New Greater Manchester foundation turns wheelie bins into messages of hope

A powerful new mental health initiative has launched across Greater Manchester, using an unlikely everyday object to spark life-saving conversations: the humble wheelie bin.

The Bin Silence Foundation, officially launched in March, is already gaining momentum just days into its journey, transforming streets into spaces of awareness, remembrance and support.

Founded by Johnny De Mouilpied and Caroline Tiplady, the project is deeply personal. It was created in loving memory of Philip, a “Daddy, Husband, Brother, Son, Uncle and friend,” who tragically died in October 2025 after struggling in silence with his mental health.

His loss, the founders say, changed their world forever.

“This foundation is our way of helping others feel seen, heard, and supported before silence becomes too heavy to carry,” they shared.

A simple idea with a powerful message

At the heart of the initiative are bright green bin stickers - designed to be bold, visible, and meaningful.

With over 100 million wheelie bins seen across the UK every week, the idea is simple: use something everyone notices to deliver a message that matters.

Each sticker carries symbolic elements: a teardrop shape, honouring those lost to mental health struggles, an outline of a person, representing those who feel unseen or alone, a bright green colour, symbolising hope, visibility and mental health awareness.

Placed on bins outside homes, they quietly but powerfully say: “You matter. You’re seen. You’re not alone.”

“These aren’t just stickers,” Johnny explained during an interview on Tameside Radio. “They spark conversations and help people who might be struggling, feeling lost or alone.”

From grief to action

Speaking on the same programme, Caroline described the driving force behind the foundation.

“Sadly, our gorgeous brother took his own life last October,” she said. “We’re not a family to just sit and do nothing. If we can help others so they don’t feel like Philip did, then we’ve done our job.”

That determination has already made an impact. Within just five days of launching, the foundation has been flooded with messages, orders, and deeply personal stories.

Johnny revealed: “People have told me things they’ve never spoken about before like losing family members decades ago. It’s already starting conversations.”

A rapid rise

What began as a grassroots idea has quickly grown into something much bigger.

Following a launch event in Manchester that raised over £8,000, demand for the stickers surged so quickly that the team had to rapidly set up systems to manage orders.

“It’s been madness,” Caroline admitted. “We were replying to messages one by one at first, but now it’s growing into something much more structured.”

A full website is expected to launch soon, making it easier for supporters to get involved and learn more.

Aiming high

Despite being in its infancy, the foundation’s ambitions are bold.

The team’s first major goal is to sell 100,000 sticker sets - raising £1 million for mental health charities across the UK.

And they believe it’s achievable.

“When you think about how many bins there are in this country,” Johnny said, “we can absolutely do it.”

Beyond fundraising, the foundation is also working to build partnerships with established mental health charities, ensuring the money raised goes where it is most needed.

Turning streets into support networks

At its core, Bin Silence is about visibility, breaking the quiet that often surrounds mental health struggles.

In neighbourhoods across Tameside, Oldham and beyond, bins are beginning to carry messages of compassion instead of just waste. And in doing so, they’re helping to normalise conversations many still find difficult to start.

The founders hope their initiative will continue to spread street by street, community by community.

“Please follow our journey, share this far and wide, and help us spread hope to every street,” they urge.

For more information and to order your Bin Silence sticker visit: www.binsilence.co.uk