South Shields school shows its support for World Mental Health Day

Mortimer Community College held an event on World Mental Health Day.

The school has selected staff mental health champions who can signpost students to support facilities or just lend a listening ear and are in the process of identifying student mental health champions.

The school is also looking at how it can incorporate mental health into tutorial sessions to encourage young people to recognise mental health issues and seek out appropriate support.

Mortimer also organised a Health Day for Year 7s, where partners from NHS South Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group, including School Nursing Service, Children and Young Peoples Service and Dental Hygiene Service, ran workshops for the students to highlight the importance of how good health contributes to good mental wellbeing.

The school will be continuing with further initiatives throughout the coming year.

Light Up Purple is part of the Amanda Todd legacy, a non-profit society that focuses on awareness and the well-being of individuals with respect to prevention and awareness relating to bullying, cyber abuse and internet safety as well as resources and education that encourage mental wellness and healthy living.

It encourages organisations across the world to highlight mental health issues through the use of the colour purple.

Purple bunting and clothing could be seen around the school throughout the week as well as an information point for people to pick up leaflets and contact numbers in the reception area.

Donations were collected and over 200 wristbands were sold within the space of one hour.

Plans have also been made for purple lighting in the theatre so that the message is re-iterrated throughout the school year.