Capita employees in Plymouth join forces with Andys Man Club to provide mental health support

Capita employees based at the Money Centre in Plymouth have joined forces with Andys Man Club, a charity providing mental health support to men, following the tragic suicide of a colleague. It is a sad fact that suicide is now the biggest killer of young men in the UK, with over 4,500 male suicides a year, highlighting the need to support mental health.

By reaching out to Andys Man Club, over 40 male colleagues joined two sessions run by the charity to remind them that #itsokaytotalk - the impact has been so positive that more sessions have been arranged and will be replicated at offices in Leek, Staffordshire.

Employees in Plymouth used a company-wide, international competition to raise awareness of men’s mental health and the work of the charity. They produced a moving video that captured the ethos of the company’s values and demonstrated how the team in Plymouth is helping to create better outcomes. Their video entry went on to win the competition and the team donated their £500 prize to Andys Mans Club.

Craig Harrison, Lead Facilitator Andys Man Club, Plymouth said: “I would like to say a massive thank you on behalf of Andys Man Club for the very generous donation towards our cause. The money will be used to open up even more groups around the country to reach that one man who may need our support, and this continues to be our goal. We were delighted with the turnout for the recent sessions in Plymouth where we gave an insight into how Andys Man Club supports men’s mental health, and the story behind our charity.”

Matthew Phippen, an IT delivery manager who works on The Co-operative Bank account who produced the video, said: “As a company, we take health and wellbeing very seriously. The response from colleagues to our work with Andys Mans Club has been overwhelming - to get 40 male colleagues attending these sessions was fantastic. If it helps just one person to realise its ok to talk and get support, then we have succeeded.”