Following Mental Health Awareness Week, leading construction firm, The JR Group, have raised vital funds for mental health group The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity as part of two informal events for staff.

Designed to highlight the importance of positive mental health in the workplace, the two 'Food For Thought' events – one at the JR Group head office and another at their East Lane development in Paisley – brought staff together for food, refreshments, a raffle and also an engaging talk from representatives from The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity team, who discussed mental health and advised on how the charity can support those who need it.

The talks from the charity's team, which angled on fun with colleagues invited to wear a bright shirt to proceedings, focused on the importance of discussing mental health and wellbeing, as well as exploring the team's first-hand life experiences relating to the issue.

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The valuable support services that they can provide were also highlighted during the session, such as the 24/7 helpline for any member of the construction community to access for emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support.

The JR Group and The Lighthouse Charity have an ongoing partnership through the year and host monthly toolbox talks across all sites in operation. The JR team also create monthly wellbeing newsletters highlighting the importance of mental health and regular talks from the charity to discuss all aspects of the importance of mental health.

Jim Smith, HSEQ Manager of The JR Group, said: "We were delighted to welcome and host our partners at The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity to both of our Food For Thought events.

"All members of the Construction sector need to play their part to ensure the positive mental health and safety of all of their workforce, so it's vital to highlight the importance of this in order to remove stigmas and save lives.

"It's critical that workers within the construction industry don't feel pressured to remain silent around issues regarding their own mental health or the wellbeing of a colleague. At The JR Group, we're proud to encourage a supportive community for all workers on our sites, and we're grateful to The Lighthouse Charity for providing their expert support to create a positive environment with positive wellbeing in focus."

Nicola Campbell, Regional Ambassador of The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity said: "We were thrilled to be able to join the teams at The JR Group this past week and were impressed by their commitment to this importance cause.

"We also hugely appreciate everyone who kindly helped to raise funds for the charity across the events."