Mental Health Awareness Week – All To Play For

All To Play For is a weekly socially inclusive drop-in football programme for men struggling with poor mental health, which has made a significant and positive impact on the lives of participants.

It is open for anyone to join, and completely free.

When Active Norfolk was approached by the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT) in 2017 about the need to bridge the gap between men suffering with mental health problems and the services that are available, the two organisations partnered together to devise a programme called All To Play For.

The idea was that this programme would offer free football drop-in sessions at theFDC in Bowthorpe, Norwich for men with poor mental health, whilst giving attendees access to vital support services they may not have been aware of. At each session, mental health professionals and local support services are present to offer assistance and guidance for those who want to access it.

Norfolk County FA recognised and rewarded the programme at the end of the 2017-18 season as they named it the Community Project Of The Year in the FA Grassroots Football Awards. Watch the below video to find out more about the programme, they great work it does for men struggling with their mental health and why they were a deserving winner.

Active Norfolk’s Physical Activity Project Officer, Sam Watts, said: “I’m delighted the project is back up and running after lockdown, it’s even more important now given increased levels of social isolation that we’re able to offer such a positive and inclusive initiative for men across Norwich and Great Yarmouth to play football, socially connect with others and receive the support they need.”

To find out more about All To Play For please click here.