Acorns Children’s Hospice has teamed up with a national movement to beat the January blues.

Acorns in the Black Country, based in Walsall, is taking part in RED January, which encourages people to get active every day in January to help boost mental health. Staff and volunteers at the hospice have joined the growing list of ‘Redders’ supporting the month-long community campaign, which raises money and awareness for mental health charity, Mind.

Last week, RED January founder Hannah Beecham visited the hospice in Walstead Road to meet staff and children and learn how the charity has been using the initiative to further support families using Acorns. Carmel Forrest, Deputy Head Nurse at Acorns in the Black Country, said:

“It was lovely to welcome Hannah to Acorns and show her some of the fun activities we’ve been enjoying for RED January! We recognise that a lot of our families have additional pressures because their child’s needs are more demanding. This can lead to feelings of isolation and even depression.

“We’ve used RED January not only to raise awareness of mental health issues but to give families a safe space to discuss their feelings and share their stories. It’s a great way of complementing the work we already do at Acorns with families, for example through the various Acorns support groups we run.

“It’s also given us a really good opportunity to explore how different activities and exercise can help improve mental health. The children have loved joining in too – we’ve had welly wanging, circus skills, snowball fights and dance parties. We’re already looking forward to next year!”

Hannah Beecham, RED January Founder added:

“We pride ourselves on being an all-inclusive community initiative, so it was an absolute pleasure to witness firsthand how staff, children and parents at Acorns in the Black Country have been getting involved with RED January.

“Seeing the joy being active was having on the whole Acorns family was wonderful. Joining in an ‘I am the Music Man’ sing-a-long and dance with children and staff, will be a RED January memory I’ll cherish forever.”

Acorns Children’s Hospice provides specialist palliative care to children and young people with life limiting and life threatening conditions, as well as support for their families. In the past year, the charity has cared for more than 870 children and supported more than 1,140 families, including those who are bereaved.

For more details about RED January and Mind, visit redtogether.co.uk or to find out how you can support Acorns, you can visit acorns.org.uk.