At Rogers & Norton, we are proud to support three local charities over the next three years... one of those charities is Norfolk and Waveney Mind.

We strive to maintain a positive, nurturing working environment, so supporting Norfolk and Waveney Mind reflects our commitment to looking after our employee’s mental wellbeing.

Every September Norfolk and Waveney Mind run a campaign encouraging their supporters to take part in a walking activity to help prevent suicide in our community. To support this campaign, we are walking 'The Great Eastern Pingo Trail'.

Pingos are also known as kettle ponds, they’re very rare and date back to the ice age. As the glaciers retreated, they left hard masses of ice which eventually had soil over them. Then, as the climate became warmer and the ice melted away, the soil on top formed depressions, leaving a hole filled with water. Most of the Pingos in this area have now disappeared due to the land being ploughed up for farming, so the ones remaining are historically, ecologically and internationally important for wildlife. The distance of the pingo trail is approx. 8 miles/12.9km and should take around 2 hours and 45 mins – not for the faint hearted!

Why are we doing this and how will it help Norfolk and Waveney Mind?

Norfolk and Waveney Mind are busier than ever, 60% of adults and young people who did not experience poor mental health before the pandemic are now experiencing mental health issues. By taking part in this challenge, we are helping the charity to ensure that no one has to face a mental health problem alone, whilst also helping them to raise awareness and reduce the stigma associated with mental health.

Services that rely on funds raised from their supporters taking on challenges like this include their suicide prevention and complex bereavement services, which provide free suicide awareness and intervention training, 1:1 practical and emotional support for individuals bereaved by suicide, peer group support for those bereaved by suicide.

Challenges like this provide a great opportunity for participants to come together, for teams to train together, to talk, to build a sense of community and forge friendships and bonds that last long way beyond the challenge itself.