We, too, want people to find moments for movement in their daily routines.
The 13th to the 19th May 2024 marks Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK. The theme for this year is “Movement: Moving more for our mental health.” On their website, the Mental Health Foundation say:
“Movement is important for our mental health. But so many of us struggle to move enough. We know that there are many reasons for this, so this Mental Health Awareness Week we want to help people to find moments for movement in their daily routines.”
The theme is one that the Wynne-Jones IP Charity & Social Team turned their attention to at the beginning of the year. Traditionally, each year the team would nominate a charity to support until 31st December, when a new charity would be voted in.
The focus of the team shifted after a research period in 2023, which included a staff survey. The study found that social bonds in the workplace were harder to maintain, as many people were working either completely remotely or using a hybrid model since the pandemic, and that people valued opportunities to engage in physical activity.
In response, Wynne-Jones IP launched the 2024:Reset initiative, redirecting the focus of the Charity and Social Team from fundraising for external causes to nurturing the holistic well-being of its employees. The objective? To cultivate an environment conducive to making healthy choices and fostering camaraderie through sports, teamwork, and friendly competition.
To achieve this, the team each month release three distinct challenges. The first centres on movement and physical activity, with challenges ranging from walks to virtual triathlons. Additionally, daily "Wake and Shake" sessions via MS Teams offer 10 minutes of morning yoga or guided meditation. The second monthly challenge revolves around nutrition, encouraging team members to prioritise healthy eating habits. Lastly, the third challenge focuses on mental health, offering tasks such as daily meditation or reading non-fiction literature. Additionally, the Wynne-Jones team are collectively ‘walking the world’ — a staggering 40,075 kilometres — over the course of the year.
Fiona Watkins, Director of HR & Operations, commented on Mental Health Awareness Week and the 2024:Reset initiative, saying, "The theme for Mental Health Awareness Week resonates deeply with us. Encouraging movement for mental health is a cause we've championed for some time. However, this year, we're actively prioritising and promoting movement. Recognising the detrimental effects of sedentary work, we strive to reshape office culture and safeguard the health—both physical and mental—of our most invaluable asset: our people."
