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Welcome to the 50th edition of the Health and Wellbeing in Schools newsletter. This newsletter helps to provide signposting to services and resources to support your entire school community's health and wellbeing.
The Public Protection Partnership have recently produced a facts sheet and poster resources for schools about vaping. These include details around the environmental and health impacts of vaping and the legislation around vape use. These are free to download from the PPP website
In October our local community school nurses launched the new ChatHealth service. This service allows parents of children aged 5-19 can text a community school nurse for advice and support on a variety of common childhood health issues. The text line is staffed Mon-Fri. For more information about the service read more here
Do you know anyone who has a passion for cycling, and enjoy working with children and young people, then this is the job for you! West Berkshire's road safety team are looking for enthusiastic cyclists keen to qualify as instructors to deliver our Bikeability programme throughout the district.
To find out more about this fantastic opportunity then visit: www.bikeability.org.uk/professionals/for-instructors or email us at: ActiveTravel@westberks.gov.uk
Have you heard about Reading Well for Children? Launched in 2020 by The Reading Agency, it’s a children’s booklist of 33 titles chosen by leading health professionals to support children’s mental health and wellbeing. The books have been endorsed by leading health organisations including NHS England, Mind and the Royal College of GPs, and the list was co-produced with children and families too.
The list features titles that deal with general worries, feelings and circumstances such as bereavement or bullying. There are also titles about specific conditions such as ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorders. All of the books are suitable for children to read on their own or to talk about with their families, teachers and doctors, thereby providing a useful tool to open up conversations with children about these difficult issues.
All of the Reading Well books are available from West Berkshire Libraries. Remember that it is FREE to join your local library and to borrow books, including all of these titles. You can find more information about this scheme and full details of the 33 books in this list on The Reading Agency’s website here: https://reading-well.org.uk/books/books-on-prescription/children.
Do you have young people at yours school with an interest in gyms and keeping fit? Let them know about the Activ8 Junior Gym classes at leisure centres in West Berkshire!
Activ8 Junior Gym is a fitness session in the gym, suitable for 8-15 year olds, under the guidance of a qualified instructor. Sessions are fun and social, and all exercises are recommended based on the individual’s physical ability.
What are the benefits?
- Physical activity can improve muscle and bone strength;
- Improve lung and heart health;
- Improve your focus and mental wellbeing;
- Build self-confidence;
- Develop performance at school.
The cost per session is just £2.80 if you have a West Berkshire Card, and £3.80 per session if you don’t (find out about West Berkshire Cards here).
For further information you can get in touch with Steph Irfan, Activity for Health Coordinator, on steph.irfan@legacyleisure.org.uk or 0163531199.
Last half term a group of students from Castle School and KS3 students from Little Heath School took part in sessions to design a 'Wellbeing Bag'. The students worked incredibly hard to design the bags, which are based on the current versions available in all public libraries. The bags contains a range of items to support wellbeing, as chosen by the participating groups, as well as signposting information for students who would like further support with wellbeing and emotional health. Students are able to borrow the bag from the school library.
West Berkshire Council Health and Wellbeing in School Team would like to offer a further three secondary schools the opportunity to receive and implement their own Wellbeing Bag. If you would like a Wellbeing Bag for your school library or pastoral team, please contact Charlotte Williams for further details.
A new exhibition at West Berkshire Museum will share the art, thoughts and words of Ukrainians who have settled in the district over the past year.
One year on from the start of the war, in War.Art.Hope they speak about their experiences and how they use art to sustain themselves and bring hope to others.
It showcases the work of three Ukrainian artists - Nadia, Natalia and Luda – and features a series of emotional short films.
Nadia and Natalia are both teachers. Nadia’s current work includes a special book to help Ukrainian children cope with the impact of war and a series of poems featuring a ‘Brave Goose’. Natalia teaches a variety of art skills including watercolour painting. Working alongside psychologists, she created metaphorical cards based on her watercolour works which have been used to help hospitalized war veterans. Since her arrival in West Berkshire, she has been giving therapeutic art classes to children and young people.
The exhibition will run at the West Berkshire Museum in Newbury from Wednesday 22 February until Sunday 26 March.
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