WoW what a summer!
27 Aug 24
Our Hatfield Warriors of Wellbeing (WoW) camp welcomed local MP for Welwyn Hatfield Andrew Lewin, and Mayor of Welwyn Hatfield Frank Marsh, to see how the mental health and wellbeing support from our schools team continues in the summer holidays.
Running at St Philip Howard Primary School in Hatfield, the week-long WoW camp for 7–11-year-olds has been developed to build early resilience and self-esteem in young people. Activities across the week range from making affirmation mirrors and baking to forest school, yoga and much more. By the end of the week, each child will have created a ‘soothe box’ to take home which includes items they have created to help them manage emotions.
On Friday morning, the MP and Mayor observed a session on relaxation, led by Sophie and Sarah, which discussed calm down coping skills and taught relaxation exercises before the whole team helped the children make calming glitter jars.
Sandra Brookes, Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive, HPFT said: “It was fabulous to be able to show the camp in action and hear the positive impact it’s had on children in just a week. The children were so engaged in all the activities and having a wonderful time. Being able to help children learn how to prioritise their wellbeing is really important and the team achieve this in a way that is full of fun and enjoyment.”
Andrew Lewin, MP for Welwyn Hatfield said: “It was fantastic to visit the WoW camp at St Philip Howard Primary School, which is the first of its kind in Welwyn Hatfield. I met a team of dedicated NHS professionals, running a project to help local children with their mental health and wellbeing. It was clear how much the children were enjoying the camp and how motivated the staff are to make a difference. I hope we can build on the success of this year and look for opportunities to bring the WoW factor to more local children next year.”
Councillor Frank Marsh, Mayor of Welwyn Hatfield said: “I was delighted to visit the Hatfield Warriors of Wellbeing camp and see for myself the wonderful work the schools team at Hertfordshire MHST are providing for young people in Hatfield over the summer. Ensuring the mental health and wellbeing of our young people during the holiday period must be a priority and it was great to see how Sandra and the team at MHST are building resilience and self-esteem in young people in such a fun and engaging way. The children were confident, well behaved, sociable and very chatty.”
Hertfordshire MHST work within schools to provide early help and preventative support for the mental health and well-being needs of children and young people aged 5-19 years. This is the first year the WoW camps have run in Hatfield and now take the number of WoW camps across Hertfordshire to five. The camps are developed and run by Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust Mental Health Support Teams and children were invited to apply to the camp by the MHST which operates across 200 schools and colleges across the county.