Brianna Ghey: Family raises funds for mindfulness training in schools

The family of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey, who was stabbed to death in Warrington earlier this year is raising money to train school staff in mindfulness.

The teenager who was described as "much-loved" and "would leave a lasting impression on all that met her" died after being attacked in Culceth Linear Park in February.

After her death, accounts of how Brianna had helped others across the UK and abroad were posted on social media in tribute.

Thousands of people also attended vigils across the UK organised by LGBTQ+ groups to show solidarity with Brianna.

Now, her family are raising money to train staff in local schools about mindfulness in order to support pupils during times of difficulty.

Over £13,000 has already been raised and twenty schools across Warrington have signed up to have a member of staff trained up.

Mindfulness in Schools Project

On a tribute page set up after Brianna's death, her mum writes:

"I'd like to sponsor a teacher in as many local schools as possible and raise awareness of the importance of taking care of mental health in our society.

"I believe that our children are struggling with their mental health more than ever. I hope that by supporting organisations such as MiSP (Mindfulness in Schools Project), we can help children live healthy fulfilled lives.

"Brianna struggled with her mental health, and I wish that there were better resources to support her when she needed it.

"Mindfulness in Schools Project is a charity that brings mindfulness practice into schools. This is achieved by training teachers so that they can pass their learnings on to the students.

"£775 will sponsor one teacher with no previous mindfulness experience to train from scratch to deliver our existing mindfulness curricula within a school via a supported place."

"A real role model to students"

Emma Mills, the headteacher of Birchwood Community High, where Brianna studied has been helping the family roll out the training.

Describing Brianna she said: "She was a real role model to all the students in lots of ways, especially in terms of the LGBT students within the school.

"There have has been lots of stories that have come out afterwards, we've got a tribute page for her and lots of students have talked about how she was always kind to them, that she always had something nice to say to them and made them feel positive around the school.

"It's been really nice to be able to read those to see all the ways that she affected the students that we didn't know about as well. So that has been a really, really nice thing to say."

"Something I think all schools would want"

Emma has been talking to other headteachers in the area and hopes the mindfulness training will be rolled out further afield. She said:

"I think in recent years, especially after the pandemic, mental health concerns have arisen and you don't always have the funding within schools to be able to train staff in something like mindfulness that would help the students.

"I think it's something that all schools need in terms of members of staff who know how they can support students to prepare for if something stressful happens to them.

"It's a proactive approach so that students know how to keep their mental health healthy.

"All the schools that I've spoken to have been really, really positive, 20 schools so far across Warrington and that is increasing all the time.

"It's something that I think all schools would want, it's just whether previously they were able to afford it and now there's this opportunity for us to be able to offer that to schools through this fundraising."

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