Northumberland Charity Mortal Fools wins national award for primary school mental health programme, MELVA.

Mortal Fools, a leading creative learning charity based in Northumberland, has won a prestigious Children & Young People Now Award for the impact of its innovative primary school mental health programme, MELVA. The charity took home The PSHE Education Award for its digital children’s wellbeing platform and was also named a finalist in The Mental Health and Wellbeing Award category.

The Children & Young People Now Awards celebrate innovation, excellence, and outstanding practice across the children’s services sector in the UK. MELVA’s national recognition comes at a critical time, as children’s mental health needs continue to rise and schools seek effective, preventative support.

Developed by Mortal Fools, MELVA is a whole-school creative programme designed to help children aged 7–11 understand and manage their mental health. Through creative digital resources, engaging characters, and fun practical classroom activities, the programme equips young people (and their teachers!) with essential tools to recognise emotions, build resilience, and support their own wellbeing.

In the 2025/26 academic year, nearly 150 primary schools will use the MELVA – programme benefiting upward of 10000 children during a period of escalating mental health challenges for young people.

Kiz Crosbie, Artistic Director and CEO of Mortal Fools, celebrated the national recognition, saying:

“I am delighted and proud that the impact of our Melva Digital programme has been recognised with the PSHE Award in the Children & Young People Now Awards 2025.

“This national award recognises the importance and success of an early intervention and prevention approach to mental health and wellbeing and strengthens our case for cross-sector working.

“We share this award with all the teachers who utilise the programme with their children, the creatives who have contributed to the programme and the key funding partners like North East Combined Authority and Kavli Trust, who have helped this programme reach tens of thousands of children so far.”

Alongside the digital programme, MELVA has recently expanded its offer with the release of a brand-new adventure book, Melva Mapletree and the Great Undoing.

Described by acclaimed author David Almond as “well written, moving, humorous, emotionally honest,” the book follows the beloved character Melva as she navigates the highs and lows of growing up.

While the novel sits within the wider MELVA schools programme, it is also available to the public and can be enjoyed by young people aged 8–13, offering families an accessible and meaningful way to explore mental health themes at home. The book is available to purchase via Amazon.

With its national accolade and expanding educational offer, Mortal Fools continues to lead the way in creative, child-centred, early intervention and prevention approaches to mental health education—supporting the wellbeing of young people across the North East.