1st November 2009

Marks & Spencer (Ballyhackamore) helping others become MindWise

Today sees the start of year long charity partnership between the Ballyhackamore branch of Marks & Spencer and the local mental health charity, MindWise.

MindWise offers support and services to individuals from across Northern Ireland who are affected by severe mental illness and other mental health difficulties. The services offered by the charity include; supported housing, community resource centres, carer services, training and employment services, community bridge building and volunteer programmes.

The store’s charity committee consulted will all staff earlier this year calling for nominations on which cause would be supported though a year-long series of fundraising and awareness raising initiatives. MindWise was suggested and was unanimously adopted by all staff as the preferred charity partner for 2009/10.

Store Manager, Andy Stone hopes all of the Marks and Spencer customers who visit the Simply Food store on the Upper Newtownards Roads, will show their generosity over the coming year by supporting the ongoing and on-off fundraising events planned, he said “I know from past experience that the customers we have in this store are always very generous and supportive with any of the fundraising events we have carried out in the store for good causes, I hope our customers will continue in this giving spirit and show their support for MindWise. We at Marks and Spencer in Ballyhackamore are proud to be playing a part in raising funds to help provide services for people with mental health difficulties and through the information and education sessions the charity has planned for the store, we will also help to inform our staff and customers about their own mental health to make them MindWise”.

Speaking at the launch of the partnership at the store, MindWise’s Public Affairs Manager, Geoff Scott took the opportunity to thank the staff at Marks & Spencer Ballyhackamore not just for pledging to raise funds for the charity but also for allowing MindWise the opportunity to help raise awareness of mental illness through the store. He said “We at MindWise are delighted that the staff in this store have decided to support MindWise and by association the cause of mental illness. Mental illness will affect 25% of the population at any given moment in time, but often due to the stigma that sometimes surrounds the cause, it is something that is not talked about, and unfortunately it is often not a cause widely supported by the public. I commend the staff for doing their bit to help raise awareness of this important social issue and for kindly agreeing to raise funds to support our services. We are very grateful that Marks & Spencer Ballyhackamore have made this decision and we hope other local businesses, community groupings and schools will consider doing the same”.

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