Hundreds raised for mental health charity as Portchester funeral arranger takes on ‘terrifying’ 100 metre abseil
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Co-op Funeralcare colleague Penelope Kelly stepped out of her comfort zone to complete the abseil at the Spinnaker Tower on Saturday, raising £355 for mental health charity Mind.
In her role as a funeral arranger, Penelope has witnessed first hand the devastating impact that the pandemic has had on so many families over the past 18 months.
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Hide AdShe said: ‘Although this was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life, I’m so proud I was able to show my support to Mind and also to Co-op Funeralcare.
‘Having my team there cheering me on was incredible and gave me the encouragement I needed to finish.
‘I am so happy that I managed to do it and even more so that it has helped such a great cause.’
The coronavirus pandemic has had a huge impact on people’s mental health, with a recent survey by Mind demonstrating that two thirds of people with mental health problems found that their mental health had gotten worse since the first national lockdown.
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Hide AdPaul Farmer, CEO of Mind - a long-standing charity partner of Co-op Funeralcare - said: ‘We are really proud of Penny for completing the Spinnaker Tower abseil for better mental health. ‘Even as we emerge from various lockdown restrictions, it continues to be a challenging time and many of us will be feeling the lasting impact of the pandemic on our mental health and wellbeing, especially for those of us with existing mental health problems.
‘Now, more than ever, we need to ensure we are there for everyone who needs us.
‘Thanks to the energy and enthusiasm of Co-op colleagues like Penny, who are raising funds and awareness through this charity partnership, we will be able to reach even more people in need of support, particularly in communities.’
The charity partnership, which has raised £5.5m since it began in October 2019, aims to raise funds by engaging Co-op colleagues, members and customers in a range of national and local fundraising.