Raising Life-Saving Workplace Mental Health Awareness

When loyal PermaGroup customer Donna Tappin told us she’ll be running the 2025 London Marathon to help shatter the silence and stigma surrounding mental health in the workplace, we raced to pledge our support.

Since losing her good friend Chris Wiles to a mental health crisis in 2019, novice runner Donna, 53, has been championing cultural change in high-stress industries like our own to ensure anyone experiencing mental ill-health has crucial support, and the confidence to speak out.

Beating the selection ballot odds, she now faces a long, exhausting challenge, battling mental and physical fatigue to find the inner strength to carry on when she feels like giving up. For those facing mental ill-health, the above will resonate. Even in construction, no one is ‘too manly to struggle’.

On Sunday 27th April, Donna will run through the pain barrier for Chris, his family, Mates in Mind and everyone with whom these isolating feelings strike a chord. She said: “Chris tragically ended his life after struggling with mental health. He was one of the strongest people I knew, but work stress overwhelmed him. We didn’t realise he was in a mental health crisis until it was too late.

“I’m taking this challenge for Chris and all those suffering in silence, raising funds for Mates in Mind, a charity dedicated to workplace mental health awareness, to help break the stigma and save lives. Any donation is appreciated and Chris will be pushing me the whole 26.2 miles.”

In partnership with Mates in Mind, Chris’s family are striving to shed light on the importance of mental health awareness and encourage open conversations and ongoing support and training within all organisations.

Michelle Wiles, Chris’s wife and Patron of Mates in Mind, said: “I have known Donna for nearly 30 years and can vouch that this challenge is no mean feat to her. After tragically losing Chris, we searched for a charity that could have supported someone like him in their time of need and, more importantly, one that could help prevent this from happening to anyone else.

“Our daughter Chloe found Mates in Mind and it was the perfect fit. Donna will have incredible support on the day from our friends and family and I know Chris will be right there with her, every step of the way.”

PermaGroup account manager Lee Moore said: “Chris’s story hits hard. PermaGroup are proud to support Donna’s inspirational efforts in the hope that companies continue to protect their colleagues and smash the stigma.”

Please join us in supporting Donna via the Just Giving link here

To learn more about Chris’s story, please watch the video below, shared with the kind permission of his wife and family:

PermaGroup has established links with some of the biggest names in our industry thanks to our reputation of excellence. Read more about becoming a supplier or stockist here.