Brighton Housing Trust signs the employer pledge to change how we think and act about mental health
Brighton Housing Trust (BHT) signed an employer pledge with Time to Change yesterday (10th October), to coincide with World Mental Health Day, the theme of which is mental health in the workplace. The growing social movement, run by charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, supports people to open up to mental health problems. By signing, BHT is committing to change the way we all think and act about mental health in the workplace.
BHT’s Chair, Joan Mortimer, and Chief Executive, Andy Winter, will pledge their support to Time to Change with an action plan of activity that will help to break the silence that surrounds mental health in the workplace.
Sharon Munnings, BHT’s Senior Manager for Mental Health, who is leading on Time to Change for BHT, said: “BHT is committed to improving the mental wellbeing of our clients, tenants and staff.
“We want to continue to develop a healthy, inspired, motivated, confident, happy and resilient workforce by providing meaningful opportunities for reflection, peer support, development and learning.
“We are committed to challenging the stigma surrounding mental health for clients, staff in the workplace, and in society as a whole. Mental wellbeing is a core feature of the work we do, and we want to strengthen the culture where we all look out for each other.”
Daniel O’Connell, BHT’s Head of Human Resources, said: “BHT is not just a leading provider in specialised mental health services for clients, we also recognise that our employees may experience periods of mental or physical ill-health.
“I would recommend that all organisations sign the Time to Change employer pledge.”
BHT joins the wide movement of over 450 organisations that have signed up to the Time to Change pledge, including E.ON, British Gas, Ernst & Young, Transport for London, Royal Mail, Barclays, Shell, Pepsico, the Church of England, Sunday Mirror, Marks and Spencer, and many NHS trusts, universities, and local authorities.
Time to Change is funded by the Department of Health, Comic Relief and the Big Lottery Fund. Set up to create a positive shift in public attitudes towards mental health problems, Time to Change supports communities, schools and workplaces to open up to mental health problems; to talk and to listen.
By Clare Calder
