Spanish Pupils Send Supportive Letters to North Yorkshire Mental Health Service Users

Schoolchildren from Spain have contributed to supporting young individuals and children utilizing mental health services in North Yorkshire. Their method involves dispatching “positive” letters, intended to reassure recipients that “they are not alone.” Among these students are Ines and Sabela, both aged 14, who are part of a group from Valencia engaged in writing to individuals receiving assistance from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAHMs) in Selby. The two students expressed their aspiration to disseminate messages of hope to those who might be experiencing difficulties during the Christmas season. Sarah Parker, their teacher, stated that she established the letter-writing initiative “to spread positivity.” In an interview with BBC Radio York, Ines mentioned that the letters “included some positive notes” and “a story about ourselves, to help people empathise.” Concurrently, Sabela articulated that she “always thought kindness should be a staple in everybody’s lives.” She further stated: “We all hope that they know that they are not alone and times can be really tough sometimes but, hopefully, they make it out and it’s just a small part of their life and it will get better.” Ms. Parker explained that her affinity for letter writing was the motivation behind starting the correspondence club at the school. She commented: “We live in a world where there are a lot of emails and text messages sent, so it nice when you think someone has sat down, thought of you and taken that one act just for you.” The club’s objective is to spread positivity, and this initiative was perceived as a highly logical undertaking. She added: “I’ve been so proud of my students who have taken this task so seriously.” Rob Berry, who serves as the service manager at Selby CAHMS, indicated that the letters held “so much” significance for the young individuals supported by the center. He further stated: “We’re now getting the letters made into a photobook so they are not ever lost and are there for people to remember.” He concluded: “When people feel like they don’t have much hope, it is really powerful for them to feel like there is hope for them.”