Billing Finance pledges £5,000 to mental health charity

The LightBulb was developed by mental healthcare charity St Andrew’s in order to spot the early signs of anxiety and depression among young people at school, and has so far helped 11,000 children across the county. 

The donation was made to mark Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, which began at the start of last week (7 February) and ran until 13 February.   

Commenting on the news, Billing Finance’s chief executive Oliver Mackaness said: “Our company tagline states we ‘put people at the heart of everything we do’ and we wanted to do something that proves that we absolutely do this.

“Unfortunately, working in the finance sector, we see on a daily basis how mental health issues can lead to money worries. Similarly, when someone gets into financial difficulties, it is very likely that their mental health will suffer too. 

“We firmly believe it is vital to teach children how to look after their mental health so that when they are adults they are more prepared for the challenges they may face. It’s vital we nurture the brilliant minds that our children are developing and sadly, experiencing mental health issues can hamper this, which is why the LightBulb programme is such an important initiative.” 

LightBulb has been designed to help educators spot the early signs of mental health issues in children and then take appropriate early action. Support and advice is also provided to parents, carers and guardians,with the young people given resources so they can understand what feelings they, and their friends, may be experiencing and when it might be time to ask for help. 

Explaining the impact of the initiative, LightBulb’s founder and the headteacher of St Andrew’s College Cheryl Smith said: “It has been a real privilege to have the opportunity to reach out to so many schools and make such a difference to their performance and procedures mental health.

“We have also used it as a massive stepping stone to creating something which will continue to benefit schools across the country.  

“In addition to reaching thousands of children, we have also helped hundreds of teaching staff through this project, all of whom have increased their knowledge and understanding of how to recognise, support and signpost students who are showing signs of struggling with their mental health through the training we have provided. 

“We have also ensured that the schools working with us have embedded a culture of positive mental health for their staff, pupils and families, and we have built relationships with each provider and service so they can reach out if they need additional training, advice or support from us.”

“With the money that Billing Finance have so generously donated, this means we can continue with our work, and helping many more schools.”

To find out more about the LightBulb programme, click here.