Newquay Display Highlights Rising Festive Pressures on Young People

Families across the South West say Christmas is becoming one of the most stressful times of the year for young people, according to new findings from The Children’s Society.

A new installation on Bank Street in Newquay town centre has been unveiled today, Friday 21st November, revealing what teenagers say they really want this Christmas.

A Region Feeling the Strain

In a poll of nearly 2,000 parents and carers, more than six in ten in the South West, 63 per cent, said their child finds it difficult to talk to someone when stressed or overwhelmed. This is the highest of any English region surveyed.

At the same time, 65 per cent of South West respondents believe teenagers face more pressure at Christmas now than they did at the same age.

These figures mark the launch of The Children’s Society’s 2025 Christmas Appeal.

📷Courtesy of Khalile Siddiqui Photography

Newquay’s “Christmas Shop of Wishes”

The appeal is being brought to life through a striking shopfront installation in Newquay, styled like a festive window display but designed to show something much deeper.

Inside “The Christmas Shop of Wishes”, each wrapped “gift” reveals what young people say they want most this year:

• Time to breathe
• Someone who listens
• To not feel so alone
• To feel seen and understood
• Less pressure, more presence

The Children’s Society says these wishes reflect the hidden strain many young people face as money worries, academic pressure, social media and family expectations build up at Christmas.

Voices Behind the Appeal

Mark Russell, Chief Executive of The Children’s Society, said:

“Behind the sparkle of Christmas, many young people feel surrounded by noise, worries about school, money, family expectations, and the pressure to look happy even when they’re not.

“We wanted to hold up a mirror to that reality and to show that help is out there. Our early-support services give young people a place to talk to a trained professional before worries spin into crisis. Sometimes one honest conversation is all it takes to quiet the noise and help them feel heard.”

The display was unveiled today by Cornwall-based singer-songwriter and radio presenter, Josh Curnow, alongside Daniela Barreto and Ruth Maddicks from The Children’s Society’s Time for Young People service in Torbay. Josh, a Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist who has performed at Glastonbury Festival, toured across Europe and California and placed third in the UK Songwriting Competition, has a long-standing passion for mental health advocacy and is involved in charity work across the county.

Josh Curnow said:

“Teenagers today face pressures that can feel overwhelming, and too often those struggles go unseen.

“Mental health isn’t something we can ignore, it’s about giving young people the space and support to feel heard and understood. That’s why I’m proud to stand with The Children’s Society and their ‘Help a Child Quiet the Noise’ campaign.

“Every young person deserves to feel heard, supported, and understood, and together we can make sure they never have to face those struggles alone.”

Support Across the South West

The Children’s Society runs a number of services in the region, including its Time for Young People service and Space to Grow programme. Both offer safe spaces where children and families can speak to trained professionals before problems become more serious.

You can support The Children’s Society’s Christmas Appeal at the The Children’s Society website.

Polling Snapshot: What South West Parents Said

• 65 per cent say teens face more festive pressure now than when they were young
• 63 per cent say their child finds it difficult to talk when stressed or overwhelmed
• 31 per cent say academic pressures such as exams, revision and coursework negatively affect their child’s wellbeing over Christmas
• 26 per cent say social media makes the season harder for their child

Regional comparisons for parents who say their child struggles to talk when stressed:
• East of England 61 per cent
• West Midlands 61 per cent
• North West 60 per cent
• North East 59 per cent
• South East 58 per cent
• East Midlands 57 per cent
• Greater London 50 per cent

📷Courtesy of Khalile Siddiqui Photography