Blackheath High alumnae ‘elevate’ the importance of wellbeing in schools

Elevate Director Lucy Faulks returned to her roots to host a morning of mindfulness meditation for the teachers of her old school, Blackheath High, at the start of the Autumn term.

“The session was optional, so Christine (Christine Pheiffer, Assistant Head) and I weren’t sure how many would turn up for an 8am start on the first day back after the summer holidays, but to our delight the chapel was full with 21 teachers eager to start the day with focus, clarity and relaxation. They had already taken a workshop in mindfulness, so we didn’t need to discuss its context or benefits and it was clear from the large turn out, they were already aware of those! Instead, we went straight into a guided meditation which lasted for 25 minutes. For me, they were the perfect audience – keen, focused and open-minded.”

“It’s clear from the large turnout and previous investment in mindfulness, that Blackheath High are leading the way in looking after the mental and emotional health of their staff and girls. They understand the benefits that mindfulness has for stress reduction, improved focus and clarity and we are hoping to run more sessions with staff and pupils in the future.”

Elevate was set up by school friends Lucy Faulks and Ruth Tongue who met at Blackheath High in 1993 and have been friends ever since. They have over 15 years health and wellbeing experience between them and believe in a no-nonsense, no fad approach to wellbeing. They create and deliver campaigns which take a holistic approach to employee wellbeing covering all aspects of physical, mental and emotional health in the workplace. This includes courses and workshops on building resilience, mindfulness, nutrition and physical activity, sleep and stress management, and emotional and mental health. Ruth and Lucy now run workshops in schools and universities for both teachers and pupils covering all aspects of wellbeing. Find out more by visiting www.elevateyourhealth.co.uk.