Today marks the launch of Mental Health Awareness Week, the UK’s national week to raise awareness of mental health, hosted by the Mental Health Foundation. This year’s theme is ‘loneliness’ and across the country, people will be reflecting how it impacts mental health, depression, and anxiety.

SsangYong Motors UK will be taking part in a variety of activities to help promote better mental health in the workplace, and at home. Featuring daily updates, and mental health promotion tasks, colleagues at SsangYong Motors UK will be participating in #80MilesInMay, encouraging staff to put their running shoes on and accumulate as many miles as possible to support the charity.

Kevin Griffin, managing director at SsangYong Motor UK, commented: “The COVID-19 pandemic has made it more important than ever to put more emphasis on mental wellbeing. Our very own, Alistair Eccleston, is a keen runner and partakes in ultra-marathon regularly. Alistair has set a benchmark of running 80-personal miles in May, which the rest of the team have committed to beat accumulatively, both on their own, and in running groups. I am absolutely delighted that the team have embraced this challenge so openly, and I personally advocate supporting a cause that affects many of us, in a myriad of different ways.”

Mark Rowland, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, said; “We hope this year’s theme will strike a chord with many of us who felt lonely and struggled throughout the pandemic and beyond. Millions of us experience loneliness from time-to-time, and we know that some people are higher risk than others. Evidence shows us that the longer we feel lonely, the more we are at risk of mental health problems. It needs more attention, and we’re calling on everyone who has struggled of being lonely to share their experiences. We must work together, as individuals, as a society, and through government policy, to reduce loneliness and prevent mental health problems by investing in welcoming, social spaces and new community initiatives.”