Three Kirkby schools came together for a special event as part of an initiative to give youngsters the capacity to handle anything life throws at them.

Helen Whitney, chief executive of Each Amazing Breath, is working with schools to help children become resilient and improve their mental health wellbeing.

The project is based around a daily breathing practice that takes five minutes — with all children and teachers doing it together.

Helen said the results from the Take Five programme have been astonishing with children saying they can see a future where everyone is kind.

Kirkby College hosted the event with two other schools taking part — Abbey Hill Primary School and Morven Park Primary School — to showcase what young people have learned.

Each Amazing Breath is teaching children at an early age to be kind, and they are given the tools that can help them to deal with anger, anxiety and panic attacks — and it also offers them a positive strategy to handle stress and strains.

Helen said Take Five was focused on assisting children, teachers and parents to safely build internal capacity to realise their own innate strength, how to be resilient and to have the capacity to handle anything life throws at them.

So far in Kirkby there are 1,400 children who are or have been using the practice daily for more than two years.

At the child-led event at Kirkby College, youngsters showed how they have developed a ‘I can handle it’ mindset.

They showed decision makers from the town how to be powerful and strong and help themselves to make their dreams come true — including creating a safe community where everyone is kind, strong and resilient.

Around 68 schools in North Nottinghamshire, covering around 19,000 children aged from 3-18, are involved in the initiative.

Many adults, funders, and supporters were thanked at the special event, particularly Nottinghamshire County Council, Nottinghamshire Community Foundation, Bassetlaw Clinical Commissioning Group, The Home Office — which funded the Take Five Innovation pilot four years ago — and Health Education England, which funded subsequent innovation work.

Pictured are children who are Take Five leads at Morven Primary School, Kirkby, with their headteacher and deputy headteacher.