Ashley Riley from The Laura and Ashley Show with Wayne Thompson, Director of Stanair
Stanair, the East Midlands-based industrial door specialist, has announced its support for a new initiative aimed at addressing the UK’s mental health crisis, particularly among middle-aged men and young women.
The Kettering-headquartered company, which is marking its 50th year serving businesses across Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Warwickshire and Buckinghamshire, is sponsoring The Laura & Ashley Show, a forthcoming podcast series that explores the realities of mental health in contemporary Britain.
The project is the brainchild of award-winning business figures Laura Till and Ashley Riley, and is set to air 15 candid episodes later this year. Topics will include anxiety, PTSD, depression, the pressures of professional life, and the wider impact of mental health challenges on family and relationships.
Wayne Thompson, Director at Stanair, said the business was proud to support an initiative rooted in openness and social responsibility. “Stanair has come a long way since its founding in 1974, but our commitment to quality service and supporting the communities we serve remains unchanged,” he said. “As a business, we recognise the importance of mental wellbeing — not just for our workforce but across wider society. That is why we are backing The Laura & Ashley Show and its mission to encourage open conversations around mental health.”
Filming is set to take place during August, with the podcast due to launch in the autumn across social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and TikTok.
Ashley Riley, co-host of the show, welcomed Stanair’s involvement. “While awareness of mental health has grown, the scale of the problem — particularly among middle-aged men — remains significant,” he said. “We are grateful to Stanair for their support. Their backing enables us to reach more people and help to normalise conversations that too often remain in the shadows.”
According to the Mental Health Foundation, young women are three times more likely than young men to experience post-traumatic stress disorder, while figures from The Priory reveal that 77% of men report experiencing anxiety, stress or depression — yet fewer than half have ever spoken to anyone about it.
Laura Till added: “With 20% of the UK workforce employed in engineering, support from a respected company like Stanair helps send a powerful message: mental health matters — and it’s time we talked about it.”
Founded in 1974, Stanair was one of the UK’s first specialist industrial door repair firms. Now entering its sixth decade, the company remains independently owned and continues to offer 24-hour repair and maintenance services to commercial and industrial customers. Its local depots allow it to provide rapid, tailored solutions that match the needs — and budgets — of businesses across the region.
