Contributors
For the third year running, WBD is proud to be promoting Mental Health Awareness Week (13 – 17 May). With a range of events and activities organised across the firm's UK offices, WBD aims to remove stigma attached to mental health issues and enhance awareness of the resources available to its people, offering insights, tips and useful contacts that can help maintain a healthy mind.
Some of the events and initiatives being held this week include:
- Tea & Talk sessions with the firm's dedicated Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA) where staff from all offices can talk about the issues that concern them and better understand the services made available by the firm including Unum LifeWorks and Rightsteps. WBD has the same amount of MHFA as traditional First Aiders
- Offering staff the opportunity to book a 15 minute massage for a small donation to mental health charity Mind.
- A session on stress run by Leeds Mind, another mental health charity, that will provide insight on the different ways we can manage and release stress. The session will be delivered in the firm's Leeds office and streamed via VC to all UK offices
- Hope Virgo, a recognised media spokesperson, will be talking about her own battle with anorexia and how she dealt with a prolonged period of poor mental health tying in with the Mental Health Foundation's focus during Mental Health Awareness Week on 'body image'. This will also be streamed in all UK offices.
Tracy Walsh, partner and Board Sponsor for Diversity and Inclusion at WBD, commented:
"Over the years we have done a significant amount of work to build a culture that respects and embraces mental wellbeing and we aim to do as much as we can to raise awareness of mental health and provide support to those who need it. We've been promoting Mental Health Awareness Week for three consecutive years which has helped us foster a spirit of openness to help break down the barriers that often prevent people from seeking support or advice."
