Manx Lottery Trust has awarded a grant of £32,750 to local mental health charity Isle Listen.

The money came from the Trust’s Dormant Assets Fund and will help the charity continue its mental health education in primary schools.

The programme was originally launched in a number of primary schools at the start of the 2021 academic year, and the funding will allow the Charity to maintain these existing relationships and eventually extend it to all Island primary schools.

As part of the programme, Wellbeing Facilitators deliver a series of age-appropriate mental health classroom sessions on emotional literacy, self-esteem, positive relationships and coping strategies.

These are delivered to all pupils in years three to six, in eight 30-minute sessions per year group.

Andrea Chambers, chief executive officer of Isle Listen, said: ‘This funding from Manx Lottery Trust will benefit so many of our young people.

‘We equip the primary school students with the tools they need, and can also demonstrate to parents, carers, and teachers how to facilitate conversations about mental health and create supportive environments.

‘Out of the island’s 33 primary schools, we currently offer our programme in 26 of these, and with the generous support of the Manx Lottery Trust we aim to work with all Key Stage 2 children by the end of 2023.’

Stephen Turner, chairman of Manx Lottery Trust, said: ‘Isle Listen provide such fundamental support to local children and the community, and we’re pleased that they can now extend this worthwhile project to all island primary schools.’

To find out more about available grants, visit www.mlt.org.im