Higgins continued commitment to supporting our local communities saw our partnership with Blue Tree Project take us to Gladys Newton School – a special education school located in Balga, WA.
Mural artist Liam Dee in action
The school operates as a centre of excellence and provides opportunities for success for students with intellectual disabilities, autism, and mental health issues.
On a recent visit to the school, Perth Branch Manager Brendan Childs mentioned our involvement with Blue Tree Project and was pleasantly surprised to find out that Gladys Newton School VET and WPL Coordinator Kristean Santos not only knew of the organisation but was a big believer in their cause.
Sensing the school's excitement, Brendan reached out to Blue Tree Project and before long local artist, Liam Dee was commissioned to deliver a mural aimed to encourage the conversation about mental wellbeing at school.
We spoke with Kristean to understand why the mural was so important for Gladys Newton School.
"The position of the mural is in the heart of our school and is a prominent reminder for staff and students that school is a nurturing environment where it is safe to speak up when battling mental health concerns."
It was rewarding to bring all parties together to execute this project, given the similarities between Blue Tree Project and Gladys Newton School's attitudes to mental wellbeing.
"The Blue Tree Project's mission aligns with our whole school approach to child social and emotional development. Our
person-centred approach to emotional development focuses on recognising emotions and proactively addressing feelings and that it is okay to seek help from trusted friends and staff within the school community."
The final touches being applied to the mural
We were glad to be able to play a part in the delivery of the project by preparing the canvas and supplying paint and other equipment as required to enable Liam to bring the wall to life.
With several other murals due to be delivered in the coming months, we are excited to continue our journey in raising mental health awareness in conjunction with Blue Tree Project.
Do you want to know more about Higgins in the community? Read more about how we're involved with charities, industry partnerships and, sports and community groups.