The Benevolent – the trade charity that provides help and support to current and former employees of the drinks industry – is joining forces with The London Wine Fair to present a panel discussion on mental health at this year’s show. The Benevolent launched their mental health campaign – #NotAlone – in January and were overwhelmed by the subsequent response, with a reported 80 industry personnel contacting them between January and March with requests of support related to mental health difficulties.
Chris Porter, the charity’s Chief Executive, will announce the findings of a report commissioned to outline the current mental health difficulties experienced by members of the trade and host a discussion on the implications of these findings and a way forward to support those affected by mental health issues in the drinks industry. The panel, which will be chaired by Porter, includes: Miles Beale, Chief Executive of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association, whose contribution will focus on how to implement effective policies in the workplace; Christo Eliott Lockhart, Sales Manager at Hallgarten Druitt, who will contribute on workplace policies and how they are communicated; Kat Hounsell, Founder of Everyday People and Mental Health First Aid Trainer; and Mike Turner, freelance writer and UK director of 20h33, who has written candidly about the effects of working in the drinks industry on mental health.
Porter commented, “Mental Health is a crucial topic and we are fully committed to stand up for those colleagues in need, raising our voices and working tirelessly to remove the stigma from mental health difficulties in the trade. The discussion will be informative, educational and interesting. We have a panel where each of the contributors will bring with them a deep understanding of the UK drinks industry as well as providing expertise on mental health difficulties experienced in the UK drinks industry. I want to extend my deep gratitude to our panellists and a heartfelt thank you to The London Wine Fair for supporting us so generously and being part of the social movement aimed at removing the stigma around mental health.”
The Benevolent launched their mental health campaign, #NotAlone, in January 2018 to a phenomenal response.
The charity’s Chief Executive, Chris Porter, will announce the findings of their report, and host a discussion about the implications of these findings, and how we can move the conversation forward to create meaningful outcomes for the drinks industry.
The Mental Health Panel Discussion will take place at 12h30 on Wednesday, 23rd May in the London Room, Olympia. To register for a place, please visit https://www.londonwinefair.com/whats-on/features-and-masterclasses/industry-briefings/