Pub-focused mental health scheme launched
A pioneering programme between a brewer and a pub co is looking to create a mental health first aid qualification specifically developed for the challenges and needs of pub operators and their teams.
Working with Mental Health First Aid England, craft beer brewing brand People’s Captain has teamed up with Punch Pubs & Co to create the in-pub qualification along with publicans and management partners throughout its estate.
Award winning brand, People’s Captain, founded by former rugby union professional Greg Bateman, has been a huge advocate for mental health and well being and it is using the social power of craft beer to bring people together to talk about the subject.
As one of Punch’s key strategic partners, People’s Captain perfectly complements the company’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy, the Punch Promise.
Punch is committed to Doing Well, By Doing Good – improving lives and communities with pubs at their heart, and it claims their partnership with People’s Captain does just that.
Bateman said: “Some of our most meaningful conversations happen over a pint, and with Punch’s commitment to ensure pubs remain at the very heart of the community, our joint values perfectly align with the impact that People’s Captain is making.
“More than that, the vision is that the amazing people behind bars around the country can be frontline support for the villages, towns and cities they serve, but we need to give them the skills to look after themselves and their teams in the first instance.
“This has been a project in the making for some-time and it speaks volumes of Punch’s commitment to help us develop this qualification for the industry, by being a pioneer in this space.
“They are showing their commitment to looking after their people but just as, if not more importantly, current data is showing there’s over a 4x return on investment in health and wellbeing.”
The partnership between People’s Captain and Punch has been instrumental in helping to promote the pub company’s physical and mental health initiatives, and huge steps have already been taken to ensure that every Punch employee, Publican, MP and in turn, pub guests will receive innovative training and resources in a safe and inclusive space.
Punch’s strategic corporate affairs & ESG lead, Jon Dale, added: “Doing Well, By Doing Good sits at the core of our business ethos, and every day our Publicans, MPs and their teams ‘do good’ in countless ways.
“We’ve been working alongside Greg and his fantastic team at People’s Captain for two years now and piloting the in-pub Mental Health First Aid qualification is a huge step forward. It was fantastic to see Punch employees, Publicans and MPs engage in an incredibly insightful session and we are excited to see this pioneering idea come to life across our fantastic pubs and their communities.”
