A new advert launched by Time to Change will be shown on the big screen at the England v Ghana friendly match on Tuesday 29 March marking a new partnership between Time to Change, the Football Association, the Premier League and Football League Clubs.
The advert is part of a nationwide campaign called ‘It’s time to talk, it’s Time to Change’ which features television, radio and online advertising as well as real life stories from people with mental health problems and celebrities. The campaign addresses the reluctance many of us feel in talking about mental health problems and encourages conversations about mental health with those around us.
Time to Change is working with sport bodies to make football audiences and grassroots football clubs more open to the idea of talking about mental health, and more welcoming to people with mental health problems. New work is also underway to deliver mental health awareness training to 1,200 grassroots football coaches nationwide.
This work will complement the Imagine Your Goals two-year programme funded by the Premier League and Sport Relief which aims to improve social inclusion and wellbeing for people with mental heath problems and their carers, as well as tackling mental health discrimination and stigma.
The FA's Equality Manager, Funke Awoderu, commented: "The FA is very pleased to be supporting Time to Change and we hope that the big screen broadcast of their films at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday night will raise awareness of the campaign and help reduce stigma and discrimination."
Time to Change director Sue Baker said: “We want to use the powerful influence of football to help level the playing field for people with mental health problems. Football can be a very positive force in helping shape public attitudes and by working together with clubs, supporters and wider local communities we want to get a new conversation started around mental health.
“Mental health is not traditionally talked about in the macho world of football, but the silence around mental health is a big cause of stigma and discrimination and often the hardest part of having a mental health problem. It’s often a few small words that can make a big difference and get the conversation started - you don’t have to be an expert, just a friend or a teammate.”
Notes to Editors:
For interview or image requests please contact Jenny Tudor in the Time to Change Press Office:
0208 2152 358/ 07789 721 966
1. The England V Ghana friendly match takes place at Wembley Stadium.
2. Time to Change is England’s most ambitious programme to end the discrimination faced by people with mental health problems, and improve the nation’s wellbeing. The leading mental health charities Mind and Rethink are running the programme, funded with £16m from the Big Lottery Fund and £4.5m from Comic Relief, and evaluated by the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College, London.
2. The Big Lottery Fund’s support for Time to Change comes from its £165m Well-being programme, which provides funding to support the development of healthier lifestyles and to improve well-being. The Big Lottery Fund has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since its inception in June 2004. It was established by Parliament on 1 December 2006. Full details of the Big Lottery Fund, its programmes and awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
3. Comic Relief is committed to supporting people living with mental health problems. The projects Comic Relief funds ensure people with mental health problems get their voices heard in the decisions that affect their lives and to get the help they need to recover. Comic Relief also helps people to promote their rights and reduce the stigma and discrimination they face so that they feel more included in society. The £4.5 million grant to Time to Change is part of Comic Relief's long standing commitment to this issue. For more information go to www.comicrelief.com