Six schools have received a share of £34,000 to help pay for projects that will support their students’ mental health and wellbeing.

The John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation (JTYAF) made the awards in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee at a ceremony attended by the schools’ head teachers, the charity’s trustees, volunteers and students.

The Jubilee funding was made available to schools in the Ferndown area for special enrichment projects aimed at supporting the mental health and wellbeing of the children. The presentations were made during Mental Health Awareness Week, making the awards even more poignant.
Receiving the awards were:

Parley First School – for the purchase of a Mongolian yurt to provide shelter and a calm learning space in their Forest School area, and to fence off a small farm area.

Hampreston First School – for the redevelopment of an IT suite into a reading room and quiet space, which will not only provide a rich literary experience, but will also be used as a nurturing space for children with anxiety and mental health issues.

Ferndown First School – to replace the central section of the school’s play trail, which was beyond use. The School Council researched options for a new climbing frame and helped put together the award bid.

Ferndown Middle School – to help pay for ground works and mature trees in a new Tranquillity Garden, which will give children a quiet space to relax during breaks. The space we also be used for counselling and wellbeing activities.

Beaucroft Foundation School – to contribute towards the building of an outdoor performance stage, to be used informally for play, and formally for school events.

Ferndown Upper School – to fund a wall art project to provide visual mental health support for students, and contribute towards the development of the student area in the Inclusion Hub for higher need SEND students.

Pete Thornton, chair of JTYAF said: “All of these projects are aimed at helping local young people with their mental health and wellbeing, and they really do need it, especially in light of the past two years of pandemic and all that is going on in the world today.

“This year’s special Jubilee Fund is providing vital support with these exciting projects and will touch the lives of many children in our community. We feel it’s a fitting way to pay tribute to our Queen in her Platinum Jubilee year.”