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Andy’s Man Club to introduce Britvic’s UK workforce to what the mental health charity has to offer
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Britvic to provide soft drinks for Andy’s Man Club meetings as the charity’s official hydration partner
This Mental Health Awareness Week, Britvic Soft Drinks and men’s mental health charity Andy’s Man Club are joining forces to encourage men to talk about their mental health.
Co-founded by former professional rugby player, Luke Ambler, after his brother-in-law took his own life, the charity has gone from strength to strength and, what began as a group of nine men in Halifax in 2016, now has more than 50 groups across the UK.
Andy’s Man Club will be joining Britvic on Wednesday for the first of many conversations about mental health and to introduce Britvic’s UK workforce, including factory employees in Beckton, Leeds and Rugby, to what Andy’s Man Club has to offer.
Clubs around the country meet every Monday and, as the club’s official hydration partner, Britvic will be providing soft drinks at meetings from 17th May.
Zareena Brown, Chief People Officer at Britvic, said: “At Britvic, one of our guiding principles and values is that we care. We know that over the past year people have had a tough time and throughout the pandemic we have put our people first.
“Our long-term sustainability strategy – Healthier People, Healthier Planet – has always included employee wellbeing, but this is the chance for us to do something really targeted. Traditionally the manufacturing industry has been predominately male, which is why Andy’s Man Club is so important.
“We know that what we put into our bodies has a real influence on our mood which is why we’re providing soft drinks for the meetings but, what’s really important for me, is the conversations this environment will allow our employees to have.”
Luke Ambler, co-founder of Andy’s Man Club, said: “Male suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50 and the club takes its name from my brother-in-law, Andrew Roberts, who sadly took his own life aged 23 in early 2016.
“Co-founding this group, alongside Andy’s mum Elaine was an opportunity to create somewhere where men can speak openly about their mental health in a judgment-free, non-clinical environment.
“Our partnership with Britvic can only be a force for good and we look forward to having the important conversations, not just during Mental Health Awareness Week, but throughout the year.”
In 2020, Britvic provided 32 of its employees with training from Mental Health First Aid England so they could become mental health first aiders and support their colleagues and direct them to mental health resources.
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