SUICIDE prevention charity If U Care Share Foundation is aiming to get people talking about mental health throughout the lockdown after announcing a partnership with family-run business North East Vending.

The ‘Have a cuppa, have a chat’ campaign will see the Chester-le-Street based foundation’s details printed on hundreds of thousands of coffee cups that are distributed to sites around the North-East each month by North East Vending.

North East Vending supplies vending machines to hospitals and other key worker sites across the North-East.

To mark Mental Health Week, which comes to an end today, If U Care Share and North East Vending are also encouraging people to hold online coffee mornings.

If U Care Share Foundation fundraising and events manager, Dominic McDonough said: “We are delighted to be working with the team at North East Vending, they are a family run business who have been trading for over 45 years and have a real community focus.

“Their support will make a huge difference and help us to reach even more people who need our support.

“Talking in a responsible way whilst distancing or by using technology such as Zoom can provide valuable support and help people to get issues off their chest in a way that they simply couldn’t anywhere else.

“Having a cuppa and a chat may seem like a small thing but talking really can save lives."

North East Vending operations director, Sarah Forster said: "We are delighted to partner with such an amazing foundation and enable them to spread the word to people across the North-East, reaching out to people at all levels from different walks of life."