How coffee cups are helping save lives after Sunderland company teams with with suicide prevention charity

The ‘have a cuppa, have a chat’ campaign will see Chester-le-Street based charity If U Care Share Foundation’s details printed on thousands of coffee cups distributed to sites each month by North East Vending.

The Sunderland-based firm supplies vending machines to hospitals and other key worker sites across the North East and will carry the mental health messaging on its products to encourage people to open up.

To mark Mental Health Week between May 18 and May 24, If U Care Share Foundation and North East Vending are also encouraging people to hold online coffee mornings to check in with loved ones and get conversations started.

If U Care Share Foundation’s Fundraising and Events Manager and city councillor for Sunderland’s St Chad’s ward, Dominic McDonough, welcomed the campaign.

“We are delighted to be working with the team at North East Vending, they are a family run business who have been trading for more than 45 years and have a real community focus,” he said.

“Their support will make a huge difference and help us to reach even more people who need our support.

“Talking in a responsible way whilst distancing or by using technology such as Zoom can provide valuable support and help people to get issues off their chest in a way that they simply couldn’t anywhere else.

“Having a cuppa and a chat may seem like a small thing but talking really can save lives.”

North East Vending Operations Director, Sarah Forster, added: “We are delighted to partner with such an amazing foundation and enable them to spread the word to people across the North East, reaching out to people at all levels from different walks of life.”

If U Care Share Foundation has three aims – suicide prevention, intervention and support for those affected by suicide.

The charity’s suicide prevention service is currently available across Durham, Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland.

For more information, visit: www.ifucareshare.co.uk

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