Yesterday wagamama, the 'eating house for the soul', announced its support for the petition to create a statutory legal duty of care in higher education. Kay Bartlett, customer director at wagamama, says: "Mental health remains an increasingly important issue in our society with so many experiencing loneliness and isolation".
wagamama has joined forces with mental health campaigner, author and presenter, Ben West, to support bereaved families who have lost their children to suicide by helping raise awareness of the petition. Bartlett continued: "we are eager to help Ben and the families affected to reach the signatories needed to present this petition to government".
Ben West commented: "We are often told prophetically that going to university will be the best years of our lives, but for many people, they will instead be the last years of their lives. If you are over 18, not a vulnerable adult, and are in a mental health crisis, the protection you are legally owed by your university is devastatingly lacking...every three days a student in higher education will take their own life".
At the time of writing, the petition has jumped from 30,000 to 68,000 signatures. Big 'thank you' to Ben and wagamama for your support and to the bereaved parents who continue to work so hard on this petition. If you haven't signed please do so now. The petition closes on 19th March 2023.
