Suffolk Mind raises enough money to publish a book about the benefits of exercise on mental health to give to every four-to-five-year-old in Suffolk

Suffolk Mind have confirmed that every reception aged child (four-to-five-years-old) will receive a free storybook in September, teaching them about the benefits of exercise on their mental health.

Independent mental health charity, Suffolk Mind launched a Crowdfunding campaign on World Book Day in March to raise enough money to publish over 8,000 copies of ‘Sammy the Sea Squirt’. With the help of many supporters including Suffolk County Council, the East of England Co-op, Treatt, and the arc in Bury St Edmunds this can now become a reality.

The picture book is based on the character Sammy the Sea Squirt, who moves with ocean friends to look after memory and emotions. Head of Education at Suffolk Mind, Ezra Hewing, has written the story, and a local children’s illustrator has brought the characters to life.

Ezra Hewing said: “We are so grateful to everyone who supported this campaign so we can deliver a very special book to all four-to-five-year-olds in Suffolk during their first year of school.

“We want to ensure that children know the benefits of exercise on their mental health from a young age to help them to learn the skills to be emotionally resilient as they continue to grow into adulthood.”

A number of schools supported the campaign by hosting their own Sammy the Sea Squirt fundraising day on Friday 28th May by dressing up in colourful clothes and taking part in lots of fun, education activities.

Suffolk’s Most Active County Partnership and Public Health Suffolk have also supported the campaign throughout and will be distributing the books to children when they return to school in September.

Cllr Andrew Reid, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Public Protection, & Communities, said: “We are delighted to see this project come to fruition. It’s a really imaginative way of helping children and families understand how important it is for our children’s physical and mental health that they are active from a young age and build strong foundations for being active throughout their lives.

“Hearty congratulations to everyone involved in the successful fundraising campaign and I look forward to seeing the finished version of the book distributed to all reception age children in Suffolk later in the year.”

The Crowdfunding campaign will close at midnight tonight (Friday 11th June 2021).

Author: Ellie Winch
Posted on: 11th June 2021

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Local organisations help Suffolk Mind to fund book for every four-to-five-year-old in Suffolk

A number of local organisations have joined in Suffolk Mind’s project to fund a book linking exercise to mental health for every reception aged child (four-to-five-years-old) in Suffolk.

Suffolk Mind launched a Crowdfunding appeal on World Book Day (Thursday 4th March) and have raised £6,675 so far. They are hoping to reach a target of £40,000 to be able to publish 8,000 books teaching children about the benefits of exercise on their mental health, in a fun, colourful way.

The picture book is based on the character Sammy the Sea Squirt, who moves with ocean friends to look after memory and emotions. Head of Education at Suffolk Mind, Ezra Hewing, has written the story, and a local children’s illustrator has brought the characters to life. Public Health Suffolk have organised the distribution to the school children.

The East of England Co-op are backing the Crowdfunding campaign and have pledged to give 10% of whatever is raised.

Niall O’Keeffe, Joint Chief Executive for the East of England Co-op, said: “The past year has highlighted the importance of wellbeing and physical activity for people of all ages. This storybook is an engaging and fun way to encourage children to think about how they can be more active, and provides parents and carers with an opportunity to start conversations about wellbeing, which will also help them in later life. Getting a copy of this book to all four to five year olds is something we’re very proud to support.”

TREATT PLC are among other local people and organisations to support the project, having pledged £1,000 to help Suffolk Mind reach their target.

Ezra Hewing said: “We want say a massive thank you to these organisations and any other person who has donated to our Sammy the Sea Squirt campaign. This is a very important project, to educate children on how to look after their mental health now and into adulthood.

“Movement and exercise makes the heart and body strong and healthy, but it also burns off harmful stress hormones to stop them damaging children’s brains when they are at their most vulnerable. Help us to support our future generations by getting our Sammy the Sea Squirt book into the hands of every four-five-year-old in Suffolk.”

To support the Crowdfunding campaign, and receive a number of rewards, visit our Crowdfunder page here.

Author: Ellie Winch
Posted on: 1st April 2021

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Suffolk Mind launches appeal to fund a book for every four-to-five-year-old in Suffolk

Suffolk Mind has launched a crowdfunding appeal on World Book Day (Thursday 4th March 2021) to fund the creation of a book, based around the benefits of exercise on mental health, to be given to every Reception aged child (four-to-five-years-old) in Suffolk.

Movement and exercise makes the heart and body strong and healthy, but it also burns off harmful stress hormones to stop them damaging children’s brains when they are at their most vulnerable. Figures show that 35% of children and young people said their mental health had got worse during the Covid-19 pandemic[1], so the need to make the link between movement and brain health is more important than ever.

Ezra Hewing, Head of Education at Suffolk Mind, tells a tale in Suffolk Mind’s EARLY Minds primary school’s training of a Sea Squirt called Sammy who moves with ocean friends to look after their memory and emotions. Supported by Suffolk’s Most Active County programme, this tale has now been turned into a picture book. A local children’s illustrator has brought the characters to life, and Public Health Suffolk are organising its distribution to school children across the county.

Ezra Hewing said: “This is such an important project, to ensure that children from a young age know the benefits of exercise on their mental health. We want children to learn the skills to be emotionally resilient as they continue to grow into adulthood.

“Nobody wants their child to experience poor mental or physical health. But what can parents and carers do to protect their child? How can they support them to grow up to be positive and emotionally resilient adults?

“We’re appealing to parents, grandparents, businesses and anyone else who has an interest in our children’s future, to help us fund the book to give to every four-to-five-year-old in Suffolk. The story has been written and the characters have been created, now all we need is the support of our local community to be able to publish more than 8,000 copies.”

Dennis Stevenson, Suffolk Mind patron and former Chairman of Pearson Plc, is supporting the campaign. He said: “Having been involved at a national level in mental health policy, I know how important it is that we educate our children and young people about how they can stay well.

“What Suffolk Mind has done is to use an entertaining and engaging story about a sea squirt to make a serious point about the relationship between movement and mental health. I’ve made a contribution towards this crucial project and hope others will follow suit – donating whatever they can afford – to try and get this book into the sticky hands of as many four-to-five-year-olds as possible.”

Prior to the pandemic, figures showed that three in five young people (11-19 years of age) had either experienced a mental health problem themselves, or were close to someone who had[2] and half of all mental health problems had been established by the age of 14, rising to 75% by the age of 24[3]

Research from the University of Essex published in 2018 showed that the decrease in childhood fitness in the past two decades has been so great, the least fit child in a class of 30 tested in 1998 would be among the five fittest in a class of 30 children tested today[4].

Cllr James Reeder, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Prevention, said: “We know that physical activity helps children to build strong muscles and bones, helps build their confidence, improves their ability to learn and helps maintain their mental and emotional wellbeing.

“Suffolk’s Most Active County campaign is therefore delighted to endorse the Suffolk Mind crowdfunding appeal for the ‘Sammy the Sea Squirt’ book, which will provide parents with an exciting and engaging way of talking to their children about the importance of movement, through storytelling.

“It would be wonderful if we could provide a Sammy the Sea Squirt book for every four-to-five-year-old in Suffolk. Please do support it if you can. Together we can give Suffolk’s children the best start in life.”

Emma Graham the Illustrator working on the project said: “It is wonderful to be asked to work on such an important project. I love illustrating children’s books, and bringing Sammy and friends to life from Ezra’s story has been fun. I look forward to creating the finished illustrations and book, as I know Sammy’s story will encourage children to move, exercise and have fun, and keep their brains healthy too.”

To mark the launch of the Crowdfunding appeal and World Book Day, Suffolk Mind is hosting a Facebook live event at 4.30pm on Thursday 4th March 2021. This will include a sample of the Sammy the Sea Squirt story and an exercise session for all the family. Please visit our Facebook page to access this session: @SuffolkMind1.

For details about our Crowdfunding appeal please visit: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/sammytheseasquirt.

To watch our animation video explaining the project, visit our YouTube channel by clicking here.

Author: Ellie Winch
Posted on: 4th March 2021

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