CSR Update - Focusing on Mental Health and Fundraising

In light of the recent coverage on Mental Health, Entanet’s CSR committee has worked to implement facilities to aid employees’ mental wellness. We have also been continuing our fundraising activities and having a lot of fun along the way. Here are a few projects that we have been working on during the last few months.

Earlier this year Entanet’s CSR committee conducted a course on-site, which was the first step towards raising awareness of mental health. Following on from that, around 20 staff from the Telford office volunteered to form a support network for their colleagues. Those volunteers received specialist Mental Health First Aider training in order for them to get a good understanding of how to engage with someone in need.

To assist the work we have been doing around mental health and ensuring that our office is a safe place for all employees, we have recently launched the 'Quiet Room'. This is a space that welcomes anyone in need to step away from the tension they may be experiencing at that time. It contains a cosy corner with bean bags, soothing music, interesting books and relaxation tools. Its purpose is to be a shared space for multiple people to use at the same time, but with a robust rule of no talking!

To support employees in managing their anxiety and stress levels, we have introduced the 'Wellness Space workshop'. These sessions consist of 45 minutes of meditation and breathwork, delivered by a qualified instructor and designed to increase energy levels whilst relaxing the body. In addition to this, we have invited a qualified yoga instructor to run a programme of 'Mindfulness and Yoga for the workplace'. This consists of light 30-minute sessions that include stretching of the neck, back and shoulders, focusing on pain-points common to people used to sitting in an office chair for large parts of their working day.

The slogan for our CSR committee is ‘Connecting the Community’ and to do just that we recently held a Family Fun Day for our staff and their families at our Partnership House office in Telford. The day included a range of fun activities for kids such as the build a next-generation fibre robot challenge, face painting and soft play as well as offering the opportunity for our adult visitors to take a tour of the office and ask any questions about the work we do locally and across the UK. The day was rounded off with a BBQ for everyone to enjoy!

On the fundraising front, more than 40 teams took part in this year's Dragon Boat Race and hundreds more watched on as the 40ft boats raced between the Shrewsbury School and Pengwern Boat Clubs on the River Severn. The race was in aid of Severn Hospice and all funds raised from the event go towards supporting patients and their families living with an incurable illness in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Mid Wales. Entanet had a team of 17 made up of members from departments across the company who dressed in camouflage head to toe to get involved in the challenge. Although the weather was not on our side we didn't let it hinder our spirits and managed to finish within the top 10! Severn Hospice is a charity close to a number of hearts at Entanet, therefore, fundraising for them will be high on our radar this year. If you would like to assist us in helping out local families in need, donate on our JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/entanet-international

Relevant links

• Entanet’s JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/entanet-international
• Severn Hospice:
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