We at Whyte and Mackay recognise that people have been coping with extraordinary challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic. It has impacted individuals and communities around the world, a common experience that is unprecedented in its intensity in our lifetime.

In many cases this has caused individuals and families untold stress. Loneliness, health issues and financial uncertainty are but three obvious pressures on people's mental health.

In many countries mental health has been recognised as being as important as physical health and potentially an issue of huge proportions as we live through and emerge from the current crisis. In others, the case may not be as openly acknowledged but the issues still exist.

At Whyte and Mackay, our workforce of just over 500 people wanted to do something to contribute to supporting the mental health of people around the world in the communities where our colleagues, partners and consumers live.

Given that we can't travel in the current climate, we decided to do so virtually and set ourselves a challenge of walking / running / cycling around the world (some 29,000 miles) to raise awareness and funds for mental health charities around the world.

In the UK we have decided to support the Scottish Association of Mental Health via a direct fundraising page on JustGiving.com.

We have also set up this separate fundraising page to collect donations and share across charities in other countries where they are not affiliated to JustGiving including:

Canadian Mental Health Association

Mental Health America (U.S.A.)

Asociacion Encuentro (Spain)

Al Jalila Foundation (U.A.E.)

The South African Federation of Mental Health

Maria Goretti Foundation (Ireland)

The Syin-Lu Social Welfare Foundation (Taiwan)

The Mental Health Association of Hong Kong

Any donations are gratefully received.