Hampshire FA and World Mental Health Day
Hampshire FA has teamed up with its official charity partners, Havant & East Hants Mind to offer free drop-in football and tennis slots for the local community at Front Lawn Community Hub in Havant.
‘World Health Day’ is celebrated annually on Thursday 7th April 2022. The day itself aims to raise awareness about the overall health and well-being of people across the globe, sponsored and encouraged by the World Health Organization. [i]
On Thursday 7th April 2022, Hampshire FA’s Front Lawn Community Hub will host two free football drop-in slots using half the pitch from 9 am – 11 am and again from 2pm – 4pm for members of the community to come along and play on the 3G football pitch. The 2-hour slot will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis but members are encouraged to donate to the Havant & East Hants Mind charity via the donations boxes which will be visible at the reception desk on entry. The donations made will support the free to access wellbeing and crisis services available at Havant and East Hants Mind.
Additionally, the tennis courts will be provided free of charge from 9 am – 11 am and again from 2pm – 4pm. Members are free to drop-in and drop-out at any time in those two-hour slots. The opportunity will also be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis however equipment will be provided free of charge for both sessions with no hiring or deposits required.
To further support World Health Day, Hampshire FA staff members will provide each person in attendance with a guide produced by the charity that focuses on mental and physical health.
Acting as a legacy from the day itself, members who attend the 2-hour drop-in sessions for either football or tennis on the 7th of April will be allowed to have pay and play sessions at Front Lawn Community Hub, halved for the rest of the month for both sports. Hampshire FA staff will register each participant on the day (with necessary permissions) in the hope to encourage returning users to the site and be cost-effective for all in the process. Staff members at the site will also provide each member with information that signposts them to the Hampshire FA website to check out their local clubs in the area or at the site itself, to continue their football provision or alternatively, provided to our partners at the LTA if there is an interest to take their tennis provision to the next level with a course.
“Front Lawn Community Hub should be exactly that, at the heart and to be used by the Community and local areas. With initiatives like this and partnerships with local charities like Mind, we can help to build a stronger community feel and a safe base for people to come and use the fantastic facilities that we have here.
With the current pandemic, mental and physical health is at the forefront of people’s minds and anything that the site, and Hampshire FA can do to help to its members and local community is going to be of big benefit.” – Declan Hellyer, Front Lawn Community Hub Facilities Manager, Hampshire FA
Check out the Front Lawn Community Hub in Havant here or contact the team: Phone: 02393 879998 / Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @FrontLawnHFA.
You can find out more about the free to access wellbeing and crisis services at Havant at East Hants Mind by visiting www.easthantsmind.org, calling 023 92498916 or emailing [email protected].
Posted on: 3rd March 2022
