charity to help save lives

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The mother of teen Henry Grierson, who took his own life after suffering from ADHD, is now working to try to stop another tragedy, with the help of a Sussex company.

Henry Grierson with his parents Ruth and Chad | Ruth Grierson

placeholder image — Henry Grierson with his parents Ruth and Chad | Ruth Grierson

Henry, who died in April 2024, suffered from ADHD from the age of 10 but struggled with the side effects of medication, so stopped using them and began to self-medicate as no other solution was available.

He ended up taking his own life just days after being suspended from college, he wrote suicide notes to his family, before leaving home to die in a nearby woodland.

The event at Crawley Downs on Saturday will launch the work with the charity. | Emma Stone

Now mum Ruth believes that if Henry had been offered coaching for his ADHD he may be alive today.

She said: "Henry's ADHD was so severe that he didn't see a way out, if he had known about coaching with someone young he may have been able to manage better and would be here today, it breaks my heart he never had that chance."

Ruth's charity - The Henry Grierson Foundation - has joined forces with the ADHD Coaching Agency, based in Sussex, to provide coaching to teenagers and young adults with ADHD. They provide young trained coaches to work with those with ADHD as an alternative to medication.

This Saturday Ruth and her family will travel to an event at Crawley Downs to formally launch the association with the Sussex firm.

Henry Grierson who took his own life. | Ruth Grierson

Olly Wilkinson, 21, from Sussex, is believed to be the youngest ADHD coach in the UK and is now working with people referred by the charity, all of the coaches have now been on a suicide awareness training course so they can spot the signs of suicide early on.

Former executive headhunter Emma Stone set up the ADHD Coaching Agency after she was diagnosed with the condition at the age of 56.

She said: "It's all about awareness, it's all about highlighting the link between ADHD and suicide which is highly amplified. We want to be able to help others understand ADHD."

The agency is holding an event this Saturday to formally launch its work with the foundation with A Night of Musical Theatre and Swing at The Haven Centre, Crawley Downs, RH10 4LJ from 7pm.

Tickets from: www.adhdcoachingagency.com/fundraiser