MedEquip4Kids recently visited St Philip’s CE Primary School in Atherton to bring the Hummingbird Project to Year 5 pupils.
The Hummingbird Project is a Positive Psychology course for schools, delivered by MedEquip4Kids staff and volunteers. It has now reached more than 10,000 young people across the North West, helping pupils learn skills to support their mental health and wellbeing.
St Philip’s was a particularly fitting school to visit, as its values focus strongly on kindness and compassion, which align closely with the aims of the Hummingbird Project.
Backed by university research, the programme is achieving measurable improvements in wellbeing, as well as reductions in signs of anxiety and depression. Each six-week course introduces pupils to ideas such as mindfulness, gratitude, kindness, resilience, hope and character strengths.
During the visit, Project Manager Ian Platt led one Year 5 class, while sessional facilitator Lucy Platt worked with another. Ian’s class explored their own character strengths using the Hummingbird set of strength cards. Understanding these strengths can help children feel good about themselves and draw on their inner resources when life feels difficult.
The pupils also took part in the Hula Hoop challenge, where they had to hold hands and pass a hoop around the circle without letting go. This inspired a discussion about perseverance, before the children filled in their “resilient glow worms” in their workbooks with ideas about how to bounce back when things get tough.
In Lucy’s class, pupils were taking part in mindfulness meditation and thinking hopefully about the future, writing down some of the things they would like to do and achieve.
It was wonderful to see pupils engaging so warmly with the activities, supporting one another and reflecting on the skills they can use in everyday life.
Schools interested in finding out more about the Hummingbird Project can contact us for further information.
