Marks & Spencer is launching a new mental health drop-ins in selected store cafes for stressed shoppers. The Frazzled Cafe will be project is fronted by comedian Ruby Wax, who has long been vocal about mental health issues.
Sessions will be held on a fortnightly basis, hosted by trained volunteers in restaurants that will be closed for the day. The Frazzled cafes will be in three London branches as well as outlets in Nottingham, Leeds and Newcastle. Marks & Spencer say the sessions are “not therapy, their purpose is to provide a space where people can talk openly with others who understand how they are feeling – a place where it’s OK to not be OK.”
Ruby Wax said: “We live in a time where to have a life crammed to the hilt is considered a success story… But with all this pressure, so many of us have nowhere to go to meet and talk about it. Frazzled Cafe is about people coming together to share their stories, calmly sitting together, stating their case and feeling validated as a result.”
The Frazzled Cafe project is currently in the process of becoming a registered charity and was inspired by Ruby’s book and show A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled.
“It’s special to get a company like M&S on board, I’m grateful for the set-up support they’ve given us and access to their cafe network is a huge boost.”
You can find out more about the Frazzled Cafe here!
