Virgin Money's Stride by the Tyne
In January 2024, Virgin Money colleagues proudly selected Mind and SAMH as their new charity partners - and the impact was immediate.
In just one year, they raised an incredible £367,216 and they’ve not stopped there. They’ve launched joint research into the vital connection between money and mental health and championed mental health with colleagues and customers alike.
How Virgin Money is supporting Mind
- Fundraising for Mind: £23,420 was raised by Virgin colleagues for Mind and its sister charity SAMH. Far exceed the event’s initial £5k target.
- Matched-funding for Mind: Virgin Money 100% match-funded colleague fundraising bringing the grand total to £46,840!
How Mind is supporting Virgin Money
- Employee engagement: Stride by the Tyne was a resounding success bringing together 145 colleagues from across the region and strengthening team bonds.
- Mental health awareness: The event helped raise awareness of the importance of mental health and support available to Virgin money staff.
Our story so far
To celebrate their new partnership with Mind and SAMH, Virgin Money launched Stride by the Tyne – a 15-mile walking challenge that brought colleagues together and energized staff across the company. Originally designed for 100 participants, the challenge captured the imagination of colleagues both north and south of the English border, with 145 taking part and many more volunteering as cheerleaders along the way.
The route traced the historic path of Hadrian’s Wall along the scenic River Tyne, passing Segedunum Roman Fort and finishing at the stunning Tynemouth Priory. At the finish, walkers crossed a Virgin-red ribbon and were greeted with goodie bags, including plantable seeded certificates—a sustainable, meaningful memento of their achievement.
Stride by the Tyne was more than a walk - it brought staff together around a shared goal. By combining physical activity with collective engagement, the challenge created lasting memories, strengthened team spirit, and highlighted the power of employee participation in supporting mental wellbeing.
“For a cause that is, unfortunately, so very close to my heart the opportunity to support Mind and SAMH was one that I could not bypass," says Kirsteen Robertson, Business Manager, Virgin Money.
"The whole event was so well put together and organised, and the sense of achievement was amazing. I can confirm I was more than a little emotional at the end.
The fact that I felt I was helping Mind and SAMH to potentially stop another family having to deal with the repercussions of mental health issues was a priceless feeling.”
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