Twelve employees at total supply chain solutions provider Oakland International are delighted after qualifying as Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA).

Delivered by St. John’s Ambulance, the two-day course saw all trainees achieving qualification and taught how to recognise the signs and symptoms of common workplace mental health issues and how to know how to effectively guide a person towards the right mental health support.

Oakland International Head of Talent Development Kate Hewitt commented: “We are delighted to confirm that our first group of MHFA trainees are now all fully qualified workplace mental health first aiders.

“Whilst we’d rather our employees didn’t experience mental health issues; we’re delighted to know our team are now trained and equipped to provide support when needed.”

The course covered factors that can affect wellbeing, how to spot the triggers and signs of mental illness, first aid, and the skills to create a positive mental health culture in the workplace, with the successful trainees awarded a level 3 Mental Health Workplace First Aider qualification, equivalent to an A Level.

A Certified B Corporation business and an equal opportunities employer, Oakland International is a specialist and a leader in direct to consumer, case consolidation, contract packing, storage and distribution, food tempering and brand development support for all types of food, servicing diverse markets across the UK and Ireland. They are also experts in saving food and non-food products from going to waste via their distress load management service and aiming to be the first business within their sector to reach net zero.

Group HR Director Nicola Harris added: “I would like to thank all our trainees for accepting our invitation to become a Mental Health First Aider as their willingness to participate and share their personal experiences, was humbling, and it’s now good to know we’re closer to our aim of having one MHFA on each shift, at each of our depots.”