Teaming Up to Tackle Stigma (Time to Talk Day)
Havant and East Hants Mind (HEH Mind) and Hampshire FA Team Up to Tackle Mental Health Stigma on Time to Talk Day.
This Time to Talk Day (Thursday 1st February) HEH Mind and Hampshire FA join forces to initiate vital conversations surrounding mental health and wellbeing. Leading the way Pete Hussey from Hampshire FA, bravely shares his lived experience of bereavement, suicide loss, and emphasises the pivotal role that football has played in supporting his mental health for over two decades.
Time to Talk Day, recognised as the nation’s largest mental health conversation, encourages friends, families, communities, and workplaces to come together, talk, listen, and contribute to changing lives. The event, happening annually, aims to break the stigma surrounding mental health, promoting openness, understanding, and support for those facing mental health challenges.
Pete’s story serves as a powerful testament to the positive impact sports, particularly football, can have on individual and community wellbeing. By engaging in sporting activities and accessing professional mental health services, individuals can find safe spaces to talk, share and maintain their mental health, while also creating a support network/community.
As the Official Mental Health Partner of Hampshire FA, HEH Mind continues to play a crucial role in fostering mental health awareness, providing support, training opportunities, and wellbeing initiatives for colleagues and affiliated clubs. The partnership underscores the commitment of both organisations to promote mental health within the sporting community and beyond.
“Listening to a friend/colleague/family member and truly hearing them is one of the most valuable things you can do to support someone struggling with their mental health. Talking about mental health is not always easy, sometimes it’s hard to express how you actually feel. But it is through conversation we build our support networks; we tackle social and self-stigma, and it can also be how we discover new services and support.
We are very thankful and privileged to have been part of this conversation with Pete and to hear his experiences. If after listening to our conversation you’d like to find out about wellbeing and crisis services, or other opportunities to engage with our Community Team please visit our website or email us.” says Mike Craft, Head of Community and Communication at HEH Mind.
“We have worked closely with HEH Mind since the pandemic when the partnership was first established. Since then, we have completed everything from tournaments, hosted mental health workshops, online mental health Q&A sessions, promoted online activities such as mental health word searches and so much more. Now we are highlighting real-life stories, from our staff, speaking to the grassroots community and beyond. It is this extra step of emphasising the importance of mental health and how sport, particularly football, has the power to provide a safe space and an outlet to channel the personal challenges that one can face, in a healthy and positive way”. Isabella Pearson, Business Development Lead at Hampshire FA.
Join HEH Mind and Hampshire FA on Time to Talk Day as they encourage all of us to have a conversation; to share experiences and contribute to creating a more compassionate and supportive society.
Watch our video – https://youtu.be/xXcO7Zf7-0k
Listen to our podcast – https://open.spotify.com/show/1VcXMaKCuoCvgkQ57sfBSF
Links to support – www.easthantsmind.org | www.sidebyside.mind.org.uk | www.samaritans.org
For more information, please contact:
Community Team
Havant and East Hants Mind
Isabella Pearson
Business Development Lead, Hampshire FA
Posted on: 1st February 2024
