ESG Report 202223 - Flipbook - Page 43
The first two participants, James Hobson, Finance Director at Morrison
Water Services, and Jonny Yarr, Executive Director – M&A met to kick
off the event for this year. They will both carry the medicine ball for
one week before handing it to the next volunteer.
Harsh medicine
As a business and as a society, we are becoming increasingly aware of the difficulties caused
by poor mental health. For some time now, volunteers from across our Group of companies
have been subjecting themselves to the Medicine Ball Challenge, with the aim of raising
awareness of the importance of mental health. Those taking on the challenge are encouraging
people to talk about their mental health with the aim of breaking down the stigma associated
with these issues.
The ball itself symbolises the weight of the invisible burden that mental health problems
can be for many people. It is a physical, visual and tangible representation of how struggles
with mental health can weigh an individual down. It is widely acknowledged that awareness
and acceptance of mental health issues, including stress, PTSD and depression, needs to be
higher and that people should feel able to talk more freely.
Now in its second year, the Challenge takes place every September. At the end of each
person’s seven-day challenge, they will cut the medicine ball off their wrist and pass it onto
the next member of their team. The premise is to keep the medicine ball attached to the wrist
for the whole seven days, aside from when sleeping, showering, driving or doing any other
activity that may be dangerous.
“
“
The aim of the event is to generate awareness of stress
and anxiety within the armed forces community and to
break down the stigma of mental health issues. I would
encourage people to talk about their problems –
it’s okay to not be okay.
John Marshall
Senior SHEQ Advisor
Morrison Water Services.
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