Zachary Geddis Trust

30/10/2026

🎓 Building connections and creating opportunities for future mental health professionals 💜

Recently, our Founder and CEO, Yasmin Geddis, met with Dominic McSherry from Ulster University's School of Psychology to explore potential student placement opportunities with The Zachary Geddis Trust from 2027 onwards.

The discussion focused on how psychology students could gain valuable practical experience within our organisation as part of their degree requirements, while contributing to the mental health and wellbeing services we provide across our communities.

At The Zachary Geddis Trust, we believe strongly in supporting the next generation of professionals entering the mental health sector.

Providing students with opportunities to experience community-based mental health support, learn from experienced practitioners and understand the realities of working within the voluntary and community sector is something we're keen to develop.

For us, partnerships like these are about more than placements. They're about sharing knowledge, strengthening connections between academic learning and frontline practice, and helping shape the future mental health workforce.

A really positive conversation, and we're looking forward to exploring how we can work together in 2027 and beyond.

Thank you to Dominic for taking the time to meet with us! 💜

30/10/2026

Looking forward to tonight's game at Coleraine Showgrounds!
We are still down 1 volunteer, if you can help - please let us know 😀

Meeting at 6.20pm at the Club Shop.

Zachary Geddis Trust will be hosting a bucket collection at Friday night’s game against Glentoran.

All proceeds will go towards supporting this fantastic charity.

Please give as generously as you can.

Your support is greatly appreciated 🤝

29/10/2026

💜 MEET THE TEAM | ZARA 💜

Next up in our Meet the Team series is Zara, our wonderful Marketing and Content Volunteer!

Zara works behind the scenes helping us share the work of The Zachary Geddis Trust, bringing creativity, fresh ideas and enthusiasm to our online presence.

From creating engaging content to helping us promote our services, events and campaigns, Zara plays an important role in ensuring our message reaches the people who need to hear it.

As a charity, raising awareness is such an important part of what we do. Every post shared, every campaign promoted and every conversation started helps us break down the stigma surrounding mental health and reminds people that support is available.

We're incredibly grateful to Zara for volunteering her time and talents to help us continue breaking the silence.

Thank you, Zara, for being part of Team ZGT! 💜

28/10/2026

SPACES STILL AVAILABLE 🥰

Our Seasons of Connections starts next week and we still have availability for Meditation (Mondays 7pm - 8pm) and Yoga (Thursdays 7pm - 8.15pm starting 12th November).

You can book via the link below: https://forms.gle/4iJFrifoQ2g6LZy68

🍂 BOOKINGS ARE NOW OPEN! 🍂

Our brand-new Seasons of Connections programme is officially open for booking. 💚
This November, we’re offering a programme of completely FREE activities designed to help you slow down, connect with others and make some time for your own wellbeing.

🧘 Meditation with Causeway Meditation
Mondays | 7pm–8pm | 6 weeks

🌿 Yoga with Namaste Ciara’s Way
Thursdays | 7pm–8.30pm | 6 weeks

☕ Coffee, Chats & Crafts
Tuesdays | 10am–12pm | 6 weeks

🎨 Paint & Pottery with Zara McLaughlin
Tuesday 17th November | 10am–12pm

There are only 10 places available per activity, so we recommend booking as soon as possible.

You’re welcome to book more than one activity, but please only reserve a place if you can commit to attending the full course.

✨ All sessions are completely free.

👉 BOOK YOUR PLACE HERE:
https://forms.gle/vyvzPLBPdm53htsJ8

Once the spaces are filled, we’ll operate a waiting list.
Seasons of Connections is supported by the Public Health Agency through the Clear Project, and we’re so pleased to be able to bring this programme to our community.
We can’t wait to welcome you. 🍂💚

26/10/2026

🌟 Investing in Our Team, Strengthening Our Support!

Members of the Zachary Geddis Trust team recently participated in My Mind Star™ training, developed by Triangle Consulting Social Enterprise, as part of our continued commitment to improving the quality and impact of our mental health services.

The My Mind Star is an outcomes measurement tool designed specifically for children and young people, helping them explore and reflect on important areas of their mental health and wellbeing.

For our organisation, this training will help us to:

💜 Give young people a voice – encouraging them to recognise their strengths, identify challenges and actively participate in their own support journey.

💙 Measure meaningful progress – helping us demonstrate the difference our therapeutic interventions make over time.

💜 Strengthen person-centred support – ensuring our services respond to each young person’s individual needs and goals.

💙 Improve evaluation and accountability – gathering valuable evidence to inform service development, demonstrate impact to funders and strengthen future funding applications.

At the Zachary Geddis Trust, we believe that meaningful mental health support is about more than the number of appointments delivered. It’s about the difference those appointments make in people’s lives.

By continuing to invest in our team’s professional development, we are investing in better outcomes for the children, young people and families who place their trust in us. 💜

23/10/2026

A special visitor to the Zachary Geddis Trust this week! 💜

We were delighted to welcome Dr Harry McCallum, Trauma Education Officer at WAVE Trauma Centre, to our offices in Coleraine on Tuesday.

Harry attended school with both Yasmin and Zachary, making today’s visit particularly meaningful. It was a pleasure to reconnect, share the journey of the Trust and show Harry what has been built in Zachary’s memory, alongside the range of mental health services and therapeutic interventions we now provide.

We are also delighted to share that Harry has invited our Founder & CEO, Yasmin Geddis, to deliver a guest masterclass to students studying the Master’s in Trauma Studies at University College Cork in March 2027.

The session will explore the journey of the Zachary Geddis Trust, our approach to creative therapeutic interventions and the importance of thinking beyond traditional approaches when supporting individuals affected by trauma.

With students joining from across the world, this is a wonderful opportunity to share our experiences, learning and practice on an international platform.

Yasmin is honoured to have been invited and is very much looking forward to contributing to the discussions.

Thank you, Harry, for taking the time to visit, for your interest in our work and for this fantastic opportunity. 💜

19/10/2026

Today, like so many parents across Coleraine and beyond, I experienced something I never imagined having to explain to my young child.

Following the bomb threats issued to schools across our community, resulting in evacuations and closures, I found myself answering questions that no five-year-old should have to ask.

“Is my teacher okay?”
“Are my friends okay?”
“Why was everyone running?”
“Is everyone safe?”

And the questions kept coming.

As a mother, my instinct is to reassure Zander that he is safe, that his teachers are safe and that his friends are safe. But how do you explain something like this to a child who should only be worrying about what he’s having for lunch, who he’s playing with at breaktime or what he’s learning in class?

As the CEO of a mental health charity, I also know that the impact of an incident like today doesn’t simply disappear when a school reopens or a threat is declared a hoax.

For some children, today will be forgotten by tomorrow. For others, the fear, confusion and uncertainty may stay with them. It might show up as anxiety about returning to school, difficulty sleeping, separation anxiety or questions that seem to come out of nowhere days or weeks later.

And it isn’t just our children.

Think about the teachers and classroom assistants who had to remain calm while managing their own fears. The school leaders making incredibly difficult decisions. The parents receiving messages and rushing to collect their children, not knowing what was happening.

A hoax threat does not mean the fear experienced was a hoax.

The psychological impact is real.

Schools should be places of safety, belonging, friendship and opportunity. Children deserve to walk through their school gates without fear, and our teachers deserve to do their jobs without having to prepare for threats to their safety.

I am incredibly grateful to my sons school staff, and everyone who worked to keep our children safe today.

But I am also deeply saddened that this is something our children have had to experience at all.

Childhood should be protected. Schools should feel safe. And mental health must be part of the conversation long after the immediate emergency has passed.

Because tomorrow, when Zander walks back through those school gates, I don’t want him looking around wondering whether his teacher and friends are safe.

I want him to simply be five years old.

Majority of schools remained open

19/10/2026

🚨 FREE CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION (CSE) TRAINING – REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

Would you know how to recognise the warning signs of child sexual exploitation? More importantly, would you know how to respond?

As part of our Ending Violence Against Women and Girls programme, The Zachary Geddis Trust is delighted to offer FREE CSE Awareness Training (Levels 1 & 2), delivered by specialist training provider Nexus.

📅 Level 1 Training: 3 December 2026

This training is designed for professionals working with children and young people, including:

✅ Social workers
✅ Residential care staff
✅ CAMHS professionals
✅ Counsellors and therapists
✅ Youth and family support workers
✅ Foster carers
✅ Health professionals
✅ Child protection and safeguarding practitioners

Throughout the training, participants will develop a greater understanding of what child sexual exploitation is, how to recognise potential warning signs, and how to respond appropriately to safeguard children and young people.

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. Knowledge can make a difference.

📝 REGISTER HERE:
https://forms.gle/JTWiMrhX2RYCQR3s8

We are grateful to Nexus for delivering this important training and to **The Executive Office and Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council** for funding this programme.

Please share with colleagues and professionals who may benefit.

16/10/2026

30 in heaven 🕊️

Miss you always & love you forever.

15/10/2026

💜 HAS A CHILD OR YOUNG PERSON BEEN AFFECTED BY VIOLENCE OR ABUSE?

The Zachary Geddis Trust is pleased to announce that **FREE therapeutic support is now available** for children and young people who have experienced, witnessed or been affected by violence or abuse.

Through funding from the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) programme, we can provide dedicated therapeutic interventions to help children and young people feel heard, supported and empowered.

Our funded services include:

🩷 PLAY THERAPY
A safe, child-centred therapeutic space where children can explore their emotions, develop resilience and process difficult experiences.

🧡 MUSIC THERAPY
Creative therapeutic support that helps children and young people express feelings, communicate and process experiences through music.

💜 YOUTH COUNSELLING
Confidential one-to-one support where young people can talk openly, work through difficult emotions and develop healthy coping strategies.

Who can refer?

Parents, carers and professionals can make a referral directly to our team.

You do not need to have all the answers before reaching out. Our team will help identify the most appropriate therapeutic support.

📅 Funded places are available until 31 March 2027, subject to availability. We encourage early referrals as places are limited.

🔗 REFER FOR SUPPORT:
https://zgbtst.org/referral-form-for-evawg/

We extend our sincere thanks to The Executive Office and Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council for supporting this programme and recognising the importance of therapeutic intervention for children and young people affected by violence and abuse.

Because every child deserves to feel safe, supported and heard. 💜