Congratulations to sixth former Lottie L for organising a brilliant 24-hour Danceathon, in aid of the charity, Mind.

After delivering a powerful address in assembly, in which she talked about the need to “eradicate the stigma” around mental health, Lottie called for us all to “start talking and listening” to each other. Lottie’s message was a powerful one: “We are living in the 21st century, our technology has advanced leaps and bounds, so let’s not forget about our friends and family”. Lottie encouraged all members of the Wellington Community to join her Danceathon and to “boogie [their] stress away!” After such a rousing speech, it was no surprise that pupils and staff came in their hundreds to support the event.

Throughout the day on Thursday 19th September and into Friday 20th, the Old Gym was buzzing with energy, as people emerged from all corners of the College to join Lottie on the dance floor. By early on Friday morning, there was no sign of the energy levels dipping. This Tweet from the Master sums up the atmosphere perfectly: “With 10 minutes to go, Old Gym is rocking to the sounds of YMCA. Brilliant atmosphere and an amazing cause. Well done, Lottie!”

Thank you to everyone who took part and well done to members of the Combermere Upper Sixth who danced through the night.

Mind is a charity that works to provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing mental health problems. The charity campaigns to improve services, to raise awareness and to promote understanding. Lottie’s original aim was to raise £1,500 through a GoFundMe page and bucket collections, but to date she has raised nearly £3,100.

Lottie’s assembly address, along with the success of her Danceathon, has shone a light on teenage mental health, and this is a topic we will revisit time and again this year. This term, a new pupil committee has been formed to promote mental health and, as a community, we also marked World Mental Health Day on 10th October.

In Lottie’s words, “The most important thing to take away from this is to please look out for each other, no matter what time of day. Don’t look down at your phone all the time; look up and see the world and the important issues that really matter. Love and care for each other, be there to hug someone. Tell them it’s OK, because you never know what someone is feeling inside. Only we can change the way we see the world, so start doing it”.

To mark World Health Day, we’ve published an invaluable guide on how to spot the early signs of a mental health problem

Plus, don’t forget to read Wellington’s brilliant Inside Scoop review – written by parents for parents