Lewis Pearce, the graphic designer behind Casual Minds Matter's branding, has raised two thousand five hundred and seventy-five pounds for the organisation with a charity skydive at Black Knights Parachute Centre in Lancashire. The jump, completed in late 2024, significantly exceeded its original fundraising target and beating the original target.
Pearce runs CMYK Design and Print in Burnley and has been involved with CMM since its early days, designing the organisation's logo, signage, and promotional materials. The funds raised are equivalent to hundreds of free counselling and group therapy sessions for people in Burnley who cannot access or afford private mental health support.
Dave Burnett, CMM's founder and director, said Pearce's contribution said a lot about the people around CMM. "Lewis designed everything you see when you walk into our building. He did not have to jump out of a plane as well, but that is the kind of person he is. That money will directly fund sessions for people who are in crisis, and every penny of it stays in Burnley."
The skydive fundraiser is one of several individual challenges undertaken by supporters of CMM in recent years, alongside long-distance cycle rides, memorial gigs, and community collections. The organisation receives no statutory funding from the NHS, local authority, or central government, making these grassroots efforts essential to its survival.
CMM operates from 4 Howe Walk in Burnley town centre, offering free one-to-one counselling, group sessions, and walk-in support. The town's mental health need is among the most severe in England, with a suicide rate of 17.4 per 100,000 people and depression prevalence significantly above the national average. Without organisations like CMM, many of those people would have no way to get help quickly.