DRG training co-ordinator Ching Mellan and head of people development Kathryn Knox, present their charity cheque to Gordon McIntyre MBE, founder of Hospitality Health
Hospitality Health, the Scottish charity dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of people working in the hospitality and tourism industry, has been presented with a cheque for £7324 by The Di Maggio’s Restaurant Group.
The funds were raised by staff of The DRG, via raffles and blind auctions held at their recent team social events.
Speaking at the presentation, Kathryn Knox, Head of People Development at The DRG said: “We are delighted that our teams have been so enthusiastic in raising funds for Hospitality Health and we thank them for their generous donations.
“Many of our suppliers also donated prizes for our raffles and auctions, so this was a big team effort for a great cause.
“Our teams are happy to support the charity and the courses they deliver. Over the last few years several members of our team have attended courses and become Mental Health First Aiders”
Hospitality Health is on a mission to change the way the industry thinks about mental health, and particularly wants those working within the industry to be able to talk about it.
The charity’s message is that recognising and understanding emotions is ‘essential for employers’, to which end it provides the tools and skills that can help managers and colleagues deal with staff stress and achieve positive change in their workplace.
The DRG’s fundraising will go directly to support the training of staff in becoming Mental Health First Aiders.
Knox applauded charity founder Gordon McIntyre for his work highlighting the stress burden that so often falls on venue staff.
“Gordon and the team at Hospitality Health are so passionate about helping those that work in our industry by providing invaluable information to anyone that may be facing work or personal worries,” she said.
“We signpost the Hospitality Health website to all our teams and will continue to remind them that there is a wider support network of like-minded professionals who they can connect with should they wish.
“This is a fantastic charity that is current and much needed in an industry that whilst very rewarding can also be very tough!”
McIntyre himself commented: “We are absolutely delighted that the DRG teams have been kind enough to select Hospitality Health as their chosen charity.
“This is the third year they have done so, we really appreciate it. £7324 is a huge amount for us, and will go towards funding places for more staff in the industry to become Mental Health First Aiders,” he said.
“What we are trying to achieve with Hospitality Health is to equip our industry with the right tools and mental health first aid certificated training to not only address mental health but to put staff welfare first.
“We launched Hospitality Health in Glasgow over seven years ago with 120 operators in attendance and we have grown considerably, with a real need for mental health support.”
Any hospitality business wishing to raise funds, or to be considered to receive the charity’s Wellness Charter, should contact Gordon at gordon@hospitalityhealth.org.uk
