We’re delighted to share some incredible news: HelloHope has been awarded the Charity Innovation Award and £10,000 at this year’s Amazon Innovation Challenge Prize. The recognition highlights the transformative potential of our upcoming world-first virtual reality suicide prevention training programme—and marks an exciting new chapter for our mission to save lives through education, compassion, and community.
HelloHope was founded by Ellie MacDonald, whose life was shaped by loss at just four years old when her father died by suicide. Her personal experience is at the heart of everything she does: creating resources, training, and technology that empower ordinary people to support someone in crisis.
Today, HelloHope provides suicide prevention training to businesses, schools, and organisations across the UK. Our vision is simple: a world where everyone feels equipped to step in and help.
Reimagining Suicide Prevention Training Through VR
With the support of Amazon’s £10,000 prize, we are developing a first-of-its-kind VR training programme designed to make suicide prevention skills more accessible than ever.
Instead of traditional multi-day training, our VR experience will condense essential learning into a powerful two- to three-hour interactive session. Using realistic, immersive scenarios, participants will be able to:
- Recognise early warning signs
- Practise starting difficult conversations
- Build confidence in helping someone in crisis
- Learn within a psychologically safe virtual environment
This innovation will help us reach thousands more people each year—and ensure that lifesaving skills are available to all communities, not just a few.
Support From Amazon’s Innovation Accelerator
The award was presented at Amazon’s London headquarters in Shoreditch, during a ceremony celebrating the impact of this year’s Innovation Accelerator programme. Held earlier this year in Leeds, the Accelerator provided HelloHope with expert masterclasses, business mentoring, and opportunities to connect with leaders across different fields.
Ellie shared her gratitude at the event:
“We’re thrilled to receive this recognition from Amazon. Our work is driven by the belief that with the right skills, confidence, and compassion, ordinary people can help save lives. This award will enable us to reach even more communities across the UK and beyond. Thank you, Amazon!”
MP Alex Sobel also praised the achievement:
“Congratulations to Ellie and the HelloHope team on this fantastic recognition… Initiatives like this show the real impact that local entrepreneurs can have in strengthening our communities and supporting economic growth.”
And John Boumphrey, Amazon’s UK & Ireland Country Manager, highlighted the significance of the work:
“HelloHope’s use of cutting-edge technology to address such a critical public health challenge is extremely admirable… We’re proud to support innovation that directly benefits our community.”
Thanks to local media including The Yorkshire Evening Post for featuring this exciting news! You can read the article here: https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/business/leeds-mental-health-enterprise-wins-ps10000-innovation-challenge-prize-from-amazon-for-world-first-vr-suicide-prevention-training-5411694.
