Orbit Homes hosts mental health awareness day at Dereham development

Earlier in the month we hosted a mental health awareness day for our colleagues at Mill View in Dereham.

The event took place on Monday 4th July and included an insightful talk from health and safety consultants R G Wilbrey, as well as free information packs and advice on workplace mental health. The wellness afternoon ended with a buffet lunch for colleagues to socialise and openly talk with each other about their mental wellbeing.

Andrew Doylend, Regional Managing Director at Orbit Homes East, said: “We are committed to improving the health and wellbeing of our colleagues. Mental health, particularly within the construction industry, still has a stigma surrounding it, so we want to create an environment where people feel comfortable talking about their health and wellbeing.

“The awareness event at Mill View has given our colleagues lots of information and guidance on managing their mental health and is a great opportunity to encourage construction workers to seek the help they need if they are struggling, and not to suffer in silence.”

James Flaherty, Training Manger at R G Wilbrey, who was a guest speaker at the event, added: “I think it is great that organisations such as Orbit Homes are carving out time to bring people together and talk about mental health considering the current climate with such demanding programmes.

“Mental health is a gauge of how an individual thinks, feels and acts. It should be managed at the same rigidity as all occupational health in construction. Mental Health First Aid is just one piece of a jigsaw and we should as an industry spend time developing resilience in individuals and teams to be prepared for ups and downs of work and life at home.”

Orbit Homes is also a supporter of mental health charity Mates in Mind which provides a framework to raise awareness and address the stigma of poor mental health. The charity provides clear information to UK employers, especially within the construction industry, on available support and guidance on mental health, as well as how they can address and improve this across their organisations.

For information about Orbit Homes and its current developments, visit: www.orbithomes.org.uk/.