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7th June 2024
04:59pm BST
Marks & Spencer (M&S) has announced a significant three-year partnership with Jigsaw, Ireland’s leading youth mental health charity.
This collaboration aims to enhance the capacity, reach, and accessibility of mental health support available to young people across Ireland through various fundraising and awareness initiatives.
M&S has set an ambitious goal to raise €350,000 for Jigsaw over the next three years.
This funding will be sourced from colleague and customer donations as well as dedicated fundraising campaigns.
Jigsaw’s goal is to reach 1.5 million young people and their families with mental health support and services by 2026.
This support will improve their understanding of mental health, raise awareness of available services, and help break down barriers preventing them from seeking help.
To support this partnership, M&S will implement fundraising efforts through in-store point-of-sale materials, radio campaigns, and social media outreach.
According to the May 2023 report “A Piece of My Mind” by the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO), nearly 30% of children rate their mental health as 'not good' and require assistance to manage it.
The survey, which included 2,166 children aged 12 to 17, found that over 40% of those who used mental health services felt that their issues were not adequately addressed.
This underscores the urgent need for accessible and effective mental health support for young people.
“At M&S, we believe in the power of community and the importance of supporting our youth. Jigsaw’s mission to ensure every young person in Ireland has their mental health valued and supported aligns perfectly with M&S’ values.
“We know how much the mental health of young people matters to both our customers and colleagues,” said Eddie Murphy, Country Director for Marks & Spencer Ireland and Northern Ireland.
“No young person should feel alone, and no adult should feel lost when they want to help. That's why we're working together with Jigsaw to make an impactful difference.
”M&S donations will also support Jigsaw Connect, a new initiative offering a digital suite of mental health services accessible through Jigsaw.ie.”
This platform provides various supports for young people facing mental health challenges.
Dr. Joseph Duffy, CEO of Jigsaw, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “This partnership with M&S is huge for Jigsaw and for youth mental health in Ireland.
As we continue to see a surge in demand for our mental health services, it is so important that young people across Ireland know that we stand by them.
This partnership with M&S makes that possible. Mike Mansfield, Director of Communications and Fundraising at Jigsaw, added: “Everyone at Jigsaw can’t wait to start working with M&S staff and customers across Ireland – together, we can ensure young people are connected to their community and have easy-to-access support to help them navigate through the tough times in their young lives.”
To launch the partnership, M&S staff will host a 26-mile marathon walk on June 7th, starting at M&S Liffey Valley and ending at M&S Grafton Street.
Along the route, participants will engage with various M&S stores and Jigsaw locations. Additionally, each store across the country will host unique fundraising activities starting on the same day.
This initiative aligns with M&S UK's partnership with YoungMinds, a mental health charity for children, young people, and their parents, reflecting a shared commitment to youth mental health across both regions.
Through this partnership, M&S and Jigsaw aim to make a tangible difference in the lives of young people in Ireland, ensuring they have the support and resources they need to thrive.
