Football fans heading to the Colchester United v. Forest Green Rovers on Saturday 3rd February are being encouraged by Mid and North East Essex Mind to start a conversation about their mental health.
As part of a nationwide campaign to get everyone talking about their mental wellbeing, Mid and North East Essex Mind, will be at the Community Stadium, Colchester to mark ‘Time to Talk Day.’ On the day, a pop-up crisis café will be open for three hours pre-match for supporters to have a confidential chat with advisers. Plus, a ‘chatty bus,’ provided by Hedingham and Chambers, will be onsite to welcome football fans through its doors to provide a space for people to have a welcome chat.
Ginny Idehen, CEO, Mid and North East Essex Mind, is looking forward to getting football fans talking about their mental wellbeing. She said: “Colchester United provides a vital role in our community. We are delighted to be working with the football club to raise awareness of our services in the area and encourage more people to reach out and ask for help.”
She continued: “With one in four people in any one year experiencing some mental health issue, it is important for the club’s supporters to know we are here to support them.”
Mid and North East Essex Mind offers a wide range of mental wellbeing services to people in the area, including a ‘Crisis Café’ in Colchester and Clacton. The Crisis Café’s services are available out of office hours from 5-10pm and are open seven days a week. The service is available to anyone in emotional distress or experiencing a mental health crisis. To visit the Crisis Café, visitors can self-refer by calling 0300 330 9492.
Colchester United takes mental wellbeing seriously and is proud to support Mid and North East Essex Mind. The team will be supporting the charity’s efforts to encourage football fans to start a conversation with someone you are worried about. Fans can hear from Club captain Connor Hall and ladies team Jamie-Louise Newstead who will discuss why it’s important to seek help. The team will also be sporting Mid and North East Essex Mind branded T shirts at the pre-match warm up.
Also supporting the event is Workhorse Group, MD, Simon Dickerson. He said: “Workhorse Group are delighted to continue to support Mid and North East Essex Mind and Time to Talk Day by to donating our Sponsor’s Box and match day advertising assets for Saturday’s game to Mid and North East Essex Mind. Supporting local charities and causes is a huge part of our ethos at Workhorse Group, the work that Mid and North East Essex does within the local community is invaluable and it is important that we utilise our voice to shout about the great work that they do. We hope that through the support offered both by Workhorse Group and Colchester United at this fixture, we can generate some additional exposure to both help Mid & North East Essex Mind in achieving its goals whilst also helping the loyal supporters of Colchester United Football Club. I hope that this initiative encourages any fans who need help or advice to call upon the skills and experience that the team at Mid and North East Essex Mind can offer.”
Ben Conway, the Partnerships & Hospitality Sales Manager at Colchester United added: “It is paramount that organisations, especially those that serve the local community, keep Mental Health Awareness on the agenda. Partnering up with Mid and North East Essex Mind, our local mental health charity, for Time to Talk day at our home fixture against Forest Green Rovers demonstrates the club’s commitment to doing so and raising further awareness for mental health within the city of Colchester.”
