Friday Freebie: What's on your mind?

It's time to talk football and mental health ahead of the new season

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With the season starting at County League level this weekend along with the remainder of non-league football over the two weekends following in August I thought it’s the right time to talk about mental health and its relationship to football.

The Premier Non League Podcast of which I am one fifth of (@thepnlp, available on all good podcast platforms) featured Ross Butterfill from Tackle This Together (www.tacklethistogether.co.uk) earlier this year, set up to raise awareness, increase the conversation, deliver education and provide support for mental health and wellbeing.

The last few years have been a tough time for many, huge changes to everyday life and routines no doubt affecting people both physically and mentally. Football for many is seen as a release from everyday life, be it as a player, staff, supporter or volunteer, a few hours away to relax and forget all around you, it’s very important to a lot.

This weekend signals the return of simpler times and that release once again, Ross has taken this one further and aims to have a mental health first aider into grassroots clubs.

On their website alone you can register for the next available course and there Is a resource portal available to download with expertise and advice. There are 117,000 grassroots clubs for them to get stuck into and by 2025 they aim to have held over 600 courses, helped 10,000 of those clubs and impacted over 8 million people within the game.

It's not something now that is to be brushed under the table, it affects even the most out-going of people who don’t know where to turn.

Currently there are three courses available to book online for which I hope the take up is very good. It’s no secret more and more men are suffering and in silence mostly, this is certainly something clubs can get behind wholeheartedly.

Macron sportswear company have recently teamed up with Broadbridge Heath FC from the Isthmian South East Division for Tackle This Together to sponsor the away kit for the first team so you should see this visibility on your travels.

This is still a relatively new resource having been launched earlier this year but one that can have a massive impact and more than a lot of people will realise from those around them.

So, the message is as we prepare to kick off is don’t be afraid to ask how your mate is doing, or even the chap you nod at and share a mutual respect at the turnstile for the past 20 years, you never know what someone else is worried about and your words may be the ones that help, here’s to a fantastic season getting underway.

You can find them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, search for ‘Tackle This Together’.