Building on our learning from 2025, we are keen to support the mental health of the people in our industry. Sheffield DocFest has partnered with experienced Mental Health Practitioners to provide free mental health check-ins during this year's festival.
The Mental Health Team will offer a confidential, bookable appointment (free of charge) to people who would like to take the opportunity to discuss current concerns. They'll offer appropriate professional advice based on the information shared during the appointment.
This appointment will take place in a private space, and appointments will be treated in strict confidence (in line with NHS best practice).
To take advantage of this opportunity, simply click on the link below:
http://tiny.cc/zt9i001
The Mental Health team will be based at the Workstation (S1 2BX) Please come and say hello – you may not need a mental health check in, but you may have an important question.
For all enquiries, please email: wellbeing@sheffdocfest.com or call +44 114 276 5141
Meet the Mental Health team
Mark Knowles - Mental Health Practitioner
Mark is a Freelance Filmmaker with a professional working life in NHS Mental Health and Psychological services. He now provides a wide range of practical as well as specialist support to Film projects - including the support of vulnerable collaborators talking on camera for the first time about traumatic lived experience. Mark is a qualified Mental Health Nurse and Cognitive Behaviour Psychotherapist and was the Clinical and Risk Management Lead for one of the largest Talking Therapy Services in the country - he retired from the NHS in 2019 and returned to the industry in a dual role: Freelance Filmmaker; and Wellbeing Facilitator (providing psychological support on-set).
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/wellbeingfacilitatorspecialistmentalhealthfilmsupport
Heather Stonebank - Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner
Heather is an experienced mental health professional passionate about improving access to psychological support and promoting wellbeing. She began her career on acute mental health wards in 2006 before moving into substance misuse services and training as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) in 2008. Since then, she has supported the development of the PWP profession and delivery of evidence-based low-intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
Heather has led national and regional work focused on workforce development, best practice, and service improvement, and has also worked nationally with NHS England on quality improvement across NHS Talking Therapies, Dementia, and Early Intervention in Psychosis services. In her current role as a Clinical Programmes Manager within the Regional Mental Health team, she supports service development and champions high-quality, accessible care.
Alongside her professional work, Heather is passionate about storytelling and creative spaces that support resilience, wellbeing, and mental health in high-pressure environments. She is excited to collaborate again with Mark, continuing a shared commitment to mental health over the past 20 years, as they return for a second year supporting wellbeing at Sheffield DocFest.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-stonebank-47b41566/?originalSubdomain=uk
