Frazzled Cafes

In a bid to shake off the stigma around mental health, Marks and Spencer is planning to launch mental health ‘cafes’ where shoppers can talk about issues that are affecting them.

The Frazzled Cafe project will allow customers to offload their stresses in 11 stores across the country, with more locations to be added in the coming months. Taking place after hours at M&S cafes, the fortnightly sessions will be led by volunteer therapists and will provide an anonymous and non-judgemental environment for people to chat.

The branches taking part include three in London, as well as Nottingham, Leeds and Newcastle.  The retailer’s new initiative is in partnership with author, comedian and mental health awareness campaigner Ruby Wax.

Wax has written several books on the topic of mindfulness, having suffered episodes of depression for most of her life. “We live in a time where to have a life crammed to the hilt is considered a success story,” the comedian commented.

“But with all this pressure, so many of us have nowhere to go to meet and talk about it.”

Words by the Evening Standard