GroceryAid – your new Colleague helpline!
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Published 14 Jan 2020 in Colleagues
In order to support our colleagues further, we are pleased to announce our partnership with GroceryAid.
GroceryAid is the national charity that helps people across the whole of the grocery industry (please note for Midcounties Co-operative GroceryAid will cover all colleagues), last year the charity helped over 15,700 colleagues, spending £4.25m on welfare support.
Your new helpline and contact website:
How can GroceryAid support you?
Welfare support
Helpline
Available to colleagues and their partners/ dependents, the Helpline is a 24/7 free and confidential service providing advice, support and counselling to anyone who has any current or past employment within the grocery industry, regardless of the length of service. Grocery Aid also has a Language Line service available through the Helpline for anyone who would like to discuss issues in their first language and a Live Chat facility on the website for those with hearing difficulties or who would rather not engage on the telephone.
Helpline services also include benefits and debt management advice, legal advice, back to work support, trauma incident support and counselling as well as support for anyone with caring responsibilities in their household. Further information is available on the website here.
Wellbeing and Mental Health
Included in the services available from the Helpline GroceryAid have telephone counselling, an online CBT ( Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) programme and a Mindfulness book; which can be provided with further information as required. They can also offer face to face relationship counselling for individuals, couples and families through their partner organisation, Relate.
They have also further expanded their mental health support through a new Partnership with Rightsteps by launching an evidence-based online Health and Wellbeing portal, assisting in three main focus areas: Mind, Body and Behaviour. The portal can be accessed via the website here (see Wellbeing Sessions).
Watch Martin's story, to see how GroceryAid has supported a colleague in need:
Workplace Critical Incident Support
This new service is aimed at supporting colleagues who have experienced a threat to their own life or physical safety or have been affected by the death or injury of a colleague following an accident, crime or suicide in the workplace. The GroceryAid Helpline can provide immediate support 24/7, 365 days a year to managers and colleagues in complete confidence. Details can be found here.
Financial support
Consideration for a financial grant can be given to anyone currently working in the grocery industry with at least three years’ service (does not have to be with one employer).
Crisis grant applications may be considered for circumstances including rent, council tax or utility arrears, essential house repairs, replacement white goods, disability/mobility aids or general hardship caused by unexpected gaps in income for reasons such as illness, redundancy or relationship breakdown. Crisis grants can be paid directly to the beneficiary should this be the area of need.
Longer-term support can be considered for those with 10 years’ service who are either unable to work due to retirement or ill-health or who working carers who have caring responsibilities in their household.
Information on how to apply can be found on the Grocery Aid website by clicking here.
Note for managers/action:
Please note that the Life and Legal EAP will no longer exist. Therefore, please ensure you communicate this to all colleagues print off and display the new poster and remove and remove any old POS.
The new poster is live! These can be printed by clicking here.
If you have any further questions please speak to your Line Manager.