Mum inspired by anxiety struggles of daughter to take on London Marathon

RUNNER SET UP BUSINESS TO HELP CHILDREN WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

- By EVA MILLETT

Frances Williams with one of the plush toys as part of her Calmness Crew business, and inset right, in training with the plushies she will take around the course with her, and children playing and sleeping with the toys

A BURTON-based mum who turned her daughter's struggle with anxiety into a thriving business is preparing to take on the London Marathon this weekend to raise awareness of children's mental health.

Frances Williams, 41, from Tutbury, has been named as a regional finalist in the UK StartUp Awards 2026 after creating The Calmness Crew - a range of plush toys designed to help children manage anxiety through simple calming techniques.

She will now run the marathon in support of Place2Be - a charity providing mental health support in schools across the UK - while attaching the plush toys to her running gear to highlight her mission.

Frances' journey began after the covid lockdowns, when her daughter, then just six-years-old, developed severe anxiety.

"She couldn't leave the house," Frances said. "She couldn't sit in a car, and was having panic attacks every night.

"At the time, I didn't understand what was happening. I was saying all the wrong things and felt completely helpless as a parent.

"I couldn't get into my child's head, which made me feel like I'd failed. If they have a broken bone, they can be taken to hospital, put into a cast and get better, but with mental health you can't do that - it's terrifying as a parent."

What initially seemed like illness quickly revealed itself to be anxiety, with panic attacks triggered by everyday situations such as leaving the driveway.

Frances immersed herself in research, learning techniques such as breathing exercises, grounding and positive affirmations.

By consistently practising them together each day, she began to see gradual progress.