Man who 'put heart into community' dies aged 38

Mikey Heald set up multiple community groups to offer support to people

A man who made it his mission to help people in his community has died at the age of 38.

Mikey Heald set up Collective Revolution CIC in Derbyshire, which includes Collective Hub Swadlincote and LGBT+ Collective.

One of Mr Heald's friends, Melissa Mallender, 39, said: "He put his whole heart and soul into the community. If the community needed something or wanted something, he'd find the means to make it happen."

A funeral for Mr Heald was held at the Bretby Crematorium on Tuesday.

Mr Heald was also a finalist for BBC Radio Derby's Make a Difference Awards in 2023

Ms Mallender said Mr Heald was one of her best friends and added: "We had... groups for adults with additional needs children, SEND children, youth groups, a community cafe where people could just come in, every day we had something different happening for all aspects of everybody.

"[I met him] just under two years ago. I was struggling quite severely with my own mental health and I'm not ashamed to say it, I was coming out the back of a suicide attempt.

"My husband saw that this new place was open, a collective hub, and he said, 'why don't you go down and have a chat?'

"Mikey was hiring volunteers at the time and I was just talking to him. He took me straight under his wing. He was just great.

"Whether he was cheering on his beloved Nottingham Forest, which we used to clash over a lot, or even just singing along to Steps or S Club 7, you couldn't help but be happy around him.

"If you left your phone unattended around him, he would access your camera and take a million selfies."

'Giant loss'

Ms Mallender said she wanted to remember Mr Heald "through happiness and glitter and dancing and sparkles and joy".

"Everything good about him was magnified, because that's the kind of person he was," she added.

"We held a memorial for him the Friday after he passed and there was about 400 people there."

Ms Mallender said Mr Heald's death was a "giant loss for everybody", adding: "For the community, for me as his friend. It's devastating.

"Resources need to be happening for men's mental health. We need to end the stigma that men can't talk about their feelings.

"If they do, don't belittle them just because they're men and say, 'you should man up'.

"Their feelings are valid. If we save one life in Mikey's name, then that is more than enough."

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