M&S is donating 100 ‘buddy benches’ to schools to support pupils struggling with their mental health.

The benches are being donated to schools through the retailer's partnership with Young Minds.

Schools taking part in the mental health charity’s awareness raising campaign Hello Yellow this week are in with a chance of winning one of the benches.

This is being staged to coincide with World Mental Health Day (10 October) and sees pupils wear yellow to school to show their solidarity with classmates battling mental health problems.

The benches are made from 95kg recycled plastic, which is collected from M&S stores UK wide, and provides pupils with a place at school to signal they are in need of friendship and support.

The retailer has also been supporting the Hello Yellow campaign through the launch of a yellow kidswear collection. All profits from items sold, including hoodies and t-shirts, have been donated to Young Minds.

M&S’s three-year partnership with Young Minds was announced last year. So far it has raised £2m for the charity.

“We are so proud that we’ve already raised over £2m of our £5m goal, absolutely smashing our first-year target,” said M&S corporate affairs director Victoria McKenzie-Gould.

“This year for Hello Yellow we’re helping to raise awareness across the country and get more schools signed up than ever before.”

The retailer had also been encouraging staff, their friends and customers to wear yellow on 10 October.

Young Minds chief executive Laura Bunt added: “More young people than ever are struggling with their mental health. Schools and teachers can play a crucial role in supporting young people and we know many are calling for more resources to be able to better help their pupils.

“Every school taking part in Hello Yellow will help show young people they’re not alone with their mental health.

“Our M&S x YoungMinds Buddy Benches offer young people a dedicated place to talk with their friends when they are struggling with their feelings.

“This is the latest step in our partnership with M&S which has so far raised over £2m. Every donation helps our work to support young people’s mental health.”

Mental health challenges increase

A Young Minds survey released this week found that more than half of teachers anticipate spending more time supporting pupils’ mental health during the current school year.

Just under two thirds said they already helped a pupil with their emotional wellbeing up to once a week during the last academic year.

One in four say they are supporting pupils daily and one in ten helped children more than once a day.

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