A group of 18 students at Derbyshire science company Lubrizol are going the extra mile this April to raise money for an important charity supporting mental health.
The students have embarked on a lengthy challenge involving completing the distance between Lubrizol in Hazelwood, near Duffield, and the company’s base in Barcelona – a distance of 1715km, or 1066 miles!
They are undertaking the charity effort to raise money for Student Minds, which supports students with their mental health.
With around one in four students reporting having a diagnosed mental health issue while at university, the charity empowers students to build their own mental health toolkit to support themselves and their peers through university life and beyond.
The charity’s message is that no student should be held back by their mental health. It offers support including early intervention, building health literacy and other preventative approaches, as well as providing ongoing support for both those with and those supporting someone with mental health difficulties.
The Lubrizol students, who are all at the company on their placement year, are embarking on the 1715km distance collectively, through whatever means they like, including walking, running, cycling and even climbing!
Beth Sims, who is in her third year studying chemistry at Manchester University, is one of the students taking part.
She said: “We wanted to organise something that would bring students together. We are all very conscious of health and mental wellbeing. We’re very aware of how easy it can be to lose your mental health. This is a cause that’s very close to us and very relevant.”
Every year Lubrizol welcomes students on their placement year and currently has 18 based in Hazelwood and another four at its Manchester branch in Blackley. Students work and learn in a variety of departments from science labs to creative services.
More than a quarter of Lubrizol’s Hazelwood workforce are either current students, or are working full time having started out on a student placement or apprenticeship.
The company has a team of mental health first aiders to offer support to anyone struggling with their mental health. This year the company has trained up two of its students to be mental health first aiders too, after managers agreed its student cohort would benefit from having support from people of their own age and stage in life.
Now students are raising money to support other students with their mental health through the charity. Each of the 18 students at Lubrizol are taking on roughly 100km during April.
Beth said she was running the distance, and enjoyed going for jogs in Lubrizol’s extensive grounds, which are set in beautiful Derbyshire countryside in a former stately home near Duffield.
She said lots of students up and down the country were experiencing high stress levels with trying to balance their work with the pressures of applying for jobs.
Universities represented by the Lubrizol distance challenge are: Manchester, Derby, Loughborough, York, Warwick, Nottingham, Lincoln, Durham, St Andrews and Sheffield.
The students are aiming to raise £500 with their distance challenge which will be matched by Lubrizol. To donate, visit https://bit.ly/4aWausj
This story was written and shared on behalf of Lubrizol by Lucy Stephens. Can we share your news and get you in the headlines too? Find out how we can help by getting in touch.
