A converted American school bus will be pulling up outside east London schools to deliver free, practical mental health support for pupils and teachers.
The Zen Bus, part of a mobile wellbeing scheme from The Zen Project, is funded by Delancey Real Estate and will arrive in schools in Stratford during Children’s Mental Health Week, which runs from February 9 to 13.
The bus will visit Maryland Primary School, in Gurney Road, today (Monday, February 9) from 8am to 12pm, and Chobham Academy, in Cheering Lane, from 1pm to 4pm.
The goal is to offer guided sessions in mindfulness, breathing, and emotional regulation, giving pupils and staff tools to manage stress both on and off the bus.
Corinne Gardner, founder of The Zen Project, said: "The Zen Bus provides practical tools that children and teachers can use anywhere — classroom, playground, or home."
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The scheme responds to growing concerns about the mental wellbeing of children and teachers.
Children's mental health charity Place2Be reports that 95 per cent of school staff have seen increased anxiety among pupils. NHS England data found that one in five children was likely to have a mental disorder in 2023.
Teachers are also feeling the strain, with many reporting burnout and limited access to support.
Jamie Ritblat, founder and executive chairman of Delancey, said: "This initiative complements a suite of Delancey’s ongoing programmes — from education and heritage partnerships to mental health support — reflecting our philosophy that real estate investment and placemaking should deliver value for communities as well as investors.
"Supporting children’s mental health is critical to resilient, thriving neighbourhoods, and the Zen Bus helps bring structured wellbeing support directly into schools where we are invested for the long term."
Delancey has a long track record of investing in community and social value programmes. Since 2007, it has contributed around £4.5 million to schemes in education, arts, mental health, and youth development.
The company is known for high-profile projects such as East Village, the repurposing of the 2012 Olympic Press and Broadcast Centre, and the ongoing redevelopment of Elephant and Castle town centre.
It emphasises responsible investment and has donated more than £5 million to charitable initiatives since 1996, focusing on programmes that deliver meaningful benefits to communities.
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