A women’s networking group looked at issues around mental health and considered the plight of those who are forced to live in refuges, when it held its latest meeting.
Lisa Gilligan, Harjit Saund, Fiona Powell and Emma Anderson, of the Networking Events for Women group at Freeths law firm in Leicester, held their latest event in the city earlier this month.
The subject of the lunchtime session was the importance to businesses of addressing mental health and well-being in the workplace.
According to the government’s Health and Safety Executive one in four people in the UK will have a mental health problem at some point.
Although most are mild, work can aggravate pre-existing conditions, and problems at work can bring on symptoms or make their effects worse.
But the HSE says it can be tackled – often by talking to a GP.
Freeths director Emma Anderson said: “Terry Streather of Oakwood Training gave an excellent – and interactive – presentation on this very current topic which was both fascinating and thought-provoking.
“There was plenty of opportunity for people to share thoughts and ideas and take those back to their businesses.
“As part of the event there was also a very sobering presentation from Elle for Elle, a charity which supports women in refuges by, among other things, providing body and hair care products and cosmetics.
“The Leicester office and all of the guests were invited to bring donations and we had a huge response with boxes of products being donated – four from one business alone – and lots of interest in continuing to support the charity in the future.”
