'Elephant in the room' as Tullamore school embraces well-being art programme

There is an 'elephant in the room' at Sacred Heart School as the Tullamore school embraces the Elephant In The Room - Let's Talk well-being art programme.

Elephant In The Room - Let's Talk aims to place brightly painted, artist-designed baby elephant sculptures in prominent locations as visible symbols of hope, permission, and care.

Each Ellie is a signpost that says, “You are in a place that supports mental wellbeing” and a reminder that it’s okay to talk.

Founded by Brent Pope and Eoin Byrne in 2021, the movement has grown from a grassroots idea into an international initiative.

The schools programme features a series of teaching resources, and aims to support young people's mental well-being through prevention, early intervention, and open dialogue.

"Ellie is currently a blank canvas… but not for long," Sacred Heart School wrote in a post to social media.

"We are so excited to be taking part in this fantastic initiative and our students will soon have the opportunity to put their creativity to the test in a competition to design our very own Ellie.

"We can't wait to see Ellie come to life and be part of an initiative that encourages important conversations around mental health and wellbeing in our school community."