Virtual College and local companies champion healthy bodies and minds

Virtual College, the Ilkley–based online learning company, has partnered with local organisations and Mind, the mental health charity, in a number of events designed to support and draw attention to physical and mental well-being.

Virtual College staff took part in a sponsored lunchtime ‘Mile for Mind Wellness Walk’ up Cow Pasture Lane to the cattle grid and back, with all proceeds going to Mind.

The next day, a ‘Time to Talk’ lunchtime drop-in event was held for all Virtual College staff, using fun games to draw attention to how good it is to talk.

The popular event, held at Virtual College’s offices in Ilkley, was supported by Mind with additional lunchtime activities from local companies:

• Filmore & Union (with their nutritionist) – the healthy eating restaurant
• The Valley Clinic – the Ilkley multi -disciplinary clinic for therapies
• Ilkley Complementary Therapies – which offers a wide range of therapies
• Naturally Twisted – who run weekly local yoga classes.

Fiona Robinson, Virtual College HR Manager, commented: “It is wonderful to receive the help and knowledge of these local companies and to be able to support Mind, particularly as it was Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week. The event was really successful in raising awareness and eroding any stigma around mental health issues.

“People are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of wellness. We see it as our responsibility as an employer to invest in the wellbeing of our staff and have a comprehensive health assistance programme in place.”

The amount raised by Virtual College’s staff sponsored activities was doubled by the company to create a charitable donation to Hull and East Yorkshire Mind of £600. This was in addition to a £2000 donation already made to this charity as part of Virtual College’s support for Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week where each of 5 selected charities received a £2000 donation from Virtual College.

“This was a fantastic opportunity to participate in the events and learn more about how we can become healthier in body and mind,” said Tom Kirk, direct sales executive at Virtual College.

NOTES TO THE EDITOR:

Virtual College won the prestigious ‘learning technologies supplier of the year’ 2016/17 in the independently-judged global awards. Virtual College has also been identified as one of London Stock Exchange’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain. The report is a celebration of the UK’s fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium sized businesses.

Virtual College has developed into one of the UK's leading providers of total solutions within the e-learning arena. Its key objective is to help enhance the traditional learning solution through the careful integration of technology.

Founded in 1995, today Virtual College has over 2.4 million registered online learners and this is growing at a rate of over 1,500 a day, across both public and private sectors. The company has developed a comprehensive product range, including over 300 online courses, accessed via the company's own Learning Management System, as well as offering a complete content design and development service.

Further information is available at www.virtual-college.co.uk