Children’s mental health art competition held at GP practice

Otley school children have produced thought-provoking artwork to raise mental health awareness

This is an edited version of an article that first appeared in the Wharfdale Observer.

Westgate Surgery, part of the OnePrimaryCare group in Otley, ran an art competition involving local schools as part of a campaign to support this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week. The winning entries – created by children at Westgate Primary and St Joseph’s Primary – have now been chosen and are on display at the surgery.

The entries showcased an array of different emotional states and often imaginatively combined drawings with words to express how our feelings can change our perceptions of the world.

An art competition allows local children to express themselves creatively whilst thinking about how to help others who might be struggling with a mental health condition. In a time that seems to be plagued by an ever-increasing incidence rate of mental illness, especially among those of school age, this GP surgery is leading by example.

Gemma Ellison, practice manager, said: “We were really impressed by the quality of submissions – choosing the winners was a difficult task!”

Rachel Beverley-Stevenson, chief executive of OnePrimaryCare, added: “The winning pieces are incredibly thought-provoking.”

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