National charity Heart Research UK has awarded Bath Rugby Foundation a Healthy Heart Grant supporting ‘Mindest Matters’. An important programme that focuses on increasing children’s understanding and awareness of their mental and physical health to give them all the tools they need to live healthier lives. 

Figures show that obesity is a significant problem in 10 and 11-year-olds in Bath and North East Somerset, with rates exceeding 50% among children with disabilities. If not addressed early, obesity is a problem that often follows a child into adulthood. 

Mindset Matters exists to provide a safe space for primary age children to learn how to understand their emotions, practice mindfulness strategies and increase their awareness and knowledge of their mental and physical health and nutrition.  

To support this, Bath Rugby Foundation has partnered with Bath-based Meditation Rocks and the Bath office of Irwin Mitchell to produce engaging videos and other creative resources that teach meditation techniques to children. 

Meditation Rocks founder Lucy Stone commented, “Finding ways to look after our mental health and wellbeing is such an important life skill, and we are never too young or old to learn. With all the challenges the modern world presents us with, finding ways to find some calm, perspective and focus in our day is extremely helpful; perhaps a 5000-year-old practice has never been needed more.”

‘Mindset Matters’ is a six-week education programme targeting primary schools in deprived areas of Bath and surrounding areas. The schools participating have been selected based on their pupil premium percentage, absence ratings and the number of children with special educational needs on record.  

To find out more about Mindset Matters, contact Bath Rugby Foundation’s School Delivery Officer, Alex Randall [email protected]