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Mikey Heald was 38 when he died earlier this year
A campaign is under way in Derbyshire to push a Christmas song up the charts in memory of a mental health champion.
Mikey Heald set up multiple community support groups in south Derbyshire prior to his death in October.
Now his friends and colleagues have got behind the campaign to encourage people to download Merry Christmas (Make Amends) by Melbourne-based band HorthWorld, with all money raised being donated to Derbyshire Mind.
The band’s singer-songwriter Andrew Horth said: “We want to at least make a dent in the charts. Mikey had done a lot to help other people and unfortunately, he needed help himself.”
Paige Morris Media
HorthWorld originally brought out the track in 2024
Mr Heald made it his mission to help people in his community – setting up Collective Revolution CIC in Derbyshire, which includes Collective Hub Swadlincote and LGBT+ Collective.
His friend Mel Mallender said: “His death is still tough to deal with.
“I work with the youth volunteers who worked with Mikey. We get through it together because that’s what he would have wanted. He’d absolutely love that this is happening.
“Obviously if we’re to get Christmas number one, we need to raise awareness.
“It’s a good song. I’m a metal-head. I listen to death metal to relax so normally this wouldn’t be my thing but it’s catchy. I wake up singing it in the morning.
“Mikey loved Christmas – it was his favourite time of year. He’d have downloaded this song a thousand times.
“We once held a half-Christmas in June. We put trees and decorations up and walked round as elves because he loved Christmas so much.”
‘Uplifting but melancholy’
Derbyshire Mind, men’s mental health group ManClub and South Derbyshire MP Samantha Niblett are among those supporting the campaign to get the song – originally released in 2024 – up the Christmas charts.
The track includes Melbourne Town Band and a choir made up of students from Castle Gresley-based Vocal Zone Voice Studio.
Andrew Horth said: “I bumped into Samantha [Niblett] at a festival a few months ago by chance.
“She jokingly said ‘how do we get this to Christmas number 1?’.
“It started a conversation. She said we could do it for charity and raise money for men’s mental health. I know she’d been aware of several male suicides in her constituency.
“So I was like, yes, let’s do it. That was only in November. So it’s been a quick turnaround.
“I didn’t know Mikey personally but I was aware of the outpouring of grief on social media for him.
“It seemed like a good thing to do to re-release this song for this cause.
“It’s an uplifting song tinged with melancholy, about maximising the limited time we have with loved ones we only see during the holidays.
“Christmas can be an especially tough time if you’re struggling with your mental health.
“We want to make a dent in the charts. We need a lot of streams – downloads are even better.”