We are very excited to announce that Michelle Wiles has joined Mates In Mind as our very first Patron.
The Wiles family have been incredible supporters and advocates of Mates in Mind in memory of Chris, Michelle's husband, for the last few years. They have done excellent work raising awareness of mental health issues that can be caused by stress at work. So we are so honoured and delighted that Michelle has joined the Mates in Mind team.
Michelle has said of her patronage.
"Starting the conversation about mental health in the workplace has never been more important and Mates in Mind is pivotal in doing this. I am so impressed with their proactive approach to breaking down the stigma and getting organisations to talk more. Their mission of mental health awareness and the training they deliver is something I feel very strongly about and I can see it is making such a massive difference to employers and employees on how to spot the signs of someone who may be struggling and that it’s ok to reach out if you are. It is such an honour and a privilege to be their very first Patron and I will passionately work with the charity to raise awareness of mental health and workplace stress".
Established in 2017 by the Health in Construction Leadership Group (HCLG) with the support of the British Safety Council, Mates in Mind charity exists to improve the mental health and wellbeing of workplaces across the UK.
We do this by providing the skills, clarity and confidence to employers on how to raise awareness, improve understanding and address the stigma of mental ill-health within the workplace.
Sarah Meek, Managing Director of Mates in Mind is thrilled that Michelle is joining as a patron.
"We are so pleased that Michelle has agreed to join us as the first patron of Mates in Mind. When considering who should hold this important inaugural position, we were agreed as a team and Trustee Board that Michelle would be the perfect fit for this role. Since losing Chris, the work that we have undertaken together in telling his story and more recently sharing this through her key part in the BBC1 feature, has shown what a strong, impactful and authentic voice Michelle has that resonates with such a wide audience. She is a committed campaigner and enabler of fundraising focused on making a tangible difference to mental health and work-related stress within the construction industry through her lived experience.
These qualities are absolutely aligned with the mission of Mates in Mind around raising awareness of the issues along with the importance of prevention & proactive steps being taken within workplaces across the UK. We very much look forward to working closely with Michelle, sharing ideas together about how we can increase our reach into the industry to ensure more organisations know of the support available through the Mates in Mind charity and why it is vital that more people have access to what we are able to provide. We know and have seen first hand that people listen intently to Michelle talking about Chris, and with her belief and passion that we need to reach people before they face a mental health crisis – together we can achieve great things and prevent more families from losing a loved one".