A new campaign to help young people cope with the stress of exams is making an impact across the county.

Stress LESS is aimed at youngsters, aged from 12-18, and asks them to change five small things in their lives in an effort to prevent the pressures of the exam season overwhelming them.

The campaign, led by Mind in Cambridgeshire and funded by Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council, was launched in May and has created a network of 18 champions in schools and colleges to support pupils.

These are students, aged from 14-18, who promote the campaign’s #Take5challenge strategies and support their peers to access information and support.

Dominika Karpowicz, Mind’s mental health campaigns officer, said: “We are delighted that this campaign is having such a positive impact in such a short space of time. We really appreciate the commitment our champions are showing to manage their own stress levels, but also spreading the word among their peers.

“Equipping young people with the skills they need to manage their stress levels effectively can have huge life-long benefits and can help reduce the risk of developing mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety disorders.

“Whatever our age, we can all make small changes in our lives that can have huge benefits for our wellbeing.”

The Stress LESS tips:

Start planning – timetables and ‘to do’ lists can help you feel more in control

Stay positive – focus on what you can do, not what you can’t

Get physical – avoid electronic equipment an hour before bedtime

Connect with others – talk to someone you trust about how you are feeling

Time off – spend time doing things you love such as hobbies or seeing friends.

Since the launch, the Stress LESS campaign has recruited 18 champions across Huntingdon, Cambridge, Ely and Peterborough. They have reported already having more than 100 conversations with their peers, and distributed hundreds of campaign resources within their schools and colleges

There have been more than 2,000 page views and more than 1,600 visits to the Stress LESS website.

The Facebook page has 106 fans, with posts reaching at least 1000 people.

INFO: Contact www.mindcambs.org.uk or email:stressless@mindcambs.org.uk for details about the Stress LESS campaign, or go to Facebook or Instagram and type in stresslesscampaign and take the #Take5challenge.