Local charity GibSams was founded by Marie-Lou Guerrero MBE in October 2017. Its mission is to improve the emotional and mental wellbeing of Gibraltar’s wider community.  GibSams offers a range of support services, with a key objective being the removal of any stigma associated with mental health issues locally.

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GibSams remains highly proactive. For instance, last month it announced the launch of GibSilver – a new initiative aimed at providing companionship, conversation, or simply a listening ear to over-55s locally.  

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In the corporate arena, GibSams introduced its annual Corporate Wellbeing Recognition Scheme in 2019. Acquarius was honoured to receive a GibSams award in 2023, and I am delighted to share that we have been recognised once again this year. We have been nominated for a Wellbeing at Work Award in the category for local companies with fewer than 100 employees. 

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Our award submission covered the initiatives Acquarius has taken in the past year to develop the wellbeing of our staff still further. Building on the foundations laid in 2023 and 2024, it has been a rewarding journey for our team to implement these plans and watch them evolve. We outlined our policies and procedures, as well as the core principles that guide our approach to fostering a meaningful and, importantly, sustainable wellbeing culture. We also touched on several events hosted throughout the year – many of which will be familiar to readers of our Insights series.

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I have been invited to join Acquarius’ Managing Director, Oliver Andlaw, at this year’s GibSams Wellbeing at Work Conference, where the 2025 awards will be presented. Of course, it would be a great honour to receive an award again. However, regardless of the outcome, Acquarius remains fully committed to GibSams’ values. The charity can count on our continued support.

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On behalf of everyone at Acquarius, I wish GibSams every success for the upcoming conference. We stand firmly behind the various initiatives developed by the charity. I would also like to acknowledge the continuous support given the Wellbeing Committee by Acquarius’ executive team. Their enthusiasm percolates down to the wider staff complement and I am delighted – and proud – of our collective dedication and willingness to consistently achieve, or even exceed, our wellbeing goals.