Atlas Insurance Deputy Managing Director Matthew von Brockdorff together with Atlas Social Club Chair Ivan Distefano recently presented the Richmond Foundation Chairman Anthony Guillaumier with a donation of €4,000.

The donation was the culmination of various fundraising activities held over the past few weeks which commenced with a dress down day to raise awareness about mental health. The Atlas Social Club organized a second hand book sale and a cake sale, whilst a hot dog lunch was organized by the Branches team. The Atlas Wellness Team in conjunction with the Social Club invited the Richmond Foundation to make a presentation about mental health, one of a series of talks on health and wellness that are held at Atlas for staff throughout the year.

According to the Eurobarometer, 14% of the Maltese population report to have or have had chronic anxiety and/or depression. 70% of people who suffer from depression do not seek treatment. The most likely reason for this is stigma and a lack of information on mental health conditions. Despite how common mental health issues are, society, for various reasons, finds it difficult to discuss and learn about them, treating them on the same basis as physical issues. The only way to overcome this barrier is through education and discussion.

During the presentation, Mr Guillaumier thanked Atlas for its support. "Such support to our Foundation goes a long way to assist in our sustainability, but at the same time creates awareness of mental health and encourages us to continue our work in this sector," he said.