Brighton coffee shops sign up for Marathon weekend of Coffee for Molly mental health campaign

• 13 coffee shops sign up for Molly Rose Foundation’s Coffee for Molly campaign
• Mental health initiative will take place during Brighton Marathon weekend
• It’s free for coffee shops to sign up and spread vital mental health support

Coffee shops in Brighton are gearing up to help start conversations about mental health during the Brighton Marathon weekend next month.

So far, 13 local cafes are taking part in Molly Rose Foundation’s Coffee for Molly initiative, which will see resources placed in coffee shops to encourage customers to talk about mental health.

Molly Rose Foundation was set up in memory of 14-year-old Molly Russell from Harrow who died after being exposed to harmful content on social media.

Coffee for Molly is taking place in Brighton as the charity has runners in the marathon and 10K on April 6th, raising money for its suicide prevention work.

Among those cafes to sign up for the initiative is Mark Carter, owner of Puzzle Bored; a three-storey coffee shop and puzzle space in New Road.

Mark, 51, said: “We are very excited and proud to be working with this amazing charity as it is an issue that resonates a lot with myself and the amazing service and support the charity provides.”

Mark, who was born in Cuckfield but has lived in Brighton for 32 years,  opened the doors of Puzzle Bored in 2023, providing the locale with a neurodiverse-aware environment where visitors can have a coffee, enjoy a jigsaw puzzle, traditional board games or colouring in, in a quiet and calming environment.

Wilf Mentis, Sustainability Lead and Coffee Trainer at Redroaster, which has three coffee shops in Brighton that are also taking part, said: “At Redroaster we believe business should be a force for good, impacting everyone in a positive way.

The 23-year-old originally from Cornwall added: “We have partnered with Molly Rose Foundation as we believe in the importance of removing the stigma surrounding mental health and believe the relaxed atmosphere a coffee shop creates is perfect for these kinds of discussions.”

The free campaign is geared around the importance of starting conversations about mental health and will feature Coffee for Molly conversation starter menus, Molly Rose Foundation-branded coffee cup sleeves and Where To Find Help cards to distribute to customers.

Molly Rose Foundation CEO Andy Burrows said: “I’d like to say a big thank you to all our runners and to all the cafes who are supporting this vital initiative about the importance of taking time to talk.

“Members of our team will be in Brighton on the day and are looking forward to cheering everyone on.”

There’s still time to sign up and take part – If you own or know of a coffee shop that would like to get involved, please email hello@mollyrosefoundation.org

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