This World Book Day, we’re celebrating the power of storytelling in a very special way. Thanks to the generosity of the Staff Lottery Bids Panel, 25 inspiring books have been funded for teams across Child Health. These stories not only captivate, but help us begin important conversations about healing, responsibility, and breaking cycles of violence.
For School Nurse Jon Milgate, this initiative carries deep personal meaning. As the only male School Nurse in Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (UHB), and a Sound x White Ribbon Ambassador, Jon is passionate about working with boys and young men to help end violence against women.
“I am passionate about working with young men and boys to talk with them about ending violence against women. We are thankful to the Health Charity for funding us to buy 25 books to share out amongst the teams within Children, Young People and Family Health Services (CYPF).”
— Jon Milgate, Specialist Community Public Health Nurse/School Nurse
The books purchased, She Is Not Your Rehab and This Is Not Yours to Carry, are the work of internationally recognised advocates and authors Matt and Sarah Brown MNZM, whose courage and compassion have sparked a global movement. Their message is simple but transformative: cycles of violence can be broken, healing is possible, and the journey begins with honest conversation.
She Is Not Your Rehab shares powerful stories from men who have survived family violence and chosen to confront their trauma with bravery and intention. It invites readers, especially men, to take responsibility for their healing and redefine masculinity in a way that is grounded in compassion and accountability.
Their children’s book, This Is Not Yours to Carry, offers a gentle and hopeful message to young people. Through the story of Tai, children learn that some burdens, especially those created by violence or trauma, were never meant for them to hold. The beautifully illustrated book is inspired by Matt’s own childhood experiences and aims to empower the next generation of cycle breakers.
Matt and Sarah’s work has touched millions through their She Is Not Your Rehab movement, from men’s groups and prison programmes to social campaigns and their trauma-informed mental health app, innerBoy. Their storytelling which is deeply human and disarmingly honest has helped communities around the world speak more openly about childhood trauma, domestic violence, and healing. Their impact was recognised internationally when they both received the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2022, along with a Commonwealth Points of Light Award from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
For Child Health teams here in Cardiff and Vale, these books will become much more than reading material. They will act as resources to raise awareness of the impact that Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence, as outlined in both the Welsh Government’s national strategy and Cardiff and Vale UHB’s local policy, can have on development and wellbeing. They will help staff open up brave, compassionate conversations with young people and provide a tool for understanding, reflection, and healing.
By sharing these books across teams, CYPF is taking a positive step toward making these conversations easier and more accessible, supporting both staff and young people in building safer, healthier futures.
And this is the kind of difference made possible through the Staff Lottery.
If you have an idea that could benefit patients, families, or staff wellbeing, you can apply for Staff Lottery funding too.