Paddy & Scott's prioritises mental health post-lockdown

Suffolk coffee firm Paddy & Scott's has developed a 10-point plan to support its team members back to work ahead of reopening on 12 April.

The coffee supplier is hosting a socially distanced team event at the University of Suffolk this week to bring staff together and give them a chance to share, talk about any concerns and allow them to reconnect with their team before they return to work.

Wellbeing entrepreneur and former chef Shane Cooke will lead the event, talking to the team about mental health awareness, meditation and mind/body connection.

Cooke, founder of Jasper Wellbeing, came through his own struggles with depression, anxiety and drug use and will share his own experiences.

"This last year has been incredibly difficult, with so many changes that none of us were ready for," said Jon Reed, managing director at Paddy & Scott's. "We are acutely aware of the effect the pandemic is having on mental health and have put a really supportive programme in place to ensure our team's return will be enjoyable, safe and successful."

"So much has changed in the last 12 months, so as hospitality reopens and our world of coffee takes off once again, we welcome back our team. Rather than just assume we all go back to how the world was, each team member has the opportunity to re-craft their roles, bring any newly learned skills to the fore and has access to return to work meetings, one-to-one coaching sessions, development plans and our very own well-being ambassador."