17 Sep 2025
Platinum streaming artist Grace George has been announced as a new ambassador for Youth Talk, the St Albans charity providing free counselling for young people.
The singer, who has enjoyed in excess of 72 million streams on Spotify and had her music featured on reality show Love Island, said the charity means a lot to her because of the support she received following the death of her dad.
To celebrate her new role, Grace will perform live at the finishing event of GPS-powered treasure hunt The Great St Albans Challenge on Sunday October 12.
She said: “I am delighted to become an ambassador of Youth Talk. Having a safe space to talk to somebody confidentially and face-to-face in the heart of St Albans was critical for me.
“I’ve always struggled throughout my life with mental health, after losing my dad when I was very young and then just being in an industry where mental health is such a thing. I was in a really dark place and it feels like you’ll never get out of it, but my counsellor was amazing.
“If it wasn’t for a charity like this, there’d be a lot more unhappy children and young people and adults than there are now. I think it’s a brilliant charity.”
Chief executive of Youth Talk David Barker said “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Grace George as a Youth Talk ambassador. Grace’s honesty, warmth, and courage in sharing her own mental health journey will inspire so many of the young people we support. Her voice — both as an artist and as an advocate — will help us challenge stigma, raise awareness, and show young people that it’s okay to ask for help.”
Last year, The Great St Albans Challenge event raised more than £8,000, which helped fund around 160 free counselling sessions for young people aged 13-25. But with 120 young people currently receiving weekly support and 80 more on the waiting list, this year’s fundraising is more urgent than ever.
Teams of up to six people can register for the challenge, which begins at St Albans Cathedral, and local businesses are also invited to enter a team or sponsor the event.
For more details and to sign up, visit www.greatstalbanschallenge.org.uk
