May 13, 2024
In support of Mental Health Awareness Week 2024, the team at Robert Gerrard has brought together a selection of resources which we hope will be of value to our clients and contacts.
Employer of one or many, business partner or sole trader, there is every likelihood that at some point, you are going to come across a mental health related situation.
Whether you’re protecting employees, supporting a colleague or friend or looking for advice yourself, the good news is that there is a wealth of help available.
Our Mental Health First Aiders – Here to Help
Here at Robert Gerrard, we have two mental health first aiders. Senior Account Executives Marcus Hill and Claire Matthews completed a two-day Lift Industry Mental Health Charter course in September 2023.
As well as providing a listening ear for members of Team RG, Marcus and Claire are also on hand to help RG clients and contacts.
Claire has kindly put the following advice together for us to share with you. She says:
If you find yourself in a position where someone is experiencing a mental health issue, follow the CARE model:
C – CHECK for any significant risk of suicide or harm – look for signs of significant distress
A – APPLY non-judgemental communication skills – listen to what they say with your undivided attention
R – REASSURE and provide information – let them know that it’s OK to talk about their feelings
E – ENCOURAGE professional support – signpost to their GP in the first instance
Claire has also shared some simple things we can all do to keep a positive mindset:
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Exercise regularly
- Connect with others
- Set goals and challenges
- Take up a hobby
- Volunteer in the community
- Avoid unhealthy habits
And here is Claire’s useful list of contacts:
- NHS 111 – NHS mental health help
- Samaritans – FREE CALL 116 123 – for confidential advice and support
- Mind – an A-Z of mental health information
- Health & Safety Executive Working Minds Campaign – workplace mental health help and support for employers
- Public Health England – resources to support national and local organisations to improve the lives of people with mental health problems
The Lift Industry Mental Health Charter
The Lift Industry Mental Health Charter is an initiative focused on bringing together the lift industry to support mental health within the sector, with the aim of making it a safe and more supportive place to work.
As members of the Charter, we fully support their core commitments, which are to:
- Implement Well-being and Mental Health Risk Assessments
- Take Reasonable Steps to Support Employees’ Well-Being
- Implement Stress Risk Assessments
- Include Mental Health in Your Duty of Care and Safety
- Support the Lift Industry Mental Health Charter
The Charter organises well-being and social events for the lift industry, provides mental health courses for businesses, and also hosts mental health first aider courses.
You may find this flyer, provided by the Charter, useful to display in your workplace or share across your company intranet or other platforms.
You can download the PDF flyer here.
Should you require further support, the Charter has over 30 signposts on its website, as well as providing access to a free counselling service.
Visit the Lift Industry Mental Health Charter website
In March 2024, RG Senior Account Executive Marcus Hill was appointed to the Lift Industry Mental Health Charter committee.
We asked Marcus to provide some insights into his appointment…
How do you feel about being invited to join the Lift Industry Mental Health Charter committee?
I feel honoured to have been asked to join the committee. I see it not only as a personal recognition of my reputation within the lift industry, but also a reflection on Robert Gerrard’s Lift Plan presence within the market.
What motivated you to accept the invitation?
My family has close ties to mental health issues and, like many, I have personally endured the pains from the consequences of this cruel condition. Also, my eldest daughter has recently graduated with an MSc in Forensic Psychology and taken up a placement with the Leicestershire NHS Trust CAMHS Unit as an Assistant Psychologist.
When I attended the Charter’s mental health first aid course last year, I saw this as an opportunity to not only help friends, acquaintances and complete strangers, but also to assist me in understanding what my family was going through.
I was amazed by how open every single attendee on the course was, and to hear the harrowing events that each and every person had suffered. It also struck me how many people are both directly and indirectly affected by mental health issues.
What does the committee do?
The committee exists to promote mental health within the lift industry. They do this by organising events to raise awareness and fund courses and assistance to those lift industry members who are suffering.
There are currently around 80 companies signed up to the Charter. One of the committee’s jobs is to keep in touch with members, making sure they are doing all they can to uphold the Charter’s commitments.
What initiatives, fundraising campaigns or events can we expect to see coming up?
Free mental health course
On 15th May 2024, during Mental Health Awareness Week, the Charter will be providing a free one-day mental health course for anyone working within the lift industry. The course, delivered by Petrain Services, includes recognised certification.
Snowdon Climb Event
From 5th to 7th July 2024, the Charter will be hosting the Snowdon Climb Event, designed to promote good mental health through exercise and by bringing people together through the camaraderie of the lift industry.
The Snowdon Climb event will consist of two nights of camping with breakfast and dinner, and a walk up Mount Snowdon with everyone convening at the summit. Each participant is expected to bring a company flag showing their logo on one side and a mental health message on the reverse.
How do your roles at RG and on the committee complement each other in promoting mental health awareness and support in the lift industry?
The committee comprises members from across the lift industry, including lift engineering, subcontracting and component suppliers, as well as myself and Petra Northwood of Petrain Services.
Petrain not only provides the first aid training, but also heralds from lift engineering stock with several family members – including Petra’s father – being lift engineers.
The diversity of the committee helps offer a variety of perspectives. And Robert Gerrard’s wide base of more than 700 lift industry clients will hopefully help spread the message faster, as well as offering our clients ease of access to mental health first aid via my colleague Claire Matthews and myself.
It’s important to realise that a mental health first aider is not an expert in the field. What they are there to do is listen to your concerns, and then offer guidance as to where you might be able to find the expert assistance you need, whilst naturally maintaining confidentiality.
Supporting Mental Health Awareness Week 2024
Mental Health Awareness Week 2024 runs from 13-19 May. This year’s theme is ‘Movement: Moving more for our mental health’, helping people find ‘moments for movement’ in their daily routines.
Regular movement is one of the most important things you can do to help protect your mental health. It can help increase energy, reduce stress and anxiety, and boost self-esteem.
Here are some movement tips to help you get started.
The Mental Health Foundation has also provided a selection of resources to help you get involved this week.
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In support of Mental Health Awareness Week 2024, the team at Robert Gerrard has brought together a selection of resources which we hope will be of value to our clients and contacts.
Employer of one or many, business partner or sole trader, there is every likelihood that at some point, you are going to come across a mental health related situation.
Whether you’re protecting employees, supporting a colleague or friend or looking for advice yourself, the good news is that there is a wealth of help available.
Our Mental Health First Aiders – Here to Help
Here at Robert Gerrard, we have two mental health first aiders. Senior Account Executives Marcus Hill and Claire Matthews completed a two-day Lift Industry Mental Health Charter course in September 2023.
As well as providing a listening ear for members of Team RG, Marcus and Claire are also on hand to help RG clients and contacts.
Claire has kindly put the following advice together for us to share with you. She says:
If you find yourself in a position where someone is experiencing a mental health issue, follow the CARE model:
C – CHECK for any significant risk of suicide or harm – look for signs of significant distress
A – APPLY non-judgemental communication skills – listen to what they say with your undivided attention
R – REASSURE and provide information – let them know that it’s OK to talk about their feelings
E – ENCOURAGE professional support – signpost to their GP in the first instance
Claire has also shared some simple things we can all do to keep a positive mindset:
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Exercise regularly
- Connect with others
- Set goals and challenges
- Take up a hobby
- Volunteer in the community
- Avoid unhealthy habits
And here is Claire’s useful list of contacts:
- NHS 111 – NHS mental health help
- Samaritans – FREE CALL 116 123 – for confidential advice and support
- Mind – an A-Z of mental health information
- Health & Safety Executive Working Minds Campaign – workplace mental health help and support for employers
- Public Health England – resources to support national and local organisations to improve the lives of people with mental health problems
The Lift Industry Mental Health Charter
The Lift Industry Mental Health Charter is an initiative focused on bringing together the lift industry to support mental health within the sector, with the aim of making it a safe and more supportive place to work.
As members of the Charter, we fully support their core commitments, which are to:
- Implement Well-being and Mental Health Risk Assessments
- Take Reasonable Steps to Support Employees’ Well-Being
- Implement Stress Risk Assessments
- Include Mental Health in Your Duty of Care and Safety
- Support the Lift Industry Mental Health Charter
The Charter organises well-being and social events for the lift industry, provides mental health courses for businesses, and also hosts mental health first aider courses.
You may find this flyer, provided by the Charter, useful to display in your workplace or share across your company intranet or other platforms.
You can download the PDF flyer here.
Should you require further support, the Charter has over 30 signposts on its website, as well as providing access to a free counselling service.
Visit the Lift Industry Mental Health Charter website
In March 2024, RG Senior Account Executive Marcus Hill was appointed to the Lift Industry Mental Health Charter committee.
We asked Marcus to provide some insights into his appointment…
How do you feel about being invited to join the Lift Industry Mental Health Charter committee?
I feel honoured to have been asked to join the committee. I see it not only as a personal recognition of my reputation within the lift industry, but also a reflection on Robert Gerrard’s Lift Plan presence within the market.
What motivated you to accept the invitation?
My family has close ties to mental health issues and, like many, I have personally endured the pains from the consequences of this cruel condition. Also, my eldest daughter has recently graduated with an MSc in Forensic Psychology and taken up a placement with the Leicestershire NHS Trust CAMHS Unit as an Assistant Psychologist.
When I attended the Charter’s mental health first aid course last year, I saw this as an opportunity to not only help friends, acquaintances and complete strangers, but also to assist me in understanding what my family was going through.
I was amazed by how open every single attendee on the course was, and to hear the harrowing events that each and every person had suffered. It also struck me how many people are both directly and indirectly affected by mental health issues.
What does the committee do?
The committee exists to promote mental health within the lift industry. They do this by organising events to raise awareness and fund courses and assistance to those lift industry members who are suffering.
There are currently around 80 companies signed up to the Charter. One of the committee’s jobs is to keep in touch with members, making sure they are doing all they can to uphold the Charter’s commitments.
What initiatives, fundraising campaigns or events can we expect to see coming up?
Free mental health course
On 15th May 2024, during Mental Health Awareness Week, the Charter will be providing a free one-day mental health course for anyone working within the lift industry. The course, delivered by Petrain Services, includes recognised certification.
Snowdon Climb Event
From 5th to 7th July 2024, the Charter will be hosting the Snowdon Climb Event, designed to promote good mental health through exercise and by bringing people together through the camaraderie of the lift industry.
The Snowdon Climb event will consist of two nights of camping with breakfast and dinner, and a walk up Mount Snowdon with everyone convening at the summit. Each participant is expected to bring a company flag showing their logo on one side and a mental health message on the reverse.
How do your roles at RG and on the committee complement each other in promoting mental health awareness and support in the lift industry?
The committee comprises members from across the lift industry, including lift engineering, subcontracting and component suppliers, as well as myself and Petra Northwood of Petrain Services.
Petrain not only provides the first aid training, but also heralds from lift engineering stock with several family members – including Petra’s father – being lift engineers.
The diversity of the committee helps offer a variety of perspectives. And Robert Gerrard’s wide base of more than 700 lift industry clients will hopefully help spread the message faster, as well as offering our clients ease of access to mental health first aid via my colleague Claire Matthews and myself.
It’s important to realise that a mental health first aider is not an expert in the field. What they are there to do is listen to your concerns, and then offer guidance as to where you might be able to find the expert assistance you need, whilst naturally maintaining confidentiality.
Supporting Mental Health Awareness Week 2024
Mental Health Awareness Week 2024 runs from 13-19 May. This year’s theme is ‘Movement: Moving more for our mental health’, helping people find ‘moments for movement’ in their daily routines.
Regular movement is one of the most important things you can do to help protect your mental health. It can help increase energy, reduce stress and anxiety, and boost self-esteem.
Here are some movement tips to help you get started.
The Mental Health Foundation has also provided a selection of resources to help you get involved this week.