The Sports Development Service has been organising and developing a programme of activities for community mental health service users for the last five years. The programme has improved and evolved during this time and has expanded from two to 10 weekly activities in a variety of venues across the City.
There are many different activities that are available at a subsidised or preferable rate, including gym sessions, badminton, tennis, football, boxercise, swimming and yoga.
Some of these sessions are led by an instructor, some are facilitated, and some are individual activities. Anyone who is accessing a session for the first time can arrange with the Sports Development Service to meet a 'buddy' on their first session to show them the ropes.
We are proud of the partnership work involved in this project with the Cambridge and Peterborough Mental Health Trust and the City and NHS Cambridgeshire. They advise and work with us to promote the activities, and work with us to promote physical health and improve mental health awareness to the public.
This partnership has enabled us to provide opportunities for local coaches and facility staff in Mental Health Awareness Training organise events together such as World Mental Health Day and have representation on the focus group. Other local partners include Cambridgeshire Football Association, SLM, Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, Next Generation and the Salvation Army.
This year has seen the development of a new focus group made up of service users. Anyone is welcome to join the group and new members are always welcome.
The aim of the focus group is to be a springboard for new activities, times and venues. The group also to helps with the evaluation of existing sessions and to allow service users to voice their ideas or opinions of the current service, and shape the future of the programme.
Activities are advertised through the mental health newsletter. The newsletter is produced twice a year and distributed to health professionals, facilities, community centres, libraries and in individuals through our database.
- For information about the different sports facilities within Cambridge, please use our new Cambridge Sports Facilities map.
To receive your new copy of the newsletter, to be placed on the mailing list or for any other queries related to the Mental Health Sport and exercise programme or the Mental Health Sports Focus Group, then please contact the coordinator of the programme:
Keiran Williams
Sports Development
Project Officer
Tel: 01223 457543
Email: Keiran.Williams@cambridge.gov.uk
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