“I believe that mindfulness practice and living more mindfully has a trickle-down effect, developing a more positive community in which people feel valued and safe; individuals feel nurtured and confident.”
(Gavin Sharp)
As a teacher of young people with complex needs in Pembrokeshire, Gavin is only too aware of the importance of maintaining a calm, safe space for the individuals in his care, many of whom experience profound and multiple learning difficulties. In a setting that can easily become highly stressful for staff and pupils alike, Gavin has found that using compassion-based practices not only allows him to stay regulated throughout the day, supporting his own well-being, but also enhances the well-being of those around him.
Since training in mindfulness several years ago, Gavin has found his practice to be an invaluable tool, offering support during difficult points in his own life. This has led him to the understanding of the need for good self-care, and he aims to model this in his relationships with others, both personally and professionally. “I am a strong advocate of the need to take good care of yourself in order to have the capacity and drive to care for others” he says.
Although Gavin admits that he would like to spend more time in formal meditation and yoga practices, the importance of informal mindfulness in daily living cannot be underestimated. In May 2025 Gavin was involved in a project to assist volunteers and refugees at Care4Calais, and it was through his informal compassionate practices that he found the confidence and ability to support those he had gone to help.
“Embracing mindfulness gave me the resilience to face each day full of positivity and hope for myself, my family, friends and for the wider community.”
Gavin’s daily practices include pausing regularly to focus on breathing and allow thoughts to settle. One of the knock-on effects of this has been discovering that he no longer feels the need to rush through his tasks and achieves much more whilst being able to maintain a sense of calm, which extends into the wider community around him. Using his practice Gavin can maintain a measured, constructive approach to daily stressors and therefore is more able to help those with whom he comes into contact in various settings.
He recognises that his chosen vocation is a challenging one but when he can stay compassion-based he has noticed that the people around him are more willing to give of their time and to share concerns and ideas – creating a more caring and compassionate community.
Mindfulness in daily life hasn’t only supported Gavin with life’s challenges but has enhanced his life in enabling him to develop a healthier work-life balance and to enjoy daily activities more. He also feels that it has nourished his relationships with his wife and children and supported him in social settings, allowing him to interact with whoever he meets with a calm confidence.
One of Gavin’s favourite places is overlooking the Cleddau River at Saltings Nature Reserve in Haverfordwest which is a special, mindful place for him. Gavin visits in all weathers at different times of the year and this serves as a reminder that mindfulness works well in many different settings and can be especially calming when practiced in nature.
He explains that compassion for himself and others is at the heart of his practice, and that he has seen evidence that this has enriched his own life and the life of those around him. His aim is to continue to foster nurturing relationships and encourage a sense of light-hearted playfulness in people of all ages as he does so. He recently undertook the Compassionate Minds Training course through Mindfulness Wales and is keen to share this within his own work context. “We live in a challenging world, in which everyone has their hopes and fears” he says. Gavin’s hope is that through his mindfulness practice he can play his part in influencing his own future, and the future of the wider world, for the better.
Contact details: gavin.sharp@neu.org.uk