Our Henry Hawkins Lecture & Celebration 2025
Together’s Henry Hawkins Lecture and Celebration 2025 takes place on Wednesday 15th October 2025 and registration is now open. This year we’re hosting it in Norfolk at Norwich City Football Ground. The event is supported by our Norfolk Integrated Housing and Community Support Service (NIHCSS) and as well as thought leading speakers, will feature exhibitors from a range of innovative providers of mental health services based in the area.
About the event
The location of the event this year may make it more difficult for some people to attend but regular trains run from Liverpool Street in London to Norwich and the venue itself is very close to Norwich station. If travel to the event is prohibitive for people, we will be live streaming the event this year and you can sign up to this for free. We would emphasise though, that this will mean you won’t have the opportunity to join the discussion with other attendees in person, and enjoy meeting the speakers, networking with other guests etc. If you would like to be alerted when registration for the live stream becomes available, please email us to let us know, at HenryHawkinsLecture@together-uk.org.
Our theme
The exciting and eclectic agenda will promote thought provoking and insightful conversations, exploring and highlighting different elements of our theme of physical wellbeing and how it interplays with mental health.
Physical wellbeing can mean many things to different people. It can mean helping people to engage with healthcare services, an experience that can feel unequal and especially challenging for people experiencing mental distress. An individual’s mental health can also be impacted by living with a long-term physical health condition. We will explore activities that support good physical wellbeing that people can choose to take part in.
Our speakers
We are excited to be joined at the event by two thought-leading keynote speakers who will explore the theme in engaging ways and encourage questions from the audience to inspire discussion.
Dr Claire Carswell, NIHR Advanced Research Fellow, University of York –
People with mental health conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder experience serious challenges to their physical health. This contributes to something known as the ‘mortality gap’ – the fact that, on average, people with these conditions die 15-20 years earlier than people without. This gap is widening. Dr Claire Carswell will examine why this is happening and will look beyond just the issue of medication side effects to explore how the broader system sets some people up for poorer physical health. Dr Carswell will share her current research on what we can do to change this, with the goal of improving care, supporting better health, and ultimately helping close the mortality gap.
Claire Carswell is an NIHR Advanced Research Fellow and registered mental health nurse based at the University of York in the Mental Health and Addictions Research Group. Her research focuses on the relationship between mental and physical health, with a particular focus on health inequalities among people who have severe mental illness (conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder). She is currently conducting research looking at chronic kidney disease and mental health, and finding ways to better support people with severe mental illness manage their physical health.
Prof Jonathan Roiser, Professor of Neuroscience and Mental Health, UCL
Professor Jonathan Roiser will focus on the evidence base for physical activity as a treatment for issues people face with their mental health, especially depression. Professor Roiser will explore how this can work for people at both biological and psychological levels. He will examine the impact different types of activity have and emphasise that all types of movement can be effective, and that we do not need to rely solely on the gym!
Jonathan Roiser is Professor of Neuroscience and Mental Health at University College London where he co-directs a research group. For the past 15 years he has led a programme of work that seeks to understand the psychological and brain processes involved in driving symptoms of depression and its treatment, focusing on motivation. In recent years he has directed two studies investigating how physical activity works as an effective treatment for depression, including a large ongoing NHS trial funded by Wellcome.
George Egg, Chef, Comedian and Author of The Snack Hacker Cookbook
A comedian who cooks, George is an award-winning, multi-sell-out performer who will present a light-hearted performance showcasing the fun that can be had in both preparing and cooking food.
We look forward to you joining us, for what will be a fascinating evening of lecture, celebration and networking. Refreshments will be available on the night.
Key event details
Date: 15th October 2025 (4pm until 7:30pm although exact timings will be confirmed nearer the date)
Venue: Norwich City Football Ground, Carrow Road, Norwich NR1 1JE
Book a place for the live stream
If you’re unable to attend the event in person you can watch it online by booking a place to watch the live stream. Complete the form below to register and be sent the link to join:
If you have questions, please contact us at HenryHawkinsLecture@together-uk.org
