Sean's longest ride
We're incredibly grateful to everyone who raises funds for us, whether as individuals or as part of a company event, such as the one PwC holds each year...
A PwC employee has demonstrated his commitment and passion for mental health by raising over £4,000 for two mental health charities: Charlie Waller Trust and Mental Health UK.
His feat was part of PwC’s One Firm One Day – an annual event for its thousands of employees to take part in fundraising and volunteering activities.
300k in a day!
Keen cyclist Sean Maywood completed his longest ride by pedalling 300km in one day to raise money for the two charities.
A former biology teacher of 25 years, Sean is now a Mental Health First Aid Instructor for PwC. He explained:
“I loved teaching science, but it was the pastoral side of school that drew me in. I was approached by someone at PwC who suggested I might transfer my skills to support young people in the workplace. I was effectively acting as head of year to many staff in their early careers.”
A former biology teacher of 25 years, Sean is now a Mental Health First Aid Instructor for PwC. He explained: “I loved teaching science, but it was the pastoral side of school that drew me in. I was approached by someone at PwC who suggested I might transfer my skills to support young people in the workplace. I was effectively acting as head of year to many staff in their early careers.”
Closer to home, Sean had seen friends struggle with their mental health, with one dying by suicide, and his wife was diagnosed with anorexia in her early 20s. “It makes it all very real,” he says.
Core values
One of PwC’s core values is ‘care’, and that includes caring about the wellbeing of its employees. As Sean acknowledges, there is a commercial aspect to this – PwC’s recent research into economic inactivity showed mental health is the single biggest driver for people choosing to leave the workforce and is particularly an issue for younger people.
In 2016, PwC invited Mental Health First Aid England to deliver their training. “I was bowled over by the course,” says Sean. “I realised that it’s not just about dealing with crises but about prevention and education.”
PwC made the decision to train their own Mental Health First Aid Instructors and Sean was one of the first to complete the training.
He now supports the 570+ MH First Aiders at PwC plus 25 Mental Health Advocates, who are partners and directors. Combined they help to drive events such as Mental Health Awareness Week.
“It’s recognised that the biggest factor in employee happiness is the relationship they have with their manager, and we continue to work on that,” says Sean.
Charlie Waller Trust resources
As part of the support, the company has an internal site with resources, including some from the Charlie Waller Trust, which Sean describes as “wonderful”. The Trust’s Corporate Partnerships Manager, Helen Franks, has been working with UK Partner Glynn Austen-Brown for some time, regularly sharing relevant content such as webinars and other digital resources.
Target smashed!
Cycling has benefited Sean’s own mental wellbeing. He said: “My mental health has been pretty good despite some health scares and getting out on my bike has been a significant factor in that.” He regularly cycles 100km, but not the 300km he set for his fundraising challenge! His route took him on a circuit around the outside of the M25, which he was delighted to complete in just under 12 hours. He also exceeded his target, raising £1,685 for the Trust plus £250 matched funding from PwC. “I’m really pleased to have done it,” he says.
Corporate Partnership Manager Helen Franks said: “It’s people like Sean and organisations like PwC who the life blood of our charity and we couldn’t deliver our mental health training and resources to young people and their networks without this kind of support. A huge thank you from us all at Charlie Waller Trust.”
