Our partners: The Lemonade Project

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, we’ve been taking a look at the work our customers and partners do to help people with mental health issues. As a company, we are heavily involved with the Oglesby Charitable Trust, founded by Bruntwood Chairman, Michael Oglesby. One such project being supported by the OCT is ‘The Lemonade Project’, a new initiative of the Shared Health Foundation.

The Lemonade Project is a resource package offered across Greater Manchester to equip teachers, parents, youth workers and healthcare staff to help young people grow in resilience. Providing practical approaches and activities, the project aims to reduce incidents of self-harm and risk-taking behaviours and support positive mental health.

The Lemonade Project’s toolkit has already been trialled at the Factory Youth Zone, which Bruntwood sponsors as its nominated Manchester charity, an organisation providing a safe place for young people. Working alongside youth workers, young people are encouraged to engage in activities and conversations to develop more positive ways of coping with mental health difficulties.

The project is managed by the Shared Health Foundation, which was set up, and is funded by, OCT and has been running for just over a year now. “The link with the OCT is crucial for the project, not only from a funding perspective, but also the brilliant resources, support and advice that is provided within the network,” says Anna Pratt at Shared Health Foundation.