On Thursday 2^nd July, a Year 10 SBS student, Daniel Lloyd, was interviewed on BBC Radio Oxford about fundraising he had initiated to promote and improve student wellbeing and mental health.

Daniel, who was awarded the Didcot Town Council Young Fundraiser Award in October 2019, was inspired to start fundraising after he lost a close friend last year. In his interview, he explained how he focused his grief in a positive way by raising money to help schools affected by budget cuts. His campaign, Markers for Mindfulness, encourages people to recycle and donate stationery to provide classroom basics like glue sticks, paper, pens, pads and white board markers to help primary schools in Oxfordshire and the surrounding area that might otherwise struggle to allocate enough budget to essential student support and wellbeing.

Money raised by Daniel last summer through cake sales and a raffle has recently enabled SBS teachers, tutors and support staff to attend virtual training sessions on student wellbeing where they explored strategies to reduce the symptoms of anxiety and fear, support those affected by bereavement and loss, and ways to promote good mental health by encouraging young people to talk about their feelings and worries.

You can listen to Daniel’s interview here (it begins 9 minutes into the show):

Daniel's interview on BBC Radio Oxford

You can find out more about Markers for Mindfulness and how to donate via the Facebook page here:

Markers for Mindfulness Facebook Page