WHAT IS CHARITEA?
We choose a new ChariTEA (Charity - see what we did there!) every quarter which is close to our hearts. The ChariTEA is nominated by one of our Teabirds, they then choose a tea blend that reflects them or what they support and we donate the profits of the blend to their wonderful cause!
We raised £6625.83 between October - December in 2022 for Mental Health Mates.
This quarter (October - December 2022) our chosen ChariTEA is 'Mental Health Mates' - Founded by Bryony Gordon in 2016, Mental Health Mates is a network of peer support groups IRL and online, run by people who experience their own mental health issues, meeting regularly to walk, connect and share without fear or judgment. With Walks across the United Kingdom, Mental Health Mates has become a thriving community that only continues to grow!
“We know, from personal experience, that mental illness magnifies through isolation. So whether it is talking to someone, sharing with them or simply walking beside them, we believe that getting connected is the first steps to recovery.” - Mental Health Mates
The tea they have chosen as their blend is Mint Choc Rooibos. So every penny of profit from this blend from October to December will be donated to supporting the running of this incredible organisation! If you buy Mint Choc Rooibos online or in store this quarter, you can enjoy your brew knowing you're doing good too!
HOW DID MENTAL HEALTH MATES START?
In 2016, in the midst of writing her memoir ‘Mad Girl’, Bryony Gordon was having significant struggles with her mental health. Around this period, Bryony listened to a documentary about the late author, Carson McCullers in which she said: “The trouble with me is that for a long time I have just been an I person. All people belong to a we except me. Not to belong to a we makes you too lonesome.” Bryony was struck by these words and how much they resonated with her. She immediately knew she wanted to find a way of bringing people together to find their ‘we,’ instead of experiencing the loneliness and isolation that she had so often felt herself. McCuller’s words propelled Bryony to take the next step ...Bryony took to twitter and invited anyone and everyone to join her in Hyde Park to walk and talk without fear or judgment. After sending out the tweet, Bryony started to wonder if anyone would actually turn up …
On the day of the meet up, Bryony was doubtful that anyone would turn up. However, to Bryony’s absolute amazement, she turned the corner and found twenty people waiting for her! Bryony was struck by everyone’s courage to get up on a cold February morning to meet a bunch of strangers to talk about the terrifying stuff in their heads while walking around in the park. In Bryony’s words,‘it was brilliant and amazing!’
And so, Mental Health Mates was born! With Bryony’s first walk having been such a success, she knew how vital it was to continue with them. Fast forward and Mental Health Mates now has over 120 walks across the UK and continues to grow everyday! Five years on, Bryony says: “I could never have imagined Mental Health Mates would have turned into the national network that it now is, or that it would lead to me living a life beyond OCD, depression and the addiction I had developed as a crap coping mechanism. I owe so much to the amazing walk leaders and members of our community, who blow me away with their own stories of recovery!”
HOW ARE WE SUPPORTING THEM?
- Donating profits from our tea Mint Choc Rooibos
- Donation set up at checkout.
- Donation set up in all our local stores.
Store Walks:
- Brighton
- Bristol
- Cardiff
- Glasgow
- London
- South Manchester
- Broadland, Norwich
We will provide a free cuppa on every walk. Remember, our stores are a safe space for everyone to meet & talk whether you're a customer or not. Watch this space for more information on when and where the walks will take place.
HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?
The easiest way to support 'Mental Health Mates' is to buy Mint Choc Rooibos or donate. But there are lots of other things you can do to help them out. You can help spread the word by sharing posts on social media, you can become a walk leader your self or you feel like you could benefit from attending a mental health walk then you can do that too! If you want to find out more information about this charity and how you can get involved click here.