Our Story
How it started
When Jim and Helen Adams founded Santa's Magical Grotto in 2012 they wanted to provide a magical children's experience where families could enjoy the delights of Christmas away from the every day stress and noise of life. Alongside this, any money raised would go to local charities benefiting local people. It was a huge success in the North Cotswolds and even attracted people from all over the UK!
The local community
Kate's Home Nursing, Community Awareness and Bourton Primary School were to benefit from Santa's Grotto funding which provided much needed funds to continue the wonderful work being done. Among the beneficiaries was the funding of a school counsellor at The Cotswold School in Bourton-on-the-Water and it is from this that Jim, Helen and their daughter Kathryn discovered a silent crisis bubbling away - youth mental health.
Our young people
75% of mental health problems begin in adolescence. Young people in our local communities are struggling with academic stress, relationships, social media, sexuality, trauma and undiagnosed neurodivergence. Waiting lists for CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services) are busting under the pressure of referrals both pre and post Covid. Our local schools have unprecedented demand from young people and parents to support, to provide solutions, to be more than just teachers.
How we support
Headspace has been funding a counsellor at The Cotswold School since 2017 and became a registered charity in June 2020 to formally continue building youth mental health provision. We want every young person who needs it in the North Cotswolds to have access to the mental health and wellbeing support they truly need, when they need it to cope with the pressures of life and confidently emerge into adulthood with the right tools and coping strategies.
We know we have a lot of work to do and that it will take a lot of resources. That's where you as part of our local community come in - as a local business or resident, if you can think of a way to support our work, either by volunteering your time or supporting us financially in some way (through regular contributions or a one-off fundraising drive), please let us know.
Our mission
Our mission is to empower young people to understand their emotions and feelings in a safe environment, fostering improved mental health and overall happiness. At Headspace, young people have the opportunity to build trusting relationships with compassionate adults in a welcoming and supportive setting, where they can acquire invaluable skills to navigate emotional challenges effectively.