FOXBURY GAZETTE EDITION 1, MARCH 25TH 2020

In this edition:

Welcome to the first edition of the Foxbury Gazette! This will be coming to you every other week so that we can stay connected until we are all back together in school again. Hear from the Foxbury Team, and find out how to maintain positive physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing during this time. (Mrs Bilsby)

• Practical tips to deal with anxiety about Coronavirus

• Wordwheel and Wordsearch

• What is mindfulness

• Zentangle mindfulness activity

• Chaplain’s Chat with Rev Houghton

• Only Connect Wall game

• Dealing with self-isolation

• Sudoku • Healthy

eating guide

• Chezza’s Cheesy Scones recipe

• Where you can get help

• Staying in touch

What to do if you are anxious about Coronavirus Feeling concerned or overwhelmed by the news is understandable, especially if you are struggling with your mental health or you have a physical illness. It might be that you’re anxious about your own health, or someone in your family, or what impact the virus will have on your life. Read on to find some steps you can take if you are feeling anxious.

Talk to someone about how you’re feeling

Stick to your normal routine

Whilst it is normal to feel worried, if you are starting to feel overwhelmed, it’s important to acknowledge your feelings and speak to someone you trust, whether that’s a friend, a family member, a teacher or a helpline.

With so much uncertainty in the news, sticking to your routine can really help maintain a sense of normality. You might want to add extra activities into your day that make you feel calm but try to keep to your daily schedule as much as possible.

Arm yourself with the facts There is a lot of information about the virus out there and false reports can fuel anxiety. Stay on top of what’s happening by using the Government website, it is the most up-to-date and reliable source of information.

The NHS common questions about the virus can also be useful if you are worried about symptoms or family members. You might see stories or posts on social media that makes you feel anxious. It can be very hard to know whether or not social media posts are true, so try not to rely on updates from there.

Know what you can do

If you are feeling scared or panicked by coronavirus, remind yourself that there are practical things you can do. There is lots of advice on the NHS website. You might feel anxious about this advice because it might trigger compulsive thoughts and unhelpful behaviours to do with washing and hygiene. If this happens to you, please talk to someone you trust about it.

You could ask them to help you and let people around you know what you find helpful and what you don't. It can also help to have a few gentle and regular reminders up your sleeve if you start to feel anxious about washing or hygiene. Remember this advice is about caring for yourself and others, but there is a limit to what you can do – so whatever happens, try to be kind to yourself.

Wordwheel Challenge

The rules of the game are very simple. The goal is to make as many words as you can make from the letters in the word wheel, using each letter once, and all the words should contain the letter in the centre of the wheel. It is possible to make one word that uses every letter on the wheel! See how many you can find! Answers will be in the next edition of the Foxbury Gazette.

Don’t overexpose yourself to the news Staying informed can make

you feel in control but the constant news reports could also become overwhelming. Try to get your information from reputable websites (like those we’ve mentioned above). If you do want to read or watch the news, try to limit the amount of time you spend and stick to regular intervals in the days. If you are finding it hard not to think about the news, try to plan some activities that

you enjoy and which will take your mind of things, whether that’s going for a walk, chatting to a friend, watching a film or reading a book. Do take a break from social media if you feel like the updates are getting too much. Remember you are in control of what you see on your feed, take breaks when you do feel like things are getting too much or mute and unfollow accounts that make you feel more worried.

A good friend wordsearch Find each of the following words in the grid: Accomplice Bestie Bff Blessing Companion Comrade Confidant Fun Generous Honest Kindred spirit Loyal Priceless Reliable Steadfast Trustworthy Understanding Wise

Find things that help you feel calm Like at any other time, it’s important that you are not only looking after your physical health, but your mental health too.

Think about some activities that can help when you are feeling overwhelmed, like breathing techniques, writing down how you feel, playing music or talking to a friend.

Often things that distract you will help ease feelings of anxiety but try to avoid turning to stimulants like cigarettes or alcohol which can leave you feeling worse.

Being Mindful Your brain isn't just a single unit, but a group of different parts that perform different tasks. Researchers believe that when one part of your brain is engaged, the other parts of your brain may not have as much energy to handle their own vital tasks. For example, if you are in a dangerous or emotionally taxing situation, the amygdala (the part of your brain that governs your survival instincts) may take over, leaving the parts of your brain that help to store memories and perform higher-order tasks with less energy and ability to get their own jobs done. At its most basic level, mindfulness helps train your attention to be more aware of what is actually happening, rather than worrying about what has happened or might happen. We learn to bring greater curiosity to whatever it is we experience.

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is a simple technique that’s excellent for managing emotions. Not only is deep breathing effective, it’s also discreet and easy to use at any time or place.

Grounding Techniques

These help control anxiety by turning attention away from thoughts, memories, or worries, and refocusing on the present moment.

Choose three of the categories and name as many items as you can in each one. Spend a few minutes on each category to come up with as many items as possible.

Mindfulness activity – Make a Zentangle

If you are looking for some activities that will allow you to feel calm and mindful, this is a simple mindfulness activity that also allows you to be creative and produce some impressive designs. All you need is some plain paper, a black pen and some pencils.

Follow the instructions below to make your own Zentangle – the gallery shows some that pupils in Year 8 and 9 have already produced. I would love you to share your completed Zentangles with me by e-mail to njb@eltham-college.org.uk

STEP 1: Draw a square measuring about 10cm by 10cm

STEP 2: Draw some lines to divide the square into sections. These lines are called a string and they are freeform. Three or four lines is enough.

STEP 3: Fill in the sections with designs or patterns.

Here are some ideas for designs that you can use to fill in the sections. Be creative and come up with some more ideas of your own. You might choose to use patterns or motifs that reflect things that you are interested in – for example musical notes, or cricket balls! By using shading in some areas, you can create extra depth to your pattern. Keep going until every section is filled! Below are some that EC pupils have already completed:

Chaplain’s Chat Some of you may have listened to my online chapel podcast this week or watched the leavers' service from last Friday. In both, I looked at Psalm 91 - a famous Psalm that has been doing the rounds over the past weeks as Christians think about how to respond to challenging situations. I'm reminded of our theme in chapel last year of focussing on our Spiritual Health - that is, our wellbeing as we think through the big questions of life. The missionaries after whom our houses are named certainly thought (along with the apostle John!) that key to spiritual wellbeing was knowing God. This unusual time has certainly provided my family with more time together to reflect on what this means (though my children are currently hitting each other in a hammock in the garden...so it's not all gone well!). My prayer for this time both for my family and for our school community is that we might come to know God better together and that God may say of us 'I will protect him/her because he knows my name. When he/she calls to me, I will answer him/her; I will be with him/her in trouble' (Psalm 91:14 - 15).

Only Connect Wall Game

In the Only Connect Wall – there are four separate groups each with four members that share a connection. There are some words that could fit more than one group – but there is only one way of correctly forming all of the groups! To complete the wall – you need to find the groups of four AND give the connecting factor for each group!

Dealing with self-isolation Wherever you might be when you self-isolate, think about who you can keep in contact with and how you can use apps such as WhatsApp and Zoom to talk to someone face to face. It’s important that you talk to people you trust during this time and continue to stay connected. They might be in the same situation and can help you navigate anything you are going through.

Maintain your routine as much as possible by getting up in the morning and going to bed at the same time. Eating regular meals and staying hydrated will help also, as well as taking breaks throughout the day to talk to someone or do something that you enjoy. If it’s possible, try activities in your home that get you moving, like yoga or dancing

Preventing loneliness in a time of social-distancing Face-to-face from afar: The next best thing to in-person interaction is video chat, because facial cues, body language and other nonverbal forms of communication are important for bonding. When possible, opt for video over messaging or calling and play around with doing what you would normally do with others. For example, try having a digital dinner with someone special, a virtual happy hour with friends, a remote book club meeting or even a virtual sleepover!

One-minute kindness: Getting lots of likes on a social media post may give you a fleeting hit of dopamine but receiving a direct message or e-mail with a genuine compliment or expression of gratitude is more personal and longer lasting - without taking much more time. When you find yourself scrolling through people’s posts, stop and send one of them a few kind words.

Take care of your vision During this time – your screen time is likely to increase. Whether this is because you are using a device for schoolwork or socialising online, it is important to protect your eyes. Remember to follow the 20-20-20 Rule:

• Every 20 minutes • Take a break for 20 seconds • Look at an object 20 feet away

This will mean that you will probably have to get up out of your seat as well – another positive!!

Try a Sudoku Take a break from the screen and try this Sudoku. The rules are as follows:

• Every row and column must only contain the digits 1 – 9

• Every square within the puzzle must only contain the digits 1 – 9

If you have not tried these puzzles before – a hint is to work systematically!

Healthy Eating While Self-isolating When you’re at home it can be tempting to just sit on the sofa without moving, eating unbalanced meals and snacking all day to entertain yourself! A healthy diet can help keep your immune system working well – so it’s a great time to enjoy eating a range of healthy foods and even try to enjoy making delicious food for yourself! Improving your diet may help to: 😊improve your mood 😊give you more energy 😊help you think more clearly.

Eating regularly If your blood sugar drops you might feel tired, irritable and depressed. Eating regularly and choosing foods that release energy slowly will help to keep your sugar levels steady. Slow-release energy foods include: pasta, rice, oats, wholegrain bread and cereals, nuts and seeds. Quick tips: Eating breakfast gets the day off to a good start. Avoid foods which make your blood sugar rise and fall rapidly, such as sweets, biscuits, sugary drinks, and alcohol.

Staying hydrated If you don’t drink enough fluid, you may find it difficult to concentrate or think clearly. You might also start to feel constipated (which puts no one in a good mood). Quick tips: It’s recommended that you drink between 6–8 glasses of fluid a day. Water is a cheap and healthy option. Tea, coffee, juices and smoothies all count towards your intake (but be aware that these may also contain caffeine or sugar).

Getting your 5 a day Vegetables and fruit contain a lot of the

Managing caffeine Caffeine is a stimulant, which means it will

minerals, vitamins and fibre we need to keep us physically and mentally healthy. Eating a variety of different coloured fruits and vegetables every day means you’ll get a good range of nutrients.

Quick tips: Fresh, frozen, tinned, dried and juiced (one glass) fruits and vegetables all count towards your 5 a day. As a general rule, one portion is about a handful, small bowl or a small glass.

give you a quick burst of energy, but then may make you feel anxious and depressed, disturb your sleep (especially if you have it before bed). Caffeine is in: tea, coffee, chocolate, cola and other manufactured energy drinks.

Quick tips: If you drink tea, coffee or cola, try switching to decaffeinated versions. You might feel noticeably better quite quickly if you drink less caffeine or avoid it altogether.

Chezza’s Cheesy Scones

Why not try Cheryl’s recipe for Cheesy Scones! It is easy to follow and uses simple ingredients. If you do make some – please send Cheryl a picture of your scones clc@eltham-college.org.uk so that we can share these in the next edition! REMEMBER TO WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE DOING ANY COOKING!

Ingredients

225g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting

pinch of salt

pinch cayenne pepper

1 tsp baking powder

55g chilled butter, cut into cubes

120g mature cheddar, grated

90-100ml milk, plus 1 tbsp for glazing

Method Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 with a large baking tray inside. Sift the flour, salt, cayenne pepper and baking powder into a bowl, then sift again to make sure the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Add the butter to the bowl and combine with your fingertips to make breadcrumbs. Sprinkle 100g of the cheese into the breadcrumb mixture and rub together until evenly distributed. Try not to mix too much as the heat from your hands may start to melt the butter. Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in enough milk to give a fairly soft but firm dough. Do not pour in all the milk at once as you may not need it all to get the right consistency. Lightly flour a surface and roll out the dough to approximately 2cm thick. Cut out the scones with a medium (about 8cm) cutter, then put on a sheet of baking parchment, glaze with a little milk and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Slide onto the hot oven tray. Bake in the oven for 15-20 mins or until golden brown and cooked through.

Accessing help

It’s important during this time that you keep acknowledging how you are feeling and do this regularly. We know that things might continue to feel overwhelming or scary. It’s good for you to talk about this where possible – know that you can say ‘I feel anxious about…’ whenever you need to, and as regularly as you need to.

You may find that you need extra support, so think about who you can turn to. It could be someone you know, or a helpline that can talk to you about how you might be feeling.

Helpline services available

YoungMinds Crisis Messenger | Provides free, 24/7 crisis support across the UK if you are experiencing a mental

health crisis | If you need urgent help text YM to 85258 | All texts are answered by trained volunteers, with support from experienced

clinical supervisors | Texts are free from EE, O2, Vodafone, 3, Virgin Mobile, BT Mobile, GiffGaff, Tesco

Mobile and Telecom Plus. Childline | Comforts, advises and protects children 24 hours a day and offers free

confidential counselling. | Phone 0800 1111 (24 hours) | Chat 1-2-1 with a counsellor online

The Mix | Information, support and listening for people under 25. | Phone 0808 808 4994 (24 hours) | Get support online

EC Wellbeing Twitter For more tips on looking after your Wellbeing – please follow the Wellbeing Twitter account (@WellbeingEc). Look out for more Zentangles to be posted here, pictures of your cheesy scones and messages from other members of the Foxbury Team.

Staying in touch! The Foxbury Wellbeing team can be contacted anytime that you need us – just send us an e-mail: Mrs Bilsby njb@eltham-college.org.uk Cheryl clc@eltham-college.org.uk Terri tac@eltham-college.org.uk Rev Houghton jhh@eltham-college.org.uk Jess Di Mascio jld@eltham-college.org.uk Mrs Massey amm@eltham-college.org.uk