Since 2021, when Ceri Mentai-Davis – CEO & Co-Founder of ‘It’s Never You’ charity + Director: The Shire London, The Inspiration, The Legacy & West London Golf Centre – lost his son Hugh, I have been inspired by her unwavering efforts to support all parents of children with severe disabilities or diseases.
As a father of a 5-year-old son, I feel compelled to stand alongside Ceri in her noble initiative. Wishing him all the best on this important journey!
Ceri and his wife Frances established the charity It’s Never You to provide vital support for parents facing the challenges of a child’s life-threatening illness.
Since its inception, the charity has successfully raised over £500,000, enabling it to offer both emotional and financial assistance to hundreds of families in need.
Their efforts are making a significant impact on the lives of those navigating these difficult circumstances.
Ceri recently accomplished the incredible feat of raising £38,000 by completing the 2025 London Marathon while carrying a 20kg rucksack, symbolizing the weight Hugh bore when he passed away, with the names of 450 children affected by cancer embroidered onto it.
Yet, Ceri’s journey does not end there. Over the last three years, he has emerged as a passionate advocate in Westminster for crucial reform in employment rights.
Since 2023, he has led the charge for Hugh’s Law, a groundbreaking initiative that seeks to transform UK employment legislation by ensuring parents of critically ill children receive Day One paid leave and job protection.
The current absence of legal rights for parents facing their child’s life-threatening diagnosis forces many to relinquish jobs, turn to food banks, or plunge into debt during their darkest hours.
At the heart of this movement is a strong plea for immediate legal reform.
Under the existing system, parents can only access unpaid Carer’s Leave, which is limited to a mere week per year and is entirely at the employer’s discretion.
In 2024, a Private Members’ Bill for Hugh’s Law reached its second reading in Parliament, championed by the dedicated Sir Oliver Heald.
The then Minister for Employment, Jo Churchill, called for the bill’s withdrawal to pave the way for the Government to develop a formal proposal.
Since then, Ceri has collaborated with his new MP, Chris Hinchliff, engaged in multiple meetings with the Minister for Disability and Social Care, Sir Stephen Timms, and received encouraging support from the Prime Minister during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs).
In March 2025, Hugh’s Law became the centerpiece of a robust debate in Westminster Hall after a cross-party letter signed by 80 MPs highlighted the urgent need for reform, resonating across the political spectrum.
Most recently, the campaign advanced significantly as Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson tabled an amendment to the Employment Rights Bill in the House of Lords on behalf of Ceri and Frances.
If passed, this amendment would establish a new statutory right to leave and receive pay for parents facing a critical childhood illness, aligning the law with existing protections, such as Neonatal Care Leave.