September 9, 2021
A subject close to our hearts
Mental Health is a big topic in today’s world and with ever-increasing ‘life pressures,’ it’s a known fact that mental health illness is on the rise, with no evidence of it slowly down or improving. More than 1 in 4 adults experiences at least one diagnosable mental health condition in any given year, with NHS England stating that mental health problems represent the biggest single cause of disability in the UK.
It’s a shocking realisation and I (Kate) know only too well the devastating effects of having a mental health illness.
For nearly 20 years, I’ve suffered from anxiety, panic disorder and depression. Officially diagnosed in my early 20s, I’ve managed my symptoms using medication, educating myself about my illness, exercise and Yoga – hence why I now passionately share the amazing benefits of this practice as my full time occupation! I’m extremely open about my struggles and if you want to know more, you can read my blog articles about my personal journey.
An opportunity to give back
I’ve experienced the amazing work that mental health charities do every single day and their jobs aren’t getting any easier. When we were creating the ‘Wellbeing Range,’ inspired by my love of Yoga and holistic approaches to health, we talked about how we could use this opportunity to support others. We decided to donate a % of our earnings to local mental health charities or community groups, enabling our customers to help play a part, whilst raising awareness for some wonderful organisations.
For every candle sold from the Wellbeing Range, £1 will be popped into our ‘pot’ to donate, and 20p from every pack of wax melts. This also includes every single Wellbeing candle we sell to our wholesale suppliers, hopefully increasing our donations thanks to the businesses that are supporting us!
Who do we support?
We want to support as local as possible to us, so after plenty of research, we chose:
Mind – Tameside, Oldham and Glossop Mental Health
I’ve had lots of support from this charity over the years, living in Tameside and now within the Oldham borough. Their aim is to continue providing the best quality, local mental health services in prevention, early intervention and primary care; alongside empowering individuals and communities to live well. As one of over hundreds of independent Mind branches across England and Wales, every penny they receive is used for local causes. I’ve recently undertaken training with Mind in order to support my local community when it comes to improving conversations and reducing the stigma around mental health.
On average, one man every 2 hours takes his life in the UK. It’s often said a factor is that men don’t talk. That’s why Andy’s Man Club was born to break down these stigmas. At ANDYSMANCLUB you don’t have to be suicidal or have a mental health problem, they just want to get men talking.
Breathe – Saddleworth Mental Health Caring Group
Breathe is a peer-led group for parents and carers of young people with mental health challenges. The group offers peer support, signposts information to encourage empowerment and independence, and provides a space to provide its members with a voice. There’s also a really informative Facebook group.
We will keep you updated as to how much we donate to each of these charities. As a small business, it might not be huge amounts initially, but we hope, as we grow, our donations grow too!
