Garden furniture, grow your own and decorative garden structure specialist, Zest, part of the P&A Group, is fielding a team to take on the Manchester Marathon today, Sunday 14th April, to raise money for North East Wales Mind, the P&A Group’s charity for 2024. Nine employees will be taking part.
Steve Morgan, Zest’s Managing Director said, “I am thrilled to announce the team’s enthusiastic participation in the upcoming Manchester Marathon. It is a powerful testament to our commitment to raising awareness of mental health issues as we support North East Wales Mind as our chosen charity this year.”
The team is made up of people from across the business, including Hazel Bainbridge, Andrew Baker, Iwan Gwyn, Ben Morgan, Richard Shaw and Reza Yaghoubi. They will be joined by Pawel Czapiewski, Krzysztof Narloch and Jan Wardyn representing one of Zest’s Polish partner companies.
Andrew Baker, experienced marathon runner and Director of Finance at Zest commented, “Completing the marathon distance takes a great deal of mental and physical stamina but our mission is about more than that; it's about fostering a community of support, understanding, and compassion. We firmly believe that spending time with others, immersing ourselves in the great outdoors, and engaging in physical activity are not just hobbies but essential tools in our arsenal against the struggles of mental health.”
Manager, Iwan Gwyn said,“We’re all really looking forward to the event and raising as much money as we can for North East Wales Mind. In a world where the importance of mental well-being cannot be overstated, we believe it's crucial to come together and shine a spotlight on the significance of supporting one another's mental health journeys. That's why we're lacing up our running shoes, ready to hit the pavement and make a difference. The Manchester Marathon isn’t going to be easy– but we’ve got a great team spirit and I know that we’ll keep each other going until we all cross the finish line.”
Hazel Bainbridge, Zest’s HR Director, added, “This will be my very first marathon so it will be a big ask but it’s no comparison to the daily battle of living with mental distress. It’s important to do more to remove the stigma and silence that surrounds mental well-being and make it easy to talk about our mental health so supporting the work that North East Wales Mind do is worth the effort. We hope to turn every step of the 26.2 miles into a beacon of hope, inspiring others to prioritise their mental well-being and embrace the transformative power of connection and movement.”
North East Wales Mind helps people in Flintshire and Wrexham recover from mental health problems and stay emotionally healthy. In addition to telephone counselling and emotional support, the charity offers a range of online services and activities. Their phone lines are open 10am til 4pm each weekday.
To donate to North East Wales Mind, please click here
Over the last 14 years, Zest employees have raised over £150,000 for a variety of charities alongside colleagues in the P&A Group. These include Dementia UK, British Heart Foundation, Macmillan Cancer Support, Hope House, and Tŷ Gobaith Children’s Hospices, Cancer Research UK, Action for Children, Alzheimer’s Society, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and Meningitis Now.
Zest was established in 2005 to bring high quality, sustainable timber garden products to garden centres, online retailers, builders’ merchants, and major purchasing groups across the UK. For further information about Zest’s GYO, decorative and furniture products, visit www.zestoutdoorliving.co.uk.
