WARRINGTON North MP Charlotte Nichols shares her views in this week’s column.

This past year has been heartbreaking for our town, and I can only hope that last week’s sentencing will begin to bring some closure for Brianna’s family and friends and we can turn to remembering her and nurturing her legacy.

The whole country has had an opportunity to admire the decency and dignity of the Gheys and it has been a privilege to meet with Esther over these difficult months and now try to take forward her work to Parliament to bring some positive change for our young people.

Esther has been championing mindfulness in schools, which has already now been implemented in each of our schools in Warrington, supporting the children and young people in the challenges that they face and addressing their mental health.

There has been particular focus on Esther’s call for major tech companies to provide their apps specifically for under 16s to help ensure a safer online world for children and limit the bullying and pressure that so many currently face. I won’t pretend that these are not complex areas, but the technology does exist and these vastly profitable companies must be required to do more rather than simply relying on them to do the right thing.

It cannot be right that with age restrictions in place for film, TV, video games and the purchase of alcohol and tobacco products, for example, that as legislators we continue to put the internet in the 'too difficult' box. Schools and parents regularly raise with me issues associated with the online space, both in terms of behaviour and safeguarding problems, and I’m keen to hear from young people, parents, educators and those who work in technology, about taking this forward.

On the wider issue of mindfulness, I held a debate in Parliament on this on Wednesday, calling for this to be brought into schools across the country following the Peace In Mind initiative established by Esther and the Warrington Guardian. There is evidence of benefits across a wide range of health, social and educational outcomes, and supports both children and teachers by including it. Mindfulness is already part of the school curriculum in Wales, but bringing this about in England more widely it is hoped will help with the mental health crisis affecting young people, and give them the tools to better understand and regulate their emotions as they face life’s challenges.

Speaking to schools in Warrington who have already taken part in the training, I’m hearing really positive reflections about its impact and I am so grateful to all those who shared and donated to the fundraising that has allowed this scheme to be trialled locally.

We have had many sad and angry days in Warrington recently but led by the courage and compassion shown by Esther, I hope we can begin to build towards a future that will help our young people and provide a fitting legacy for Brianna’s memory.