Northampton Saints hosts pupils’ mental health day

Sam Read

BBC News, Northamptonshire

All sorts of activities were laid on for the children to help them learn ways of building resilience

Sam Read/BBC Seven school children, in school uniform, two boys kneeling down, with one stroking a golden-coloured cockerpoo-style dogs. — All sorts of activities were laid on for the children to help them learn ways of building resilience

More than 300 children from a number of primary schools have taken part in a mental health day at a rugby club.

The BBC Radio Northampton Headfest event offered children the chance to learn, relax and get moving.

Activities included yoga, gardening and music therapy, as well as sport workshops organised by Northampton Saints and Northampton Town Football Club.

Blue Peter presenter Joel Mawhinney, who took part, said: “Events like this are really important to give a heads-up as to what you can do if you find yourself in a tricky situation.”

Blue Peter presenter Joel Mawhinney said it was “really important” that children were learning distractions to improve their mental health

Sam Read/BBC Joel Mawhinney, who has short curly hair, is wearing a blue jumper with a Blue Peter badge pinned to it and is smiling broadly. Behind him can be seen Northampton Saints' stadium, pitch and stands — Blue Peter presenter Joel Mawhinney said it was “really important” that children were learning distractions to improve their mental health

Mawhinney, who participated in a BBC Moodboosters session, became the BBC children’s programme’s 41st presenter in 2022, aged 25.

“I was speaking to a friend beforehand, thinking about how difficult it must be now growing up, because it is completely different even to when I was a kid, not that long ago,” he said.

“It’s moved on so fast, with technology and social media and there are so many other aspects these guys are going to have to worry about that we probably didn’t have to.”

“Seeing nature, hearing the birdsong and seeing the bugs skuttling about; that helps me to stay grounded,” said Yussef Rafik

Sam Read/BBC Yussef Rafik, who has short curly black hair and a short black beard. He is wearing a maroon sweatshirt and is smiling at the camera. — “Seeing nature, hearing the birdsong and seeing the bugs skuttling about; that helps me to stay grounded,” said Yussef Rafik

Zoologist and wildlife presenter Yussef Rafik, best known for presenting BBC Earth Kids show Bugface, helped lead bug hunts at Friday’s event at Saints’ Franklins Gardens stadium.

He said: “I’m quite passionate about nature, not as a cure to mental health, but as a way of coping and it’s certainly helped myself – and I love bugs and the kids seem to be loving it as well, so a bug hunt is the thing to do.”

Head teacher Charley Oldham said the event was amazing and got better every year

Sam Read/BBC Charley Oldham, who has long mid-brown hair, is wearing a pink top and smiling at the camera. Behind her is a field and children in blue uniforms can be seen kicking balls around. — Head teacher Charley Oldham said the event was amazing and got better every year

Pupils from Cogenhoe Primary School had attended the Headfest event “for the last couple of years” said head teacher Charley Oldham.

She said schools had a responsibility to teach pupils strategies for when they felt worried and overwhelmed.

“And also just to build their resilience and self-esteem, which is obviously a skill which they need for life, to thrive in the world we live in,” she added.

BBC Radio Northampton executive producer Anna Bartlett explained why the radio station had organised the event.

She said: “The NHS tells us that one in five eight-to-16-year-olds have some sort of mental health challenge, so we know it’s really important that that needs to be addressed.”