MORE than 200 members of staff across eight schools came together at Birchwood High School last month to reflect on achievements, children’s mental well-being and mindfulness.

One Community Trust was founded in 2019 with four primary schools, aiming to create inclusive learning environments where children can achieve the best outcomes, regardless of their abilities or socio-economic backgrounds.

The Trust has since doubled in size, and now includes secondary schools, including Birchwood High School, which hosted the event last month.

Mental health was a key focus of the event, and the recent inclusion of mindfulness into Warrington Schools was celebrated by those in attendance.

One person who attended was Esther Ghey, who is a former parent of the school and was invited to speak about her mindfulness campaign, Peace in Mind.

Esther created Peace and Mind UK, her community interest company, after her daughter, Brianna, was brutally murdered last year at only 16.

Not only has she used mindfulness in a personal capacity, but she has also embarked on a national campaign to introduce mindfulness into schools.

“Although I am not a teacher, I was a pupil, student and school mum,” she said in her speech.

“I have witnessed the massive pressures faced by our young people today and I know, wholeheartedly, the importance of building positive relationships and connections between home and school.

“I was so grateful to have the support of the school during my years as a parent and more recently with my initiative for schools, ‘Peace in Mind’, part of my CIC, ‘Peace and Mind’.”

Birchwood High School, where Brianna was a student, has already keenly developed mindfulness classes to help teachers and students learn how to use techniques to improve their mental health.

Head teacher at Birchwood, Emma Mills, has been a driving force in onboarding other schools from within One Community Trust, and across Warrington, to Esther’s campaign and working with the Mindfulness in Schools Project.

“As well as improving relationships and creating a culture of kindness, mindfulness helps you to understand and process your thoughts,” said Emma.

“This can really help reduce anxiety and improve focus, which is hugely beneficial for our students and staff, especially during individual moments of crisis or in expected times of pressure, such as the exam period.”

The event also celebrated the growth within the Trust and reaffirmed the positive, community values ahead of its expansion, with three more primary schools set to join in the next academic year.

“We must come together as a community to grow and make sure we all feel part of the journey with aligned vision and values,” said Gary Cunningham, CEO of One Community Trust.

“Greater numbers will ultimately increase responsibility and accountability, but we are ready for this.

“We are spurred on by the fact we will also be offering greater opportunities for all.

“As we continue to grow, we must ensure that we enrich the experience for all our children, young people and adults.”