Sheffield wellbeing start-up expands following investment from TwinklHive

6th August 2020

The Sheffield-based organisation Champion Health is expanding its digital wellbeing platform after receiving an increase in enquiries

The Sheffield-based organisation Champion Health is expanding its digital wellbeing platform after receiving an increase in enquiries, and new investment from the global educational publisher, Twinkl.

Launched by social entrepreneur Harry Bliss, Champion Health helps businesses optimise the health and wellbeing of staff by offering proactive health assessments, data-driven solutions and online mental health training.

The company has recently seen a surge in enquiries as businesses seek to do more to support the wellbeing of their employees during this uncertain time.

Since March, Champion Health has had 7,000 new individual registrations and over 400 businesses and company sign-ups. This is compared to 1,500 signups the business had at the start of 2020. In April, the company made its online mental health training free in response to the increase in enquiries and the impact that the lockdown period and working from home was having on people’s wellbeing.

Champion Health is a resident at Twinkl’s business accelerator, TwinklHive, which offers space, investment, and support services to start-ups that are set to make a difference in society. TwinklHive, in Sheffield, has been home to the company since March but this month also invested in the platform. This will enable Champion Health to expand its team over the next few months.

Harry Bliss, who founded Champion Health at just 24, said: “We have seen a significant increase in demand since the lockdown in the UK began. Employee wellbeing is now at the forefront of business leaders minds. There has definitely been a shift in attitude towards workplace health in the past 3 months and we can only see the need becoming greater. Due to home working, many employers are finding it difficult to spot the warning signs of employees struggling and may not be equipped with how they can support them.

“With our platform being digital, it has been ideal for organisations to launch whilst remote working is taking place. The platform enables businesses to build wellbeing strategies off the back of real data, which is essential for any organisation to perform at their peak

We have found an increase in demand when compared to earlier this year, even after we finished the free mental health training offer”.

The investment from TwinklHive will support Champion Health to push ahead with its growth plans by expanding its platform and creating an app.

Paul Berwin, founder of Berwins Solicitors, supported Champion Health throughout the investment process. Paul founded Berwins in 1986 and led the firm to become one of the leading law firms in North Yorkshire, before taking the bold step of leading the opening of its Berwins Digital Leeds office in 2013.

The team at Twinkl and TwinklHive are now using the Champion Health platform to support team members, who are based at its two offices in Sheffield, office in Australia and remotely across the world. This includes offering all team members the online mental health training and asking them to complete a workplace health assessment so a workplace health programme can be created.

Jonathan Seaton, Co-Founder and CEO at Twinkl, said: “Champion Health was founded quite simply, to change and save lives. At Twinkl and TwinklHive, we are, and always will be, mission-driven and we put people at the core of what we do. We were absolutely delighted to be able to offer an investment opportunity to Harry and his team so that they can continue transforming how people view and support mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

“It is also wonderful to be using Champion Health to support our own team. We know just how impactful and insightful their services are, and look forward to helping our team and other businesses help theirs through the incredible services that Champion Health offers.”

Champion Health has been able to sustainably grow since launching in 2018 by being resourceful and receiving support from health care professionals that recognised the potential of the platform to significantly impact workplace health. This includes General Practitioners and academics who have offered pro bono services to help construct the service.

For more information visit https://championhealth.co.uk/