Sporting foundations representing professional and community sports clubs across Humber and North Yorkshire have come together to raise the profile of mental health among players, staff, participants and supporters in a groundbreaking new partnership.
Launched by NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), Humber and North Yorkshire UNITED is described as a “collective that unites professional and grassroots sporting communities with the shared mission of improving mental health, suicide prevention, and self-harm awareness”.
Foundations affiliated to Hull City AFC, Scunthorpe United, Hull Kingston Rovers and Hull FC, Grimsby Town FC, York City FC, York RLFC (York Knights and Valkyrie), Harrogate Town FC, Scarborough Athletic, Beverley Town FC and Beverley RUFC are among those to sign up to UNITED.
Together the clubs attract average game-day attendances of around 70,000 people and have a combined fanbase of hundreds of thousands, whilst the work of the clubs’ various foundations also reaches thousands of supporters every month.
The collective is getting extra support from the local Active Partnerships, Active Humber and North Yorkshire Sport. They are providing training, resources, and a platform for members of the collective to share best practices.
Ryan Nicholls, Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership’s Urgent and Emergency Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Programme Lead, and founder of Humber and North Yorkshire UNITED, said: “Sadly, there is still a stigma associated with mental health which means people aren’t always getting the help they need.
“Through sports we can break down some of those barriers and help people recognise that actually ‘it’s okay not to be okay’ and seek help without feeling shame.
“I’m delighted that so many sports foundations representing our region’s sports clubs – big and small – want to be part of this movement.
“They have wonderful connections with children, parents and supporters, and carry enormous influence. With their voices we can create meaningful change that gives people who are struggling with their mental health – or trying to help someone who is – the confidence and encouragement to get help without feeling it’s anything to be ashamed of.”
The goal of Humber and North Yorkshire UNITED is simple but powerful: to tackle the stigma surrounding mental health and provide a supporting platform for individuals to seek help and inspire positive change through sport.
As part of the collective, the clubs’ foundations and their affiliated community groups are being asked to use their in-person and online presence to promote mental health organisations that are local to them among playing and non-playing staff, volunteers and clubs’ supporters and get involved in local events and neighbourhood programmes.
Staff and volunteers will be encouraged to speak openly about the mental health challenges they face to help destigmatise mental health – whilst also talking about the positive aspects of mental health wellbeing that being involved in sport can bring about.
By connecting sports communities with local mental health charities and health professionals, it’s also hoped there will be stronger links between clubs’ foundations and direct pathways to support, showcasing counselling, mental health training, and peer support networks.
