Projects across the county which helped the public cope with life over lockdown have been celebrated at the Kent Mental Health and Wellbeing Awards.

Dartford's Temple Hill Primary Academy, Medway-based charity Abigail's Footsteps and Ecology Island were among the 33 winners.

Simon Dolby, co-host for the awards night, said: "Mental health has been the Cinderella of the health service for too long and its champions deserve to be in the spotlight.

"These awards illustrate the dedication and passion so many charities, volunteers and professionals deliver for the sector – and I am proud to have played a part in celebrating their hard work and commitment."

Ten nominees were named as county champions and received a limited edition trophy designed by 12-year-old Faith Tuohy from Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre in Tenterden.

Temple Hill Primary Academy, Dartford was named as the 2021 Kent School Staff Champion for its outstanding pastoral care support to pupils and staff.

Their innovations included a wellbeing tool kit, mindfulness lesson plans prepared for each year group, a 'laughology' website and personalised video messages for children to minimise the risk of isolation.

The pastoral care team have embedded wellbeing and mindfulness throughout the academy, with everyone in the school community getting the opportunity to benefit.

Abigail's Footsteps was named Dartford Counsellor of the Year as well as the county champion in the category for its work helping parents come to terms with and move on from the appalling trauma of baby loss.

Naomi Marston who has more than 27 years experience supporting parents through baby and pregnancy loss joined up with the charity in 2019 to launch a counselling programme and has since delivered through it more than 500 individual sessions and helped to support more than 60 Kent families.

Sessions were held online due to the pandemic to ensure the continued provision of lifeline support for grieving parents over the past 18 months.

Ecology Island, a project delivered in partnership between North Kent Mind and the Countryside Partnership, was named as the Dartford eco project of the year.

The project located in Dartford’s Central Park is a nature-based initiative helping people experiencing mental health issues through outdoors activities such as bushcraft, scrub clearance, campfire cooking and wildflower planting.

The project participants commonly experience significantly enhanced wellbeing as a result of spending time in nature, making a positive contribution to the local environment, learning new skills and socialising with other people.

The event held at Ashford International Hotel on October 22 saw double Olympian Jack Green deliver a speech about how his own mental health issues that affected him as an athlete competing for the Great Britain team at the 2012 Olympics in London and at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Speeches were also delivered by Cllr Clair Bell, cabinet member for adult social care and public health and Allison Duggal, interim director of public health at KCC.

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