Georgie Lyons Year 12 writes about the Wellbeing Ambassadors recent successful Charity Event.

Across the Spring term, Twyford Wellbeing Ambassadors, alongside Ms Sehra, took an active role in promoting the importance of positive mental health across the school community. Through a series of meaningful initiatives, they aimed to encourage kindness, strengthen the community and raise awareness around mental wellbeing via looking after both themselves and others.

One of the most popular events was the “Valentine’s Roses” initiative. Priced at £1 for students and £2 for teachers, members of the Twyford community were able to send a rose to a friend, teacher or partner. The event was popular across all year groups, as many students embraced the opportunity to express their appreciation and gratitude. The event fostered a sense of excitement among both students and teachers, with many individuals sending out multiple roses! The ‘small acts of kindness’ idea behind the event was particularly effective; small gestures, when multiplied across a community, can have a significant impact on overall wellbeing.

Following this, Wellbeing Ambassadors also organised an “Easter Basket” event built on a similar principle. Students could once again purchase a small £1 basket to send to someone else, reinforcing a culture of inclusion and helping students be more thoughtful overall. The event promoted a core message that looking out for others is a key part of maintaining positive mental health.

Both Ms Sehra and the wellbeing ambassadors are very grateful to the local Tesco, who were generously able to donate roses and Mini Eggs to sustain both events!

In addition to fostering a supportive environment, both events contributed to a wider purpose. Together, they raised an impressive total of £521, which will be donated to the charity, Mind. This is an incredible cause; Mind is a leading UK mental health charity who provide both advice and support services whilst campaigning for better mental health services and policy. Twyford is proud to play a role in donating to such an important charity who support millions through its Infoline, local services and online resources.

Across the 2024-2025 financial year, it supported over 664,346 people through direct frontline services. Additionally, its information services were accessed 22 million times, and 116,000 queries were answered by their helplines, overall helping millions manage their mental health. We hope that the money donated from events so far and those which will continue to run can help even more people access the aid that they both need and deserve.

Overall, these initiatives demonstrate how student leadership and collaboration can be used to drive meaningful change within the school community. By creating opportunities for connection and encouraging small acts of kindness, the Wellbeing Ambassadors and Ms Sehra have helped to build a stronger sense of community at Twyford, whilst reinforcing the importance of prioritising mental health in everyday life. Similarly, we are grateful to all students and teachers who donated to Mind through these events; it could not have been so successful without such generosity.