Why it matters: More than 1,000 children on the Shotley Peninsula have received free mental health support or training thanks to a £16,500 donation from Ipswich-based flat roofing specialist Axter to Suffolk Mind over the past year.
The big picture: The partnership has enabled Suffolk Mind to extend its outreach to four primary schools and one high school on the peninsula – an area the charity had identified as previously lacking support and training.
The details: Both pupils and staff have benefitted from the programme, with sessions including whole-school assemblies, training and skills workshops, and introductions to Suffolk Mind's book character Sammy the Sea Squirt.
In total, 1,100 children and young people have been supported alongside 92 staff members. This includes 600 students and staff who completed Lifehacks for Young Minds training, 512 children and 62 staff in primary schools who received EARLY Minds support, and 72 young people who received in-depth support from skills shops training.
What they're saying: Phillip Wilcox-Moore, managing director of Axter, said: "As a certified B Corp with a Suffolk First policy, we care deeply about our local community and supporting those in need. We've enjoyed a great relationship with Suffolk Mind for many years now – and as soon as we heard they had identified the peninsula as an area which had previously lacked support and training, we knew we had to do our bit to fix it."
Louise Taylor-Harris, children, families and young people manager at Suffolk Mind, said: "Without Axter's support, we wouldn't have been able to reach these schools to deliver our Mental Health Kitbag training. At Suffolk Mind, our mission is to make Suffolk the best place in the world for talking about and taking care of mental health – and that wouldn't be possible without the great support of organisations like Axter."
The results: Feedback from teachers who have received training shows 100% of staff at three schools said they felt better able to support pupils with their emotional needs, with one teacher describing the training as "fantastic".
Children who visited Axter's offices at Fox's Marina were able to demonstrate skills and knowledge they had learned, talking about how they are taking care of their mental health using strategies from the Mental Health Kitbag training and how they had encouraged others to use breathing techniques to feel calm.
What's next: Axter is already looking at extending the partnership to enable more support sessions for families over the next year.
The bottom line: By identifying and addressing a gap in mental health provision, this partnership is just one example of how local businesses can make a tangible difference to children's wellbeing in underserved communities.
