Penyrheol school wins wellbeing and mental health challenge

A school in Penyrheol has been awarded a library of wellbeing and mental health books as part of a UK wide competition.

Cwm Ifor Primary School won the library in the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust’s Wellbeing Challenge 2018.

The challenge encouraged young people to think about their own mental health during the first two weeks of July.

As part of the challenge, pupils at Cwm Ifor Primary took part in a number of activities including feeding the homeless in Cardiff, multigenerational reading, guided meditation and yoga.

Nathan Williams, Foundation Phase Leader at the school, said: “Discussing mental health can carry a stigma and as a school we are taking a proactive stance on this. We are working hard to develop the pupils understanding of mental health and wellbeing.

“By undertaking the wellbeing challenge with the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust, we have been able to discuss mental health openly and honestly with pupils and have given them an open forum to discuss their feelings.

“The challenge has also given us the opportunity to develop a number of whole school approaches such as worry boxes, soothe boxes and mental health ambassadors which have impacted on the children in a positive way.”

The Charlie Waller Memorial Trust helps raise awareness of depression and mental health. It provides training to schools, universities, organisations and businesses and encourages those impacted by depression to seek help.

Teresa Day, Director of Schools and Families for the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust, said: “We were overwhelmed by the incredible response we’ve had from schools and youth settings who took part in the challenge so enthusiastically.

“They’ve provided us with an amazing bank of ideas for good practice in mental wellbeing, which we can share. We are delighted that so many schools will benefit from free mental health books which teachers and youth workers can use to support young people in understanding and expressing their feelings.”