Harrodians teachers and pupils supported World Mental Health Day on 10th October by wearing yellow to school
Harrodian celebrated an appropriately summery-feeling World Mental Health Day on 10th October by injecting a large dose of sunshiney yellow into an otherwise ordinary Monday. Pupils and teachers across the Prep and Senior schools were asked to wear something yellow to demonstrate their solidarity with Hello Yellow, which is organised by Young Minds, a charity dedicated to providing the mental health support young people increasingly need.
Harrodians approached the challenge with their usual sense of flair and fun, sporting jumpers, shirts, trousers, shoes, beanies and baseball caps, bows, beads and belts and even fingernails (above) in all shades of saffron, lemon and amber.
I think the enthusiasm on show demonstrates just how important mental health issues have become to young people today
Ana Vedrenne Suffolk, Senior Pastoral Mentor (above)
As well as the obvious attractions of a stall full of yellow sweets, there was practical advice on offer too, with pupils sharing their best tips for ‘How we make ourselves feel better’ on large yellow notice boards around the school.
See more of our World Mental Health Day photographs
Senior Pastoral Mentor, Anastasia Vedrenne-Suffolk, who organised the day, was delighted with the response. ‘It’s great that so many teachers and pupils at Prep and Senior level got behind ‘Hello Yellow’ by dressing up and raising over £1000 for Young Minds,’ she says. ‘I think the enthusiasm on show demonstrates just how important mental health issues have become to young people today.’
Days like this are great to keep the conversation going and show we care about how pupils and their teachers are feeling not just how they're performing in the classroom
Andy Woodward, Deputy Head of Senior School
Andy Woodward, Deputy Head of Senior School, below, was also encouraged by the success of Hello Yellow. 'In such challenging times, we need constant reminders to look after ourselves, our family and our friends because it's hard to perform well in anything if we feel overwhelmed, worried or sad,' he says. 'Days like this are great to keep the conversation going and show we care about how pupils and their teachers are feeling, not just how they're performing in the classroom.'
