Lancashire Organisations Unite for Mental Health Awareness Event organised by Rossendale Works.
Organisations from across Lancashire joined forces recently to participate in a football session organised by Rossendale Works in support of Mental Health Awareness Week. The event, usually open to jobseekers and those facing mental health challenges, aims to promote physical activity and provide a supportive environment for individuals of all abilities.
Football Works, a session delivered by Rossendale Works, offers free physical activity tailored for individuals with shared experiences. The initiative seeks to build confidence through socialisation, physical activity, and access to further support from Rossendale Works Staff.
To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, the session was expanded to include partners and local organisations, showcasing the support that Football Works and the broader Rossendale Works project provides. Attendees including local GPs, Social Prescribers, businesses, and community-based organisations, participated in a non-competitive game of football before learning about the mental health provisions offered by the project.
Michelle Grimes, Place Manager (Infrastructure) at Active Lancashire, commented, "The Football Works project is a great initiative set up by the Rossendale Works team in partnership with Rossendale Leisure Trust to deliver free, weekly support for those facing barriers to employment due to mental health challenges. Job seeking can be daunting and often leads to low self-esteem and declining mental wellbeing. The provision provided by Football Works enables participants to boost their mental wellbeing through physical activity, unlocking pathways for employability support provided by our mentors."
Paul Becouarn, project lead for Rossendale Works, added, "It was amazing to see so many organisations from across the area come along to see what the session has to offer and how they can get involved. Mental Wellbeing is at the forefront of our mission at Rossendale Works and within the wider Active Lancashire organisation, so hosting an event such as this to raise awareness and build collaborations with other organisations is fantastic."
The event and regular Football Works session is ran in collaboration with Rossendale Leisure Trust, who provide several activities open to those of all abilities, ages and backgrounds seeking to improve their mental wellbeing. Throughout Mental Health Awareness week, Rossendale Leisure Trust hosted a range of sessions alongside the Football Works event, which aimed to showcase the support available for those struggling with their mental wellbeing, including one-to-one coaching sessions and wellbeing walks.
Jodie Lee, Marketing Executive at Rossendale Leisure Trust, echoed Michelle and Paul’s words, saying, “We’re delighted to be able to collaborate with Rossendale Works on their Football Works project, which contributes to our wider aim of improving the mental wellbeing of those in our community.
“The focus of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is movement, and we believe that physical activity plays a pivotal role in improving the mental wellbeing of individuals. We’re proud to offer a range of provision for members of our community to get involved in, and working with organisations such as Rossendale Works not only enables us to connect with more Rossendale residents, but expand the provision and support which we offer to contribute to a happier, healthier Rossendale.”
Rossendale Works is funded by Rossendale Council as part of the £2.6m received from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It is delivered on behalf of Rossendale Council by Active Lancashire in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions.
For more information about Rossendale Works, its services, and free activities, visit www.rossendaleworks.org.uk
