Building Connection… marking our first birthday on World Mental Health Day
As children around Windsor head into school wearing something blue for World Mental Health Day and to support Well Windsor, it feels like the perfect moment for reflection. Today also marks our first birthday.
It’s fair to say we’ve learnt a lot over the past year. From a standing start we’ve figured out how to run a charity, how to fundraise, how to research and provide services that fill gaps in current provision, and how to bring the community along with us. But if there’s one word that sums up our most important lesson, it would be connection.
More and more research shows that real-world connection is key to happier communities and to children feeling supported. We’ve heard this directly from our Youth Voice forum of Windsor pupils and through our Wellbeing Hub, where teachers come together every half-term to share best practice and build joined-up approaches across the town.
Our work in schools has already grown in encouraging ways. The myHappymind programme has expanded from a six-school pilot to now reaching the vast majority of 4–11-year-olds in Windsor. Alongside this, staff training, pupil counselling continue, and initiatives such as therapy dogs are being trialled — all with a focus on building stronger connection and empathy for our young people.
And it goes beyond schools. In the spirit of “it takes a village to raise a child,” rebuilding a stronger sense of community connection is vital to supporting children’s wellbeing. We’ve been humbled by the backing we’ve received in Windsor — from volunteers and teachers to businesses and families. Everyone we meet seems to recognise that this challenge belongs to all of us, and that stepping off the sidelines to help really matters.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to build carefully on the foundations of this first year. That means deepening what has worked, learning from what hasn’t, and staying open to new ideas from the community. Most of all, it means continuing to put children’s wellbeing at the centre of everything we do. We’ll be sharing more about our next steps very soon.
As we mark this milestone, we’re grateful to everyone who has been part of the story so far. Whether you donated, volunteered, wore something blue today, or simply shared a kind word about our mission, you’ve played a role in shaping Well Windsor’s first chapter. Here’s to the next one — with even more connection, collaboration, and hope for the future of our children