News
Celebrating Mental Health Awareness Week with our own Wellbeing Week at Belmont has been memorable and fun. This year’s theme, ‘Move for your Mental Health,’ inspired our discussions in Assembly and Chapel about the many benefits of exercise and movement for supporting good mental health. As always, we enjoyed our beautiful grounds and the opportunity to connect with nature. We have some new additions to the Belmont community this week as the geese have provided us with five very cute goslings!
On Monday, the team from the Dogs for Health charity brought five therapy dogs to Belmont. This charity visits lonely, isolated, and sick individuals with their trained dogs, bringing comfort and joy to vulnerable members of the community. It was heartwarming to see pupils relaxing with the dogs, who brought a special kind of joy. If you would like to donate to the Dogs for Health charity, please click HERE.
In addition to the dogs’ visit, pupils have enjoyed outdoor learning, wellbeing walks and Lower School pupils have taken part in a wellbeing dance session with our Foundation dance teacher, Elizabeth Buckingham. I am delighted that the dance sessions were enjoyed so much as I am a big fan of dance to support good mental health. Our Year 8 Wellbeing Ambassadors have been busy providing activities for our younger pupils in the quad at break and our older pupils have taken part in a boys and girls Netball tournament at lunchtime.
Most importantly, the week has reinforced the importance of regular physical activity in our lives. It goes far beyond the need to support our physical health, aiding confidence, self-esteem, inclusion, autonomy and decision making as well as supporting anxiety, stress and feelings of anger. We looked at the features of resilience and the essential components of exercise, sleep and maintaining a balance between work and relaxation to maintain healthy minds. Pupils have also been reminded that resilience can mean asking for help and saying no – it is not just about endurance.
Wellbeing Week is always a pleasure to organise, although I am also mindful that it is not just one week in the year’s calendar that we consider good mental health at Belmont. Every week highlights mental health awareness and the more understanding the pupils and staff have of how to support good mental health, the better it will be for our whole community.
Mrs L Russo
Assistant Head, Wellbeing
