Southsea woman's gratitude workshops set to boost children during health and wellbeing festival

Charla Grant became interested in gratitude when it helped her to recover from the grief of losing her daughter Olive during childbirth in 2013, and has channelled her energy into her business The Grateful Hearts Club.

Charla, 38, delivers workshops to businesses on using gratitude as a tool to improve employee mental health, and for each paid-for workshop she delivers one for free to schools and charities.

The kind-hearted teacher is now using her skills to share her virtual Hello Gratitude workshop with city schools during a children’s health and well-being festival.

Southsea resident Charla said: ‘There’s a real concern of a looming mental health crisis for children. I wish I’d known about gratitude earlier and hadn’t had to learn it during a real period of grief.

‘It makes sense to speak to the younger minds and hearts and give the skills to them so they have it when they need it.

‘In the absence of mine and my husband’s own family, it seems like an amazing legacy to help as many children as possible.’

Next Wednesday, during Children’s Mental Health Week, the UK’s first mental health and well-being festival will be held for schools thanks to charity Now and Beyond.

SEE ALSO: Warren Park fundraiser dresses as Mrs Doubtfire and Christina Aguilera for 365 days of karaoke tunes to support Friends Fighting Cancer

The festival falls on Inside Out Day, an annual awareness day where people are encouraged to wear an item of clothing inside out to show we don’t always look how we feel on the inside.

Festival session topics vary from emotional literacy, mindfulness and suicide prevention, and Charla’s workshops will be included as part of this.

A huge rise in feelings of anxiety during the pandemic has also led to people feeling more grateful for what they have.

Charla said: ‘Gratitude helps us shine a light on what makes us happy. When we use it to focus on the good in our lives, we believe more good things can happen.

‘Gratitude brings hope and right now we need hope more than ever. Sharing our gratitude has a wonderful way of inspiring others to do the same.’

Businesses, charities and schools can get in touch with Charla to book a gratitude workshop. Visit thegratefulheartsclub.com for more information.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

You can subscribe here for unlimited access to Portsmouth news online - as well as fewer adverts, access to our digital edition and mobile app.

Our trial offer starts at just £2 a month for the first two months.