Kindness benches launched at Cultivating Excellence Academy to support mental health

Pupils from the Cultivating Excellence Academy (CEA) school in Plumstead will have a safe space to relax and promote their mental well-being after they receive two yellow benches on Friday, October 17.

The yellow benches are the brainchild of the Kind Heart Bench project, which has been donating yellow benches to schools for the past five years, to promote anti-bullying and the mental well-being of pupils.

Kind Heart Bench project director, Bradley Bailey from Lansdowne, said they partnered with the Giving Feeding Foundation Team (GiFFT) non-profit, which procured the benches for the school.

“These benches help change the narrative in what schools can do in tackling mental health issues,” he said.

Rondebosch based, GiFFT, has been running a feeding scheme programme for the past five years, serving vulnerable communities. GiFFT chairperson, Zyda Rylands, said her foster daughter goes to CEA and has been thriving. She had met with Mr Bailey and heard about his bench initiative.

“I understand the issue of mental health; it has become a challenge for young people, especially with cyberbullying and bullying at school, so our organisation decided to support this Kind Heart Bench Project,” she said.

The CEA school was founded in 2018, and is an independent school that has over 64 pupils catering for primary school and high school pupils. CEA director, Jennifer Lawrence said this is a brilliant initiative.

“Our community is so unaware of mental illness, so at our school, we want to make this acceptable amongst the school community,” she said.

Ms Lawrence said their main focus is to ensure that all their pupils feel safe, nurtured, and loved.

“A child that is safe, cared for, loved, and feels comfortable will learn, and it has been proven over and over,” she said.

To find out more visit Kind Heart Bench Project or call Mr Bailey on 071 962 0693 or email bradleybailey761@gmail.com