Students at St Michael’s Church of England High School in Rowley Regis, West Midlands, are stepping up to raise awareness about the urgent need for better mental health support in schools nationwide. They’re walking over 40 laps around their school field to highlight this issue.
Their goal extends beyond awareness — they’re also aiming to raise £12,000 to launch a pilot mental health early intervention hub within their school. This initiative is particularly significant given the increasing strain on mental health services.
On a designated day, about 20 students will collectively walk a total of 208 kilometers, equivalent to 129 miles. This distance symbolically mirrors the journey from their school to parliament. Meanwhile, the entire school community will join in by completing four laps around the field.
Sophie, one of the participating students, expressed enthusiasm about the “unusual” challenge and emphasized the importance of raising funds for the mental health hub.
Kerry Whitehouse, the school’s senior mental health lead, stressed the critical need for such a hub. She highlighted a recent NHS survey revealing that one in five children and young people in England likely have a mental health disorder, describing this statistic as alarming. Whitehouse emphasized that many young people are facing crises before they can access adequate support.
In addition to fundraising efforts, St Michael’s has implemented various initiatives to support students’ mental well-being. The Matrix Project, for instance, provides a platform for boys aged 11 to 14 to discuss mental health topics openly.
Sophie praised these initiatives for normalizing conversations about mental health and fostering a supportive community where students feel safe to talk without fear of judgment.
The school’s collective efforts underscore a growing recognition of the importance of early intervention and support for mental health among young people.
