About Us
Our Story
Born in Hamilton New Zealand, John Dennis (the founder of Dare 2 Express) now lives in Hampshire UK where he emigrated to in 2000, settled down with his wife and started a family.
Following a holiday to New Zealand in March 2013, John found himself regularly thinking of home, his mood growing more somber as he dwelled on how much he missed his childhood homeland. For perhaps the first time in his life he felt lost, despondent, and there seemed to be nothing he could do to snap himself out of it.
John was subsequently diagnosed with depression and medical support to aid in recuperation and get himself back on track. After an initial period of denial, he accepted help and counselling which begun a long journey of self-discovery for him.
This is where Dare 2 Express was born from in March 2016. Expression and depression are not friends, therefore, you’d not associate them together.
Expression in your darkest moments is a very difficult thing to do; so John is daring people to express themselves in a positive way, and through this charity he made a choice to help others as he had been helped.
John’s TEDx Talk
John knows what it’s like to suffer from depression and post-traumatic disorder. But he also knows what it takes to recover, and how crucial it is to get connected with others.
In this powerful and emotive talk he discusses dealing with his father’s suicide at an early age, how this later led him to the darkest places of his life, and how he eventually emerged stronger on the other side.
Our Impact
Dare 2 Express as a charity is small, but its reach is wide. We offer grants to those who need financial assistance as a direct result of mental ill-health.
Trust, in dark moments of life, is singularly the most important thing to get yourself back to some form or normality. This is why Dare 2 Express has been trusted by dozens of people with our grant system since being formed in 2016.
We all need help sometimes, and Dare 2 Express is here to do just that.
Can You Help?
