Pic Extras

Pic extras Mums the Word

Children’s Mental Health Week 2022 took place on 7-13 February and this year's theme was Growing Together. The purpose of the week was to encourage children (and adults) to consider how they have grown and how they can help others to grow. ‘Growing Together’ is about growing emotionally and finding ways to help each other grow. The message issued was that challenges and setbacks can help us to grow and adapt, and trying new things can help us to move beyond our comfort zones into new realms of possibility and potential. However, emotional growth is often a gradual process that happens over time, and sometimes we might feel a bit ‘stuck’. At these times, we are reminded of how much we need others in our lives to help us to keep growing. Being kind to each and every person we meet can also help us to grow together – and so too including others in our thoughts and the games we play. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for children, adolescents and young adults. The majority of children and adolescents who attempt suicide have a significant mental-health disorder, usually depression. Among younger children, suicide attempts are often impulsive. These impulsive behaviours often leave those behind devastated and asking, ‘Why did they not talk or reach out for help?’. The aim of such awareness weeks, therefore, is to get more people talking about mental health, their thoughts and their feelings. If you or anyone you know may be suffering with mental-health problems then please seek help. In Liverpool, you can access self-referral talking therapy and there is a crisis team at the Alder Hey and Royal Liverpool Hospitals where anyone can call or drop in to get help. For more information, visit: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health. Help each other, be kind and let's make sure no more children, adolescents or young adults feel that they need to end their precious lives. • Our next bi-monthly Mass will be held on Wednesday 9 March at St Anne's, Ormskirk, at 7.30pm. Maria Pimblett, media officer

A century of service News from the Liverpool Province of the Knights of St Columba KSC donation means green light for school garden plan

A Widnes primary school has the local Knights of St Columba to thank for its pupils going wild – in a good way. Staff at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour have been able to embark on a project to rewild some of the school grounds and grow their own produce thanks to a generous donation from members of the Widnes KSC. Brother Peter Dundon, the secretary for council 18 in Widnes, explained that they had received a request from Our Lady’s for a small donation towards an intended target of £1,000 in order to buy gardening equipment for the scheme. The council’s response was to meet the full target –with past grand knight John Hamilton and chancellor Mike Naughton presenting the £1,000 sum to the school just before Christmas (see photo). Mrs Helena Donnelly, the deputy head, offered her thanks to the Widnes Knights for their support for a plan which will also involve the creation of a sensory garden. Crucially, it will enable more learning outside the classroom for pupils –something that teachers consider highly important for children who have faced the impact of the Covid lockdown. Bro Peter said: ‘The donation will help them to achieve all this, for which they are very grateful. The Widnes Knights are extremely pleased that we were able to assist the school and its staff to realise their ambition to enhance the school facilities.’ • It is with much sadness we report the passing of Bro Tony Gill of council 64, Ormskirk. Bro Tony died on 31 December 2021 and his funeral took place at St Anne's, Ormskirk, on 12 January. His brother knights provided a guard of honour, and we extend our deepest sympathy to his wife Irene and family: Eternal rest grant unto Bro Tony, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. • The Bishops’ Conference has agreed to accept the Relics of St Bernadette for a tour of the England, Wales and Scotland in September and October of this year. The aim of the visit is twofold: to promote pilgrimage to Lourdes and to reignite practice of the Catholic faith. The initial draft of the itinerary includes a visit to every diocese in the country and to many of the university Catholic chaplaincies, and there has been contact made with other Catholic organisations, including the KSC, to ask how they might assist with the tour. Websites: www.ksc.org.uk www.kscprov02.weebly.com Email: dpokeane@aol.com