Action Mental Health’s emotional well-being and resilience building services for children have been supported by £208,000, raised by Danske Bank staff and customers.
Customers and employees have all played a vital role in raising the amazing total during a mutually beneficial partnership over the past three years.
The partnership means over 5,000 NI children and 800 parents and teachers will have benefited from the charity’s Healthy Me programme for children, which does not receive any public funding.
Danske Bank selected Action Mental Health as its charity partner back in 2017 with the objective of raising awareness of mental health and money for the charity’s Healthy Me programme, which aims to promote positive mental health and social and emotional wellbeing in 8-11 year olds.
The programme, which is delivered in Northern Ireland primary schools, explores emotional and mental health, healthy lifestyle choices, and pathways to effective support through imaginative and interactive play and song.
Jonathan Smyth, Fundraising & Communications Manager at Action Mental Health said: “The impact of Danske Bank’s partnership has been phenomenal. Thanks to the incredible fundraising efforts, we will have reached over 5,000 primary school children with our Healthy Me programme.
“We would like to offer our sincere and heartfelt thanks on behalf of everyone who has benefited. The positive impact on the children supported will be felt for years to come.”
As well as fundraising, the partnership has involved education, awareness, and practical and skills-based volunteering, such as Danske employees delivering budgeting sessions to Action Mental Health clients.
Richard Caldwell, Managing Director of Personal Banking & Small Business at Danske Bank added:
“The support for Action Mental Health right across our business has been incredible. Employees have completed all sorts of personal and team fundraising activities – from abseils, zip lines, trekking, marathon running and dragon boat racing, to murder mystery evenings, quizzes and coffee mornings – all to raise funds for Healthy Me.
“With the rates of mental illness in Northern Ireland higher than anywhere else in the United Kingdom, there is a clear need for early intervention and education programmes like Healthy Me. We believe that through investing in the mental health of today’s children, we can help address the issue for future generations, and it’s been a real privilege to support Action Mental Health do just that.
“We would like to thank our colleagues and customers for the generosity they have shown over the last three years.”
