Recognising the importance of mental health for all, but particularly in the workplace, Buttress took part in this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week.
Mental Health Awareness Week is a campaign by the Mental Health Foundation to raise awareness around mental health and promote good mental health for all.
This year, the theme for the week was ‘Body Image – how we think and feel about our bodies’. In response to this theme, we delivered a series of initiatives that encouraged mindfulness and promoted self-care among staff.
Manchester Art Gallery Trip
On Thursday, staff were invited to visit the 'And Breathe…' exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery. Co-curated with mental health groups Start in Manchester, Manchester Mind as well as pupils from Charlestown Community Primary School, the exhibition explores the relationship between art, positive mental health and wellbeing.
The colour scheme, seating, height of artworks and interpretation have all been developed to encourage people to spend time in the space, slow down, connect with art and themselves and enhance their wellbeing.
The exhibition is also part of the gallery’s wider The Mindful Museum campaign that aims to raise awareness and promote understanding of how mindfulness can be used within the cultural sector to promote good health and wellbeing.
Bake the World a Better Place
Staff across the office took part in the ‘Bake the World a Better Place' challenge in support of the Architects Benevolent Society, a charity dedicated to helping past and present members of the wider architectural profession, and their families, in times of need.
The bake sale provided an opportunity for colleagues to come together, relax and chat over some cake and a cup of tea.
Mindfulness Art Exercise
In recent years, a growing body of evidence has demonstrated that participation in the arts and access to a range of arts opportunities can dramatically improve health outcomes and increase wellbeing. Ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week, we invited members of staff to unleash their inner artist through a creative exercise.
The brief was simple, recreate or reinvent an image of our Timekeepers Square project using any medium or style of their choosing. The submitted entries were put on display during an exhibition timed to mark the end of Mental Health Awareness Week, providing an opportunity for the office to celebrate our colleagues' creative talents.
Beyond Mental Health Awareness Week
Although Mental Health Awareness Week may have come to an end, we are committed to prioritising employees wellbeing throughout the year.
Two members of staff have recently qualified as Mental Health First Aiders, acting as a point of contact to anyone in the studio who may be experiencing a mental health issue or emotional distress. All members of staff also have access to a 24-hour counselling and advice line through our employee health benefits scheme.
Over the next 12 months, we will be rolling out a programme of new activities and initiatives aimed at promoting health and wellbeing across the studio.