The Rainy Day Trust has launched Thousand Smiles September, an industry-wide wellbeing initiative encouraging businesses across the home improvement and home enhancement sectors to carry out one act of kindness every day throughout September.
The month-long campaign aims to promote positive mental wellbeing while raising funds to support people working across the sector who are experiencing financial hardship or mental health challenges.
Building on the success of the Trust’s inaugural Mad March Million challenge, which saw 136 participants from more than 20 businesses complete a combined 2.2 million steps earlier this year, Thousand Smiles September shifts the focus from physical activity to emotional wellbeing.
Participating teams of four will log daily acts of kindness using the Habits for Health app, earning points on a live leaderboard while contributing to a sector-wide smiles counter. Simple gestures such as supporting a colleague, thanking a team member or checking in with someone are all encouraged.
The initiative also has a fundraising target. With 80 teams taking part, the Trust estimates it could raise around £8,000, enough to fund approximately 200 hours of mental health support for people working within the industry.
Anna Skeats, CEO of the Rainy Day Trust, said: “Our sector has disproportionately high rates of mental health challenges. But we also have something special – a strong community of people who look out for each other.
“Thousand Smiles September is a chance to make that visible. A coffee for a colleague, a message to someone who’s been quiet, taking a moment to say thank you – these small acts add up to something extraordinary. We want every business in our sector to be part of this.”
The campaign also offers businesses an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to employee wellbeing while supporting wider ESG and social value objectives. Throughout September, teams will compete for bronze, silver and gold digital badges, with prize hampers awarded to the highest-scoring and top fundraising teams.
Registration opens on July 1, with businesses required to register their teams by August 1 ahead of the challenge beginning in September.
If you want your organisation to be part of Thousand Smiles September and we hope you do, please get in touch with Anna directly.
Contact: Anna Skeats, CEO, Rainy Day Trust: anna@rainydaytrust.org.uk www.rainydaytrust.org.uk
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