A team of about 20 colleagues from healthcare software company Agilio will walk the Thames Path Ultra Challenge this September, aiming to raise £10,000 for the suicide prevention charity Ripple.
The firm, which supplies software for dental, veterinary, pharmacy and primary care settings, will take on the challenge in support of Ripple Suicide Prevention Charity.
The group, having already completed ultra walks in the Peak District and North Yorkshire, say they are determined to reach their £10,000 fundraising target.
Nikki Berryman, of Agilio’s central people team, has led the rollout of the company’s wellbeing strategy, including efforts to raise awareness of the support available to staff.
Agilio has deployed Ripple’s technology, BrowserShield, which intercepts harmful online searches related to suicide and self-harm and directs people to immediate support at the point of search.
“We are huge advocates of flexible working and work-life balance,” Berryman said.
“However, with a lot of our colleagues working solely from home, it can sometimes be difficult to pick up on the shifts in behaviour and notice when someone’s mental health has started to decline, so having a tool in place that offers protection in the worst-case scenario gives us a lot of peace of mind as we know that Ripple BrowserShield will kick in if someone is looking for ways to harm themselves.”
BrowserShield is available to businesses through Ripple for Business, while the charity works towards providing the safeguarding technology free of charge to schools, colleges, universities, charities and families worldwide.
Money raised by Berryman and her colleagues will go towards funding further deployment of the tool to protect young and vulnerable people, and their families, in crisis.
The Thames Path Ultra Challenge is among the largest events of its kind in Britain, drawing around 3,000 participants along the river through London, with distances ranging from 25km to 50km.
The Agilio team will set off early in the morning and expect a late finish.
Alice Hendy MBE, founder and chief executive of Ripple Suicide Prevention Charity, said: “The team at Agilio has already endured physical hardship to raise money for the charity, and their continued determination is a testament to their mental fortitude and dedication to supporting those who find themselves in crisis.
“Through our technology, we have intercepted over 120,000 harmful searches and are currently providing protection to over 1.9 million people worldwide.
“Agilio are helping us to ensure that more people are given direct support at the point of search which will result in more lives saved and reduce the instances of suicide and self-harm.
“We wish everyone the best of luck in the challenge and look forward to seeing their smiling faces at the finish line.”
To support the fundraiser, visit Team Agilio’s JustGiving page.
