A converted American school bus is visiting children around Salford to promote good mental health, after its creators left their corporate jobs to achieve peace.
The New York school bus was converted into a mobile ‘Zen Den’ in 2020 and has been on a mission to help create calm amid the chaos across the UK through visits to offices, schools and festivals.
Corinne Gardner and Kaye Smith are taking the bus on a tour around high schools and primary schools in the UK, hoping to arm children with lifetime tools that can help them manage and protect their mental health.
Ms Gardner explained: “We use the word Zen to describe a state of calm, rather than zen Buddhism.”
The Zen Den offers 11-minute zen sessions where participants will do breathing exercises and meditation to re-focus their minds and find calmness.
Ms Gardner said: “We are doing sessions for teachers as well, within that session we do relaxation for the teachers but also give them techniques they can use in the classroom.”
The women began their journey after leaving their corporate jobs to find peace of mind. As they gained qualifications in yoga and meditation, both felt an urge to calmness and make it more accessible.
The American school bus was shipped over from New York and once it arrived in England it was stripped and rebuilt into a sanctuary for calm and relaxation. Using the bus to spark intrigue to attract people’s attention and take away the intimidating stigma around meditation.
The Zen Den is touring with sponsorship fromThe Wates Group, a construction company
The Zen Den has been supporting communities for three years. Gardner and Smith began in their hometown of Camden, parking outside homeless shelters to provide wellness to those who couldn’t afford It. Since then, they have expanded out to the UK, and it has now become a full-time endeavour for the group.
Anyone who attends the bus gets a zen tips pack which outlines breath work techniques and resources they can try from home.
Ms Gardner added: “We have packs that have breathings exercises in, for children to take away and practise at home.”
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