Did you know that powerLottery, Electrical Industries Charity’s (EIC) main source of fundraising, has been revamped to give you even more chances to win cash prizes every month? And did you know powerLottery still costs as little as £1 a month to take part? If you haven’t signed up yet you’re missing out on the opportunity to win up to £10,000. But powerLottery is about a lot more than big prizes; the money it raises provides vital assistance to people in the electrical sector who are suffering hardship in their lives.

This March, The Electrical Industries Charity explores the impact of social media on our mental health. With the ongoing pandemic more and more of us are spending more time on social media and that can have a huge impact on our mental health. The effect too much social media consumption has on our mental wellbeing is profound. With the rise of reality television many of us are subject to the ‘Love Island’ effect. This effect is coined as such because of the effect reality TV has had on social media, our consumption of social media and how we allow social media to impact us. Reality shows such as ‘Love Island’ have helped to create a social media lifestyle coveted by much of the wider public.

Every year addiction touches thousands of families, and when it does, the family and friends of those experiencing addiction are often left to suffer in silence due to feelings of stigma, guilt and shame. When a loved one dies from an overdose, family and friends can feel isolated and reluctant to express grief and this can have a serious impact on their own mental health. This is when support from the Electrical Industries Charity can play a pivotal role in ensuring no one is left to suffer in silence.

The Electrical Industries Charity (EIC) knows how important support can be to those who are left behind following the loss of a loved one and for this reason, the Charity has launched the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) which is funded by powerLottery.

The Electrical Industries Charity (EIC) is giving you an incredible opportunity to help your industry colleagues to recover from abusive relationships and create a better quality of life for themselves by taking part in powerLottery. powerLottery is EIC’s number one fundraising stream which funds the Charity’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and helps EIC to offer a wide range of support services to hundreds of people within the electrical and energy sector in turbulent times.

All of us experience stress and for some of us remote working has made us feel more stressed than less. Katy works for an electrical wholesaler and had been with the company for several years. While Katy enjoyed her job, she approached the Electrical Industries Charity for mental health support. 1 in 3 of all of those who approach the charity are seeking mental health support and for Katy she was struggling to cope with a diagnosis of Generalised Anxiety Disorder.

Balancing hectic work schedules and family life can make it all too easy to push any problems or emotions to the back of our minds. However, sometimes bottling up our worries can do us more harm than good. The phrase ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ is testament to this and that’s why addressing any unresolved issues is critical in managing both your mental and physical wellbeing.

Electrical Industries Charity (EIC) appreciates how important it is for people in difficult moments to have a shoulder to lean on. Talking to someone in a safe and confidential setting is the best way for many people to relax enough and voice any concerns they may have. EIC offers a variety of support methods for people who are employed in the electrical industry through their Employer Assistance Programme (EAP).

Most of us have worries, doubts and superstitious beliefs but when your thoughts and behaviour make no sense to other people, cause distress or become excessive it may be time to seek help before the situation gets out of hand. Frequently, mental health disorders such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) are mistakenly portrayed as a positive trait and personality quirk, but the reality is, for those that suffer from OCD, it can have a devastating impact on their life.

We all experience stress at some point in our life. Stress can be related to home, work, finances or relationships and is the body's reaction to feeling threatened or under pressure. Stress can help us meet the demands of home, work and family life. But too much stress can affect our mood, our body, and our relationships – especially when it feels out of our control. It can make us feel anxious and irritable and affect our self-esteem. Within the UK 74% of people reported in 2019 they have felt so stressed they have been overwhelmed or unable to cope and 51% of adults who felt stressed reported feeling depressed, and 61% reported feeling anxious. While at work 79% commonly experience work-related stress and the electrical and energy sector is one of the most stressful industries to work within. 76% of those who seek mental health assistance from the Electrical Industries Charity are diagnosed with anxiety or depression a lot of which is caused by stress and subsequent burnout.

We can give a hand-up to everyone in our industry.

Will you help us reach those in need? Learn how you can get involved.