I was lucky enough to find some of my grandmothers diaries when my parents died. They make fascinating reading, it is a privilege to have insight into her mind and thoughts around the time I was born. It led me to think that I ought to set out some memoirs of my own which may just be of interest to the next, or next but one, generation. It has had me trying to remember the experiences of my childhood and adolescent years.

Who would want to be an adolescent?! I do not believe there has ever been a tougher time for me. There we are trying to understand what on earth is happening to our bodies and emotions whilst coping with new, powerful sexual urges and trying to find our place in the world. It is a time when we can be obsessively self-conscious from comparing ourselves to our peers, usually very unfairly, and wishing we were everything except for the way we are. It really is no mystery why so many people suffer with depression. I remember, almost to the day, when I decided that I would not care about what other people thought anymore - I was who I was and I had better accept myself. 

But in this new world of social media, where sexting and exploitation are rife, the consequences of a mistake can be cruel and all-consuming to a vulnerable young person. Added to that, the blue-prints of how to commit suicide are there for all to find. Just how long are we going to allow the social media giants to remain largely unregulated? The tragic case of Molly Russell, aged 14, who took her own life after viewing suicide and self-harm materials on social media has brought this issue to the fore. At last, the government are coming to the conclusion that voluntary codes of conduct have not worked and platforms like Instagram will be forced to remove content of this nature in the future. 

Last week was Children's Mental Health Week. Outside St George's Hall in Liverpool 226 pairs of shoes, representing the horrifying number of young people who took their own lives in 2017, were lay down. When I see my own grandson who, at just five, is so full of life, hope and vitality, I cant help but think of the struggles he will face as he comes to terms with the sometimes nasty world. I am sure he will receive a lot of love and support but it is never that simple and the NHS does not have the resources to provide an answer to all the problems. Charities like the Samaritans and Papyrus are doing their best to provide support and the last week was a great chance to raise awareness of the issues.

As an employer, we are proud of our record of hiring apprentices, equipping them with new skills and self-confidence in their abilities. However, we should never take for granted the fact that people are coping and dealing with issues in their lives that extend way beyond the workplace. That is why we have a trained team of 16 Mental Health First Aiders who are available at any time to talk. On top of this, we are lucky to have a team of expert mental health solicitors who help people with severe mental health issues understand their rights whilst within the mental health system. 

I do not know how I would have coped if my family had been one of the 226, it is difficult to imagine the grief they all must go through. The display outside St George's Hall really moved me. It is so important for all of us to ensure that young people are not overwhelmed by the complexity of life and for us to relieve the pressure they feel where we can because there is so much to live for.