A small charity with a big heart is hoping people in West Lothian will dig deep to help them.
Social enterprise, Big Heart, Little Minds CIC run various fun and interactive events, workshops, free groups and one-to-one classes, to target social isolation and help improve children’s mental health.
It has been picked as The Centre, Livingston’s community partner for March and shoppers can support the charity this weekend.
Big Hearts, Little Minds, which was founded by Laura Carey in 2019, who also provides support in schools for children and young people, will be given pop-up space in the shopping centre on March 4 and 5 to help raise awareness.
The charity will also receive a very welcome £250 gift card donation.
The aim of Big Heart, Little Minds is to support the development of emotional literacy, the understanding of the brain and how it impacts the body and support strategies, with activities based on a four-part approach; taking a breath, emotion, awareness, using our senses and being kind.
The Little Minds classes, for youngsters between two-and-a-half and four years, are focussed on executive function skills to develop inhibition and mental flexibility and the Growing Minds workshops cater for children in Primary School and cover everything from explaining how the brain works to calming strategies.
There are also free Mummy Minds community groups which help bring care givers together to have relatable adult conversations in a safe environment, and a hot cup of coffee.
Locations in West Lothian, include Aerial Adventures Soft Play and Kidzeco, which are both located at The Centre, Livingston, and Wester Inch Parent & Toddler Group in Bathgate.
Laura explained: “Big Heart, Little Minds is delighted to be appointed The Centre’s charity partner in March.
“It is such a great opportunity for us to raise awareness of our classes, workshops, groups and one-to-ones, which are focussed on really nurturing children’s development and mental health by giving them life skills to support their well-being, whilst also supporting carers too.
Katie Gallacher, Marketing Manager at The Centre, Livingston, said: “We’re really pleased to be able to help Big Heart, Little Minds this month who are doing a fantastic job helping young children in their early development years and also bringing carers together.”
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