Sporting Minds UK is a registered charity that seeks to raise awareness and provide support for positive mental health in sportspeople aged 16 to 30 where they can access free, fast and confidential private mental health support.
As part of the collaboration, Loughborough Sport has launched a video campaign across its social media channels in which its sporting community share experiences to normalise the issue of mental health in sport.
These will include interviews with Richard Riakporhe, British Cruiserweight and WBA International Champion boxer, Ross Edgley, adventurer and Loughborough University alumni, James Greer, Loughborough Students’ Athletic Union President and Sport Executive Officer, and other University sporting professionals and practitioners.
Loughborough Sport have also formed an advisory board across its clubs which will improve mental health awareness and education, increase support and mental health training, create, and deliver fundraising events, and tackle the stigma around mental health.
Jo Simpson, Commercial and Facilities Director, Loughborough Sport, who has led on integrating Sporting Minds UK at Loughborough, said:
“What’s really great about this relationship with Sporting Minds UK is that we’re doing things differently.
“We have created an advisory board so that Sporting Minds UK and mental health support are properly embedded within our sporting community. This has been set up by James Greer (Sport Executive Officer, Loughborough Athletic Union) and Callum Lea (Sporting Minds UK founder) and it seeks to put mental health support at the heart of every student-athlete club.
“We are adding to the existing mental health support provision that the University provides to all its students with a unique focus on sport. This could be from deselection to injury, to poor performance. This a fantastic partnership.”
Callum Lea, Sporting Minds UK founder, said:
“Sporting Minds UK is a young charity providing support for athletes across the country and this partnership with Loughborough Sport sets a clear example to everyone else.
“Having the world’s best sporting university taking mental health so seriously shows that no matter how good you are at sport, how driven and competitive you are, you need to treat your mental health as seriously as possible, and that’s why Loughborough is a dream partnership for us.
“By partnering with us, Loughborough Sport are showing that although competition is so prevalent across the University, they actually see their athletes as human beings first and foremost and not just competitors. To have a university that treats their athletes so holistically is an absolute pleasure to work with.”
James Greer, Loughborough Students’ Athletic Union President and Sport Executive Officer, added:
“We wanted to ensure that our students felt like they could be part of the journey towards improving and increasing the support for mental health within the Loughborough Sport community.
“The advisory board we have created is a fantastic opportunity for students. We are going to see discussion panels, educational awareness sessions, and fundraising events for the charity where students can get involved and give something back as well as providing support to those that need it.”
Student-athletes wishing to access Sporting Minds UK services can visit its website: https://www.sportingmindsuk.org/sportingmindsuk-support/
Loughborough Sport and Sporting Minds UK’s video campaign can be found on its social media channels on Instagram @lborosport, Twitter @lborosport, and on its Facebook and LinkedIn channels as Lborosport.
For more information on Sporting Minds UK, visit its website HERE.
For further information regarding mental health support at the University, contact its Mental Health Support Services team HERE.