When James Priestley saw someone he knew struggle to access timely mental health support, the delay between crisis and care stood out. Weeks of unanswered calls highlighted a growing gap within a system under pressure.
That experience helped shape the creation of VÕS HELP Limited, a platform designed to connect individuals experiencing mental health distress with qualified counsellors in under 60 seconds. The company recently received a 2026 Global Recognition Award for innovation,recognising its contribution to addressing one of the United Kingdom’s ongoing healthcare challenges. Today, more than 1.6 million people remain on waiting lists for mental healthcare, with access timelines varying significantly across regions.
Rather than replacing existing services, VÕS HELP offers an immediate pathway to professional support when delays may worsen outcomes. The mobile platform requires only an internet connection and operates on a pay as you go model with session pricing of £20 and £40. By removing subscriptions and long term commitments, the service is designed to make professional mental health support more accessible.
Since launch, the platform has onboarded more than 1000 qualified counsellors across the United Kingdom and facilitated over 1,200 calls and messages between users and professionals. The growing network reflects early adoption and demonstrates demand for faster access to human support.
Building From Experience
Priestley brings an unconventional background to the mental health sector, combining entrepreneurial experience, legal training, and high performance leadership credentials. In 2020, he won Channel 4’s SAS Who Dares Wins Series 5, completing a selection process that tests resilience, emotional intelligence, and decision making under pressure. Those principles now influence the platform’s emphasis on immediacy and human connection.
He also holds a law degree, providing grounding in regulatory compliance, safeguarding, data protection, and governance, areas critical to operating responsibly within a regulated healthcare environment. Prior to founding VÕS HELP, Priestley built and exited a profitable business, demonstrating operational discipline and commercial execution.
Alongside the commercial platform, he founded FAST HELP CIC, a not for profit social enterprise delivering subsidised and free mental health support to schools, veterans, and vulnerable communities. This dual structure allows the organisation to balance commercial sustainability with social impact while aligning with broader social prescribing initiatives.
Confronting A System Under Strain
Mental health access remains a persistent challenge across the United Kingdom. Waiting times can extend for months depending on service availability, while mental health related absence and presenteeism are estimated to cost the economy approximately £56 billion annually.
VÕS HELP focuses on immediacy during moments when timely conversation can matter most. Users connect with trained professionals quickly through a mobile first system that complements existing care pathways. For organisations, early intervention models are increasingly associated with reduced absence and improved workforce wellbeing.
Early traction includes independent user testimonials, sustained engagement from over 1000 counsellors, and more than 1,200 completed calls and messages. The platform is also being explored by employers seeking scalable wellbeing support, with annual programme costs estimated well below average absence related losses.
The company is positioning itself for measured expansion across Europe, North America, and Commonwealth territories through corporate partnerships, institutional frameworks, and university wellbeing initiatives.
Measuring Impact
Global Recognition Awards evaluated VÕS HELP using a structured innovation framework designed to compare applicants across multiple criteria, including novelty, adoption potential, and real world impact. The platform received top tier scores across all innovation categories, reflecting both scalability and practical application.
Beyond metrics, the model emphasises sustainable employment for counsellors by offering flexible professional opportunities while ensuring users receive support from qualified practitioners. The pay as you go structure removes long term financial barriers that can discourage individuals from seeking help.
VÕS HELP positions itself as a technology enabled human service, prioritising real conversations over automated alternatives. As spokesperson Alex Sterling from Global Recognition Awards noted:
“James Priestley demonstrates that meaningful innovation in mental health blends technology with human care. VÕS HELP shows how access, affordability, and professional connection can coexist in a scalable model.”
James now has his sights set on another fund raising event for Military personnel and active duty families.
James will be attempting to break a Guinness World Record in December 2026 for the Longest distance rowed in 24 hours on a concept 2 rowing machine. All funds raised will support free calls via VÕS HELP for Ministry of Defence staff and armed services.
Delayed intervention remains a challenge across healthcare systems, and VÕS HELP aims to provide an immediate option when traditional pathways cannot respond quickly enough, reinforcing the principle that timely human connection can play a critical role in moments of need.
