A new £2 million partnership, which includes £1.5 million of National Lottery funding from Sport England, will help 75,000 people with mental health problems get more involved in sport.
Starting next year, Mind will deliver the programme with its local partners in eight areas across England to provide tailored sport programmes that help overcome the barriers some people with mental health problems face.
The programme will be designed in collaboration with people living with mental health problems and will offer peer support groups, taster sessions and events to help people make sport part of their everyday lives.
Mind will also be providing support via its website and social networks to help those who want to get more active with sport. The charity aims to work with the sports sector so that it can better understand the challenges that many people living with a mental health problems experience.
Hayley recently run the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon for Mind, she explained that she uses running to manage her depression. She said: “I’ve been running as a hobby for few years now but this was my first half marathon. Running is great for my mental wellbeing – it always improves my mood, clears my head and makes me feel like I’ve achieved something.”
Commenting on the first national scheme to use sport to improve mental health, Mind Chief Executive Paul Farmer, said: “Physical activity programmes can play a key role in someone’s recovery from a mental health problem, and in staying well long-term. However, mental ill health in itself can create significant obstacles that prevent people from taking up sport in the first place. Feelings of low self-confidence, exhaustion or fear of crowded spaces can seem insurmountable when facing a mental health problem.”
Mike Diaper, Sport England’s Executive Director Community Sport, added: “That’s why Sport England is committing National Lottery funding to this exciting and ground-breaking programme. Mind really understands the people it serves – and how to help them, which makes it an ideal partner. Sport has the power to improve lives in many ways and we’re confident that this programme will really benefit the people who take part in it.”
Sport England spent time filming at two sport projects working with people with mental health problems to find out how being active through sport is changing lives. This short film features Peter from Mind in Croydon’s Active Minds service – and Val who attends Sport in Mind in Berkshire.
For enquiries about the programme email sport@mind.org.uk
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