Wimbledon wishing trees raise money for teenage mental health
People are being invited to hang wish-filled baubles from trees on Wimbledon Common to raise money for teenage mental health.
The initiative, set up by local charity stem4 which works to improve teenagers’ mental health, asks people to hang their hopes for 2021 on the Wimbledon wishing trees for a donation.
The wishing trees are also serving to highlight the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on young people’s mental health.
One in six of five to 19-year-olds in England had a probable mental disorder according to recent NHS Digital data, up from one in nine in 2017.
The project has so far raised £6,233, surpassing the charity’s £5,000 target.
Unsurprisingly, many of the wishes hope for better 2021 and an end to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Founded by clinical psychologist Dr Nihara Krause in 2011, stem4 provide psycho-education to young people, as well as their families, carers and schools, with an emphasis on early understanding and intervention.
Get more advice from Stem on helping young people with their mental health through the Covid pandemic