YEOVIL NEWS: M&S staff support Mind in Somerset mental health charity

THE Marks & Spencer store in Yeovil has raised £2,000 for mental health charity Mind in Somerset.

In June 2019 staff voted to make their local Mind their Charity of the Year and recently they presented it with a cheque at the Middle Street store.

“We voted for a local charity because we wanted to help people in our local community,” said Maria Dennett, women’s wear manager.

“There’s a lot more awareness around mental health and illness nowadays and Mind in Somerset was the charity our 100 staff wanted to help. Most of us know someone who has suffered from depression or anxiety and so we can relate to mental health issues.”

The funds came from staff buying flowers from the shop which had reached their sell-by date. There were also collection pots at the check-outs.

M&S Yeovil has a support system which refers anyone struggling with mental health in the workplace to six counselling sessions.

“Our sickness course for managers has a whole topic on mental health and we have workplace courses to go on to train for certain situations,” added Maria.

Corporate partnerships co-ordinator at Mind in Somerset, Alison Baker, said: “This is a fantastic achievement by the staff at Marks and Spencer in Yeovil.

“We’re really grateful for their support and generosity. And as a business they really care about mental health in the workplace.”

PHOTO: Pictured (from left) outside the M&S store in Yeovil are Stacey Anthony-Kendall, Maria Dennett, Ben Pitman and Mind in Somerset’s Alison Baker.

Tags:
News.