{"id":3941,"date":"2019-10-24T11:01:58","date_gmt":"2019-10-24T10:01:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stmaryscbgs.com\/?p=3941"},"modified":"2019-10-24T11:01:58","modified_gmt":"2019-10-24T10:01:58","slug":"world-mental-health-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stmaryscbgs.com\/edmund-rice-education-beyond-borders\/world-mental-health-day\/","title":{"rendered":"World Mental Health Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
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We\u2019re Better Together<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Thursday 10th<\/sup> October marked World Mental Health Day, and this launched our new Promoting Positive Mental Health programme across the school.<\/p>\n

The day began at 8:30am as Year 14 Joseph Hinchcliffe and Art Teacher Mrs Carron started the spin-a-thon with an enthusiastic twenty-minute cycle. This continued all throughout the day as students and teachers sweated, suffered and spun alongside one another until the bell rang at 3:15pm.<\/p>\n

Mrs. Kelly drew the biggest crowd at breaktime when she took to the staff bike and cycled alongside Year 13 Nathan Madden. Mr Herron came kitted out in the appropriate cycling attire but unfortunately Mr Robinson didn\u2019t have time to get changed so had to wear his shorts over his trousers\u2026some say that was for the best!<\/p>\n

At 11am, student council representatives, senior mental health mentors and guests from Aware NI, Youth Initiatives, QUB, Edmund Rice Schools Trust and West Belfast Partnership Board gathered for the launch of the \u2018We\u2019re Better Together\u2019 programme. This powerful presentation included a drama entitled \u2018Voices\u2019 followed by a challenging speech from deputy head boy, Carter Wickham. Aodhan Cullen (Year 14) and Matthew Reid (Year 10) gave a moving musical performance of Moonlight Sonata, Aodhan then courageously shared how music helped him through his own mental health difficulties.<\/p>\n

Darren Donnelly, a past pupil, currently studying Mental Health Nursing at QUB has been instrumental in developing the \u2018We\u2019re Better Together\u2019 programme and passionately shared his vision for removing the stigma that exists around talking about mental health for young men. Two Year 13 mental health ambassadors, Bradley Bell and Christopher McVeigh both challenged and encouraged the audience that whilst the problems may seem vast, we are the solution.<\/p>\n

The morning ended with a poignant video created by the Moving Image Arts Department entitled \u2018Can We Talk?\u2019 reiterating the message that there is always someone in St Mary\u2019s to listen should you need to talk.<\/p>\n