b'24 Mercia asset Management PLc Annual Report and Accounts 2021Responsible business continuedPeople,cultureand valuesMercia HeartExtending outreach activity to include aBroadening our care beyond #OneMercia means to support our teams mentalhas continued this year even though wellbeing and resilience, Mercia Heart waslockdown challenged us to be more creative launched to underline our commitment toin our outreach. The Mercia Spirit team rose always place our people at the heart of ourto the occasion raising money for Cancer business. Celebrating special occasionsResearch UK through events designed for and holidays, Mercia Hearts programme ofonline engagement. A Silent Auction that events, gifts and cross-group activities hastook place with all items, holidays and been a sustained initiative that also has aexperiences provided by employees was more serious side to it. Mindful of theone such activity. At Christmas, our Secret personal challenges and needs of many ofSanta was extended to include some of our Mercia employees and families, Merciathose living rough on the street, further-now offers a comprehensive employeesupported by our clothing drive and coat benefit package that includes a bespokecollection. The photography competition wellbeing and counselling service thatencouraged our team to get away from their offers weekly sessions, as required, for asdesks while working from home and capture long as they are needed. This is reinforcedtheir walks on camera. And no fundraising by a range of webinars and activities thateffort could do without the design and sale provide both advice and support, as well of Mercia caricature tea-towels. as membership of the meditation app,Sadly, our Skills Builder Partnership could Headspace40% of our team are activenot continue during lockdown, but we users.look forward to reinstating thisMichelle Heaselgrave,Pragmatic care, in the form of COVID-19programme in the year ahead.Head of People & talenttesting for employees and their families, as well as the constant re-evaluation of the rapidly changing pandemic landscape, also brings peace of mind in these8uncertain times.Fundraising teams'