Charlie Waller Trust
The Charlie Waller Trust is a UK-wide charity dedicated to promoting mental health awareness and providing practical support for individuals and communities.
The Trust’s focus is on providing training and resources for those who are in a position to support the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. They work with parents and carers, and with schools, colleges, and other organisations to help create environments where mental health is prioritised, and people feel supported to manage their emotional wellbeing. Through training, resources, and advocacy, the Trust empowers schools to integrate mental health practices into everyday life, ensuring that students have the skills and support they need to cope with life’s challenges.
Many Wiltshire schools have received support from the Trust. Current support is available from Gemma Howard.
Example of work with Fitzmaurice Primary School
Further information
The Charlie Waller Trust website.
Past work with the Council and Charlie Waller Trust.
Support for Wiltshire schools from 2025
Gemma Howard is a passionate advocate for mental health with a background in primary school teaching, having worked in various school settings across the UK and in Melbourne. She is a Mental Health First Aider, trained in the Trauma Recovery Model, and a certified Mindful Emotion Coach. Her own lived experience and recovery from a mental health disorder gives Gemma a unique perspective, helping her connect with people in a genuine and empathetic way.
In her work with the Charlie Waller Trust, Gemma is part of a team dedicated to helping schools and colleges create environments that support the mental health and emotional wellbeing of their students. The whole school approach to mental health the Trust offers is flexible and designed to meet the specific needs of each institution. Whether it's dealing with stress, anxiety, low mood, depression, challenges with self-esteem, emotional regulation, or the impact of trauma, for example, the approach supports schools to create emotionally healthy spaces where students can thrive. It also focuses on how to recognise the signs when someone is struggling and how to respond in a supportive and timely way.
Gemma works alongside school leaders, staff, students and families, helping to embed mental health strategies that are sustainable and truly make a difference. This includes using tools like the Implementation Self-Assessment Tool (ISAT) and Outcome Self-Assessment Tool (OSAT), which help schools and colleges assess and improve their mental health practices. You can find more details about these tools on the WSCA website. Importantly, training is free at the point of delivery, though people or organisations may wish to fundraise or make a donation to support the Trust’s work, the training itself comes at no cost for schools.
Gemma also facilitates the New Maudsley Carer Skills Workshops, offering vital support to parents and carers of those with eating disorders. These workshops equip carers with the skills they need to support their loved ones with compassion and understanding (training flyer).
If you would like to find out more about what support Gemma, or any other trainer at the Charlie Waller Trust, can offer your school or community, please feel free to email Gemma at: gemma.howard@charliewaller.org
