TransPennine Express is encouraging staff to ‘Take 10 Together’ during Mental Health Awareness Week.

The rail company is marking awareness week, which runs from May 13-19, by launching an internal campaign aimed at improving the mental wellbeing of its staff.

The Take 10 Together initiative encourages staff, in both frontline and office-based roles, to start a 10-minute conversation about mental health with colleagues, friends or family or take time to create a stress awareness space at their place of work.

Research by Mental Health First Aid England shows that 57 per cent of UK employees say they have experienced mental health issues at work, but less than half of that group felt confident to open up about it.

TransPennine customer information manager, Joseph Smith, said: “I’m so pleased to have been able to play a part in launching this campaign.

“After dealing with my own mental health issues, I know how important it is to take time out and talk about the things that are making us sad, stressed or anxious.

“We spend a lot of time at work and it’s really vital that we are able to grab a cup of tea and talk to a colleague about how we’re feeling.”

MHFA is the only provider of licensed mental health first aid instructor courses in England.