CLOSED schools, home schooling and no visits from friends or family - covid lockdown certainly took its toll on children.

Like many, Paula Price's primary school aged daughter had struggled with her mental wellbeing after the national lockdowns.

Fortunately, her daughter's primary school brought in Laura Bolon from HeadsUP Worcester to give pupils at Claines Primary School vital mental health awareness sessions.

Mrs Price, from Droitwich, said the visit proved so helpful she asked for one to one sessions for the year six pupil.

"Laura had gone in to work with key stage two classes and my daughter in particular has struggled with her mental health since covid.

"The one to one work she did with my daughter was absolutely fantastic.

"It is mainly in relation to mental wellbeing and giving children the tools to keep them be aware of their mental health and keep them mentally healthy.

"It was fantastic because it got them actually talking about mental wellbeing and explained that not every day is going to be brilliant and giving them the tools to cope.

"It has made a huge difference to our lives and our daughter's life."

Seeing the vast difference in her daughter's mental wellbeing, Mrs Price is now urging people to support HeadsUP Worcester.

HeadsUP needs help to reach a fundraising target as part of the Aviva Community Fund with Crowdfunder.

As part of its funding support, Aviva is allocating its 16,000 UK employees an ‘employee wallet’ with £25 in total, which will be split across each quarter of the programme to them.

Employee wallet funds will be donated directly to the participating causes and added to funds raised externally on the Crowdfunder platform. 

If HeadsUP reaches its target of £2,000 by September 21 it will be able to withdraw the funds.

Aviva staff will be giving training and coaching on how to use Crowdfunders to help them reach their target.

Laura Bolon Project Lead at HeadsUP Worcester said: “The funding will allow us to continue our work in schools across Worcestershire, delivering vital mental health awareness sessions.

"The need for mental health support for children and young people has been high for several years with more and more youngsters struggling to look after their mental health.

"However, the Covid-19 pandemic has made this need even greater."

HeadsUP Worcester has delivered over a thousand young people since starting in September 2020.”

The Crowdfunder is available at avivacommunityfund.co.uk/headsup-1.