Seasons for Growth has been active in Hillingdon since Elaine Tabony, School Health Team Leader for Hillingdon PCT, received a £2,000 Queens Nursing Institute Award in 2002. Within a short time she became the Seasons for Growth Trainer for the borough. The money supported training and implementation. One training included a guest from Wales, Fiona Holden and her colleague Anne. Another training involved Tessa Pike from Hillingdon Healthy Schools, lead for emotional well-being, and who is also now a Trainer for Seasons.
The partnership between health and education has been strong, and subsequent support from the Children’s Fund was enhanced by a visit from Clare Koch through whom the Seasons programmes were brought to the UK from Australia.
A celebratory DVD was produced at the end of the Children’s Fund grant when awards were given to a number of Companions for their commitment to Seasons. Seasons is in schools across Hillingdon with over 90 children having participated in 2009 alone. Tessa recently led a multi-agency group in providing a local document to support young people in Managing Loss, Grief and Trauma, signposting professionals to access the support of Seasons.