Sheffield schools mark Mental Health Awareness Week with 'Festival Of Kindness'

Astrea Academy Sheffield, in Burngreave, and Greengate Lane Academy, in High Green, worked together between May 18 and 22 to mark Mental Health Awareness Week.

The schools, which are both part of the Astrea Academy Trust, spent the week promoting acts of kindness and openly talking about mental health – something which is particularly poignant at this current time.

Staff at the Astrea Academy Sheffield took part in mindfulness activities such as yoga and meditation, while students created a ‘gratitude jars’ filled objects and words to represent what they felt grateful for.

Executive principal, Kim Wilson, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the interaction we have had with parents, staff and of course our pupils during the Festival of Kindness. It is wonderful to see our school community flourishing even in this extraordinary time.

“We believe that creating a culture of kindness and positivity amongst our children will be something that they will remember for the rest of their lives.”

The key workers at Astrea Academy Sheffield also recorded themselves reciting a stanza of poetry for a mass poetry reading of ‘Alice Fell, Or Poverty’ by William Wordsworth, which has been shared with pupils and the school community.

Meanwhile at Greengate Lane, the Year 6 pupils painted pebbles and stones with words of encouragement and friendship, and the Year 1’s created a ‘tree of appreciation’ to highlight the school’s values.

Pupils also participated in the National Literacy Trust’s ‘My Dear New Friend’ project, writing to unknown care home residents to help them see the outside world through the eyes of the children.

Paul Cross, Headteacher at Greengate Lane, added: "The Astrea Festival of Kindness is a fantastic way to promote positive attitudes and helping our pupil, staff and their families to rise to the challenges of the present times.

“It's about looking after ourselves and each other, and drawing on a community spirit that values everyone's contribution no matter how small.”

The theme of Mental Health Awareness Week 2020 was ‘kindness’. For more information visit the Mental Health Foundation website.

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