Foundation support Mental Health Week through Premier League Kicks programme

The Foundation supported Mental Health Awareness Week with over 60 young people from across the region taking part in workshops at the LNER Stadium as part of the Premier League Kicks programme.

The sessions provided participants with an opportunity to engage with important conversations around mental health in a relatable and supportive environment, encouraging open conversations and encouraging the importance of supporting each other both on and off the pitch.

Led by the Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Awareness Week encourages individuals to move beyond awareness and take practical, everyday steps to support good mental health for themselves and their communities. The Foundation are supporting the campaign through the Premier League Kicks programme, with the ‘Inside Matters’ initiative promoting positive ways to look after mental wellbeing, the importance of asking for support and simple coping strategies to help with stress, pressure and difficult emotions.

Trafford Grimes, health and physical activity manager, said: “As part of the Premier League Kicks programme, we were able to engage over 60 young people from across Lincolnshire in football sessions planned and delivered around mental health awareness.

“One example was our ‘pressure game’, where players explored how pressure feels both when applying it and receiving it, creating some brilliant moments of reflection and realisation alongside plenty of smiling faces throughout.

Alongside this, participants created their own 11-a-side support teams, helping them understand who they can turn to when facing challenges with their mental health. Overall, I was incredibly proud to see so many coaches, participants and parents involved in such a meaningful event at the LNER Stadium.”

For more information on how you can get involved, please contact plkicks@lincolncityfoundation.co.uk.