We’re proud to be supporting Mental Health Awareness Week which is taking place from Monday 13th until Sunday 19th May. It’s a subject very close to our hearts and over the past 3 years we have raised over £12,000 for Norwich and Central Norfolk Mind, a charity who provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing mental health problems.
Hayley, our Head of Finance commented: “I feel very privileged to work for a company that supports and cares for staff wellbeing. The Swans have the opportunity to receive a monthly wellbeing allowance to encourage us try a new activity that will support our health, whether it be physical or mental.”
In a hope to brighten up someone else’s day, we will be scattering handwritten, positive messages around the city of Norwich for members of the public to discover. We’re encouraging anyone who stumbles across a ‘note of kindness’ to share a picture of it on social media using the hashtag #SwanKindness and tag us in the post! We would love to see your messages and hear your reaction!
The theme for Mental Health Awareness Week is ‘Body image – how we think and feel about our bodies’. Body image impacts everyone in different ways but most of us have had days when we feel insecure or unhappy with the way we look. We want to help make others feel good about themselves and hope the notes will bring a smile and comfort to those who come across them.
We will be giving some subtle clues to the whereabouts of the notes on our social media profiles during the week, so make sure you are following us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter to check them out. If you do happen to come across one, we kindly ask you take your photo and place it back so that others can also discover them and share the experience.
During the week we will also be hosting the May edition of the ‘Norfolk Tweetup’ at the nest where we will be joined by a special guest, local chef and Mental Health Ambassador, Charlie Hodson. If you would like to pop along, you can find out more information on the Norfolk Tweetup website.
When I asked Alex why supporting Norwich Mind was important to him, he replied: “Norwich and Central Norfolk Mind need the support of local companies, like Indigo Swan, as they do not receive national funding. All the swans know that all the money we raise through our Big Indigo Quiz of the Year or sporting activities, can all make a big impact on what local services are offered.”
Hayley also added: “I am proud that we support the wonderful Norwich and Central Norfolk Mind and I love getting involved in our fundraising activities at Indigo Swan. As well as raising money for the fabulous work Mind do every day, I think it is so important to promote awareness that it’s okay not to be okay.”
Each of the swans will be wearing a Green Ribbon pin badge throughout the week to show our support and the money used to purchase them goes to the Mental Health Foundation. We will also be holding a charity bake sale in a bid to raise some money for Norwich and Central Norfolk Mind.
If you would like any more information on any of the activities we have planned then please do not hesitate to get in touch and have fun discovering our ‘notes of kindness’!
#MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
