In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Week, this week 10th to 16th May, we’re pleased to announce our new partnership with Loughborough Sport, which will further strengthen the University’s mental health support to its student-sportspeople.
As part of the collaboration, Loughborough Sport has launched a video campaign across its social media channels in which its sporting community share experiences to normalise the issue of mental health in sport. These include interviews with Richard Riakporhe, British Cruiserweight and WBA International Champion boxer, Ross Edgley, adventurer and Loughborough University alumni, James Greer, Loughborough Students’ Athletic Union President and Sport Executive Officer, and other University sporting professionals and practitioners.
Loughborough Sport have also formed an advisory board across its clubs which will improve mental health awareness and education, increase support and mental health training, create, and deliver fundraising events, and tackle the stigma around mental health.
Jo Simpson, Commercial and Facilities Director, Loughborough Sport, who has led on integrating Sporting Wellness at Loughborough, said: “What’s really great about this relationship with Sporting Wellness is that we’re doing things differently. We have created an advisory board so that Sporting Wellness and mental health support are properly embedded within our sporting community. This has been set up by James Greer (Sport Executive Officer, Loughborough Athletic Union) and Callum Lea (Sporting Wellness founder) and it seeks to put mental health support at the heart of every student-sportspeople club. We are adding to the existing mental health support provision that the University provides to all its students with a unique focus on sport. This could be from deselection to injury, to poor performance. This a fantastic partnership.”
Callum Lea, our founder, said: “This partnership with Loughborough Sport sets a clear example to everyone else. Having the world’s best sporting university taking mental health so seriously shows that no matter how good you are at sport, how driven and competitive you are, you need to treat your mental health as seriously as possible, and that’s why Loughborough is a dream partnership for us. By partnering with us, Loughborough Sport are showing that although competition is so prevalent across the University, they actually see their sportspeople as human beings first and foremost and not just competitors. To have a university that treats their sportspeople so holistically is an absolute pleasure to work with.”
James Greer, Loughborough Students’ Athletic Union President and Sport Executive Officer, added:“We wanted to ensure that our students felt like they could be part of the journey towards improving and increasing the support for mental health within the Loughborough Sport community. The advisory board we have created is a fantastic opportunity for students. We are going to see discussion panels, educational awareness sessions, and fundraising events for the charity where students can get involved and give something back as well as providing support to those that need it.”
Here are the first videos from our joint Loughborough Sport and SMUK campaign:
Callum Lea, SMUK on the partnership
James Greer, Loughborough Students’ Athletic Union President
My story: Miriam Pritchard Part 1
My story: Miriam Pritchard Part 2