In the latest podcast from EMEA Recruitment, we spoke to international fundraiser and keynote speaker Charles Hammerton about his struggles with mental health.

"Someone needs to stand up and say, something's not right here - we need to talk about it."

This podcast episode not only addresses the difficulties of mental health issues, but details how Charles has learnt from his past – and who helped him do it. It’s a difficult topic for many people to discuss, but Charles explains the importance of having an open and honest conversation.

Although Charles had a “fantastic upbringing”, his life went through what he describes as a “normal unravelling”, before plummeting into difficult experiences in a short space of time. This led him to have suicidal thoughts, which no one in his life knew he was suffering.

That’s where Bandit comes in. Bandit the ferret (now the namesake of his bushcraft business, Adventure Bandits) gave Charles a reason to hold on.

Charles decided to set off on his own adventure and, in his own words, “do me”. This journey led him on a walk across the country, skateboarding across London, and driving to the Arctic Circle and across Europe. He’d even completed his bucketlist by the time he was 25!

Unfortunately, Bandit passed away upon Charles’ return to the UK. Alongside Adventure Bandits, Charles has now formed a mix of different work commitments and hobbies, including keynote speaking.

We discuss why Charles tells his story, his influences and why he’s made some enemies – he even tells us what he’s terrified of feeling on his deathbed!

Here are some helpful timestamps for listening to Charles’ story:

Charles’ background and upbringing, hitting the road in a camper van with a ferret - 03:00
The importance of talking about mental health - 08:00
How a ferret called Bandit helped Charles and inspired his company Adventure Bandits - 11:00
The value of talking, how to learn from experiences - 14:00
How Charles structures his public talks - 16:20
What Charles has learnt from his journey - 23:00
Support from the Prince’s Trust - 25:30
Charles’ inspirations - 28:30
Fears, achievements, work, ideas - 38:30
Swimming with dolphins in the Falklands and making the most of opportunities - 43:40
How to connect with Charles - 47:00

We hope you enjoy the podcast – remember to comment and share.

Listen to the full episode here: https://emearecruitment.libsyn.com/emea-recruitment-podcast-episode-50-charles-hammerton-award-winning-inspirational-speaker-workshop-leader-and-bushcraft-instructor

Or at:

If you want to reach out to Charles, you can connect with him through LinkedIn on: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/charles-hammerton-adventure-bandits-bushcraft-1386b1146

Or visit Charles’ website: https://www.charleshammerton.com/

Or: https://www.adventurebandits.co.uk/

Through Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealCharlesHammerton

Or on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charleshammertoninspire

The podcast is hosted by Founder of EMEA, Paul Toms, and Executive Recruiter and Senior Consultant, Jenny Callum.

To find out more about EMEA Recruitment, visit: https://www.emearecruitment.com

Follow EMEA Recruitment on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/

Or connect with Paul on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultomsemea

Or Jenny at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennycallumemea

Please like and share the post so your network can benefit from this advice.

If you have any questions or topics you would like EMEA Recruitment to cover in our podcasts in the future, please send us a message on LinkedIn and we will look to help as much as possible.