About the Dogs

First up, why “Big Dog Little Dog”?

The   BDLD   metaphor   represents   our   service   offer   -   the   “big   dog”   approach   is   a   dynamic   set of   services   aimed   to   grab   the   attention   -   from   single   presentations   at   conferences   to   the delivery   of   highly   relevant,   effective   staff   training   such   as   Mental   Health   First   Aid   and   The Art   of   Disclosure.   These   services   operate   best   when   highly   visible   and   attention   grabbing, just   like   a   big   dog.   They   aim   to   raise   awareness   around   mental   ill   health,   its   links   with unemployment,   the   stigma   associated   with   mental   health   disorders   and   the   widespread discrimination that exists in the workplace, and in society in general. The   “little   dog”   service   offer   is   built   around   quietly   and   calmly   helping   organisations   to develop    the    way    in    which    they    operate,    from    advice    on    delivery    models    and    service integration    to    the    review,    development    and    roll-out    of    quality    systems    and    working practices.    This    includes    areas    such    as    embedding    psycho-education    in    employment support,    working    with    clinical    services    and    ensuring    that    good    practice    is    learnt    from, shared   and   implemented.   The   little   dog   lets   the   big   dog   get   all   of   the   attention,   always knowing that each is as effective as the other. But   equally,   the   BDLD   metaphor   comes   from   the   company’s   two   founders   -   men   with   many shared thoughts, values and passions but with a very obvious physical difference…..! Standing   an   imposing   6’8”   tall   and   weighing   in   at   an   eye-watering   23   stone,   Kevin’s   not called   the   big   one   without   reason!   Some   of   his   earliest   memories   relate   to   serious   mental health   disorders,   when   he   used   to   visit   his   mother’s   workplace   -   the   “Leybourne   Grange Hospital   for   the   Mentally   Deficient”.   This   gave   him   early   exposure   to   the   most   complex   of needs, and an admiration for those who live with such challenges. Fast   forward   to   the   present,   and   the   boy   became   a   man.   A   man   who   became   an   electronic engineer,   a   police   officer,   a   security   specialist   and   a   publican.   And   running   one   of   those pubs    led    to    Kevin    having    a    “nervous    breakdown”    in    1995.    Following    a    diagnosis    and treatment   for   severe   depression,   Kevin   went   on   to   return   to   work   via   the   employability sector,   leading   to   him   supporting   others   with   poor   mental   health   to   put   their   lives   back together. In   the   29   years   that   have   passed   since   then,   Kevin   has   delivered   services,   managed   them and   run   his   own   businesses,   culminating   in   the   formation   of   BDLD   with   Bob   in   December 2017. Known    for    his    bombastic    delivery    style    and    (what    he    thinks    is    a)    portfolio    of    funny wisecracks, Kevin has a passion for delivery, technology and innovation. Where   Kevin   comes   at   the   subject   of   mental   health   from   a   lived   experience   angle,   Bob   has 30 years’ experience of delivering rehabilitation services. Starting   his   journey   in   Lincolnshire,   Bob   specialised   in   multicultural   support,   including   a spell   in   Zimbabwe.   This   had   a   profound   effect   on   him,   allowing   him   to   better   appreciate many   of   the   stigmas   surrounding   mental   illness   within,   and   aimed   towards,   minority   ethnic groups. On   his   return   to   Blighty,   Bob   started   working   for   a   small   local   authority   service,   supporting people   with   severe   and   enduring   disorders   to   find,   and   stay   in,   employment.   The   service became a charity in its own right, and Bob went on to become Chief Executive. That   organisation,   now   known   as   Twining   Enterprise,   is   still   thriving   today,   working   across multiple   London   boroughs.   Bob’s   finest   achievement   there   was   leading   Twining   to   become the first non-NHS service in London to be awarded IPS Centre of Excellence status. These   days,   he   splits   his   time   between   delivering   training   and   taking   his   beloved   motorbike out for cruises down long and winding roads.