Community Trust Deliver ‘Team Talk’ Session

As part of the EFL’s ‘Team Talk’ campaign throughout December and January, Bolton Wanderers Community Trust teamed up with local charity Third Space, to deliver an educational workshop to a group of men about the importance of our mental health.

New research into men’s mental health suggests that, while some progress has been made, men feel worried or low more regularly than ten years ago and are consequently twice as likely to feel suicidal.

The findings are part of ‘Get It Off Your Chest: Men’s mental health 10 years on’ – a report commissioned by Mind as part of its charity partnership with the League.  The report compares new polling data from YouGov* with results from 2009 to understand how the challenges facing men’s mental health have changed over the past 10 years.

Results show that one of the top alternatives to medication includes social activity, and with football currently behind closed doors, fans are missing out on the release from everyday life that football provides for so many. Mental Health charity Mind have recently reported that more than 60% of adults and 68% of young people felt that their mental health had deteriorated throughout the coronavirus pandemic

To help keep supporters connected to their Clubs, the Team Talk sessions aim to bring fans together (virtually or in-person where safe to do so) to talk about football – helping them stay connected during what can be a difficult time of year for many, and this is exactly what Bolton Wanderers Community Trust did today.

The virtual session delivered by the Community Trust was designed to keep the conversation about mental health going throughout the January lockdown. Topics included how to spot the signs and symptoms of common mental health problems, how to stay positive during lockdown and gave participants the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings. Most importantly, participants were encouraged to stay active, connected and talk to someone if they’re feeling down.