My name is John Boyham, and I am the Founder and Director of HRE4U CIC.
My life has taken me down many different paths. For many years I cared for both of my grandparents, separately, until the end of their lives. Being a carer taught me patience, compassion and the importance of simply being there for someone when they need you most. Alongside this, I worked as a DJ, something I loved because it brought people together and created moments of connection.
Like many people, I have also experienced some very difficult periods in my own life. I have struggled with poor mental health, and there have been times when life felt incredibly difficult. Those experiences gave me a real understanding of how isolating it can feel when you’re struggling and how important it is to have somewhere safe to turn.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I founded HRE4U with a simple goal: to make mental health support easier to access, easier to understand and free from judgement. What began as an online project has grown into HRE4U CIC, providing trusted mental health information, community wellbeing activities and a free weekly wellbeing café where people can find support, connection and a listening ear.
Today, HRE4U reaches thousands of people online while also supporting our local community through face-to-face sessions, practical wellbeing activities and compassionate support. Our long-term vision is to establish a permanent community crisis café in Sefton—a welcoming place where anyone can walk in, feel safe and know they will be treated with kindness and respect.
Everything I have experienced has shaped the way HRE4U has been built. I wanted to create the kind of support that I know can make a difference: somewhere that feels human, approachable and genuinely caring. My journey has shown me that difficult experiences do not have to define our future. They can become the reason we help others build a better one.
