Lickey Cub Scouts raise awareness of mental health issues and earn praise from Bromsgrove MP Sajid Javid - The Bromsgrove Standard

Lickey Cub Scouts raise awareness of mental health issues and earn praise from Bromsgrove MP Sajid Javid

Bromsgrove Editorial 25th Sep, 2018   0

YOUNGSTERS from the 1st Lickey Cub Scout Pack have been highlighting mental health issues by taking part in a national Scout Association campaign and lobbying Bromsgrove MP and Home Secretary Sajid Javid.

As part of ‘A Million Hands Sticking Up for Mental Health’ the cubs made stress balls, learned about the inequalities between mental and physical health support.

They also used the acronym ‘SMILE’ – Speak, Move, Imagine, Learn and Enjoy – to increase their understanding and raised awareness of the ‘High Five to Mental Wellbeing’ – Connect, Be active, Take notice, Keep learning and Give.

One highlight for the children was creating a petition in the form of an eye-catching petition which was sent to Mr Javid.




Each cub scout signed a plaster on the manikin, symbolising the way that physical injuries are treated and highlighting mental health requires treatment too.

Mr Javid said he was very pleased to read of the support being given to this campaign and thanked the cub scouts in a three-page response for the fantastic way they had attracted his attention.


He said the petition of signatures on plasters was a ‘wonderful piece of artwork’, adding it was now on the door of his Westminster office.

Mr Javid said he agreed tackling poor mental health should be a priority and outlined what was being done for mental health services, along with the progress made so far, including the Government putting up £300million to support mental health services in schools and colleges.

Chil, one of the cub scout pack’s leaders who helped with the campaign, said: “Our cub scouts have learnt what mental health is and they have sown positive seeds for their own future adult life.”

District leader Peter Dodman added: “Through ‘A Million Hands’ we want to mobilise half-a-million scouts in support of four social issues chosen by our young people.

“From dementia to those disabled by society, from improving the mental wellbeing and resilience of our communities to ensuring everyone, everywhere has access to clean water and sanitation.

“These are big issues of our time and our young people want to tackle them head on.”

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