The Heads Up campaign encourages people to talk about mental health, and for people to treat mental health the same way they approach their physical fitness. 

While the conversation around mental health has grown significantly in recent years, mental health problems remain one of the biggest issues in society today. Suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 45 and it's time this changed.

Football is our national game. Millions of people watch and play football ever year, and many of us won’t go a day without talking about it. With our new campaign, Heads Up, we want everyone to feel comfortable talking about their mental health, in the same way they would about football, and feel able to support their friends and families through difficult times.

Heads Up will illustrate that everyone should prioritise maintaining their mental fitness as well as their physical fitness. During the season, the campaign will also provide resources, training and direction towards support when needed.

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heads up: CRISIS MESSENGER

As part of the Heads Up campaign there is additional support available, If you need urgent support, Crisis Messenger text service provides free*, 24/7 crisis support across the UK. To get help with a range of issues, you can text HeadsUp to 85258.

Who’s on the other end of your text message?

We know finding the right support is important especially if you need someone to talk to right now. Crisis Messenger connects every texter to a trained volunteer who will chat with you by text. They will listen to you and help you think more clearly, enabling you to know that you can take the next steps to feeling better.

How does it work?

If you need some immediate support, text HeadsUp to 85258.

The trained Crisis Volunteer will introduce themselves, reflect on what you’ve said, and invite you to share at your own pace. You’ll text back and forth, only sharing what you feel comfortable with. By asking questions, listening to you and responding with support, they’ll help you sort through your feelings until you both feel you’re in a calm, safe place. You might be made aware of some other services that can provide you with further help, so you can continue to get support.

Crisis Messenger can help with issues such as;

- Suicidal Thoughts

- Abuse or assault

- Self-harm

- Bullying

- Relationship Issues

This service is powered by our trusted partners, Shout and Crisis Text Line.

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................MENTAL HEALTH GUIDANCE FOR COACHES AND MANAGER

THE FA HAS RECENTLY ISSUED NEW GUIDANCE NOTES TO COACHES AND MANAGERS WORKING ACROSS THE ADULT FOOTBALL PYRAMID, ADVISING THEM ON HOW TO SUPPORT THE MENTAL WELLBEING OF THEIR PLAYERS.

The new guide has been produced in partnership with Mind and a mental health advisory group put together by The FA. The 36-page publication forms an important part of The FA and Heads Together’s ‘Heads Up’ campaign, which seeks to harness the influence and popularity of football to drive the biggest ever conversation on mental health.

In addition to information and advice on mental health and wellbeing, the guidance notes have been created to help coaches and managers spot the signs of mental health problems predominantly amongst male players, giving them the confidence to support and signpost to specialist help where necessary, including Heads Up’s charity partners and a 24/7 text support service. The notes will be distributed across grassroots adult football and will be made available to every coach and manager across the football pyramid.

Quotes and personal testimonies are included in the guide from across the football spectrum. It also includes a section for coaches and managers on looking after themselves, as well as tips on actions to take in an emergency. Further tips cover how to have a conversation with someone about their mental health, what language is and isn’t acceptable – as well as the answers to frequently-asked questions on the overall topic.

Heads Up is a season-long campaign spearheaded by The Duke of Cambridge which will show the nation that we all have mental health, and that it is just as important as physical health. The Duke will visit non-league Hendon FC on Friday 6 September to discuss the future impact of the guidance and learn more about the club’s mental health outreach initiatives.

We are kicking off our 'Inclusive Football Week' with a focus on The Cornwall disAbility football League! 

The league is run mainly by volunteers Steve and Nikki, who organise festivals once a month from Sept- May across two venues (Camborne & Newquay) Each festival runs 10am-1pm giving the teams a chance to come together & play each other in a fun, safe and friendly environment! 

Here are what some of the players who take part in the league had to say;

12 year old Alfie, "This is the best team ever & I get to play football."

Martin who is 19 with learning difficulties says, " Football means everything to me. Its speed, teamwork, agility & athletic."

Kath: "Football means to me that you can learn new skills, meet new players and learn to be a professional player. Football is really important to me its where i meet up with my friends and something i do with my friends."

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VOLUNTEER| Ever thought about volunteering at a disability club or league? Maybe get involved as a Referee? 🤔

Did you know that you can take a 'Coaching Disabled Footballers' Course which gives all of the necessary knowledge to make your sessions as inclusive as possible?

Find out more information about the course on the link below; http://po.st/wcERhB

 

The FA disability football performance unit has a clear vision: to develop winning England teams. In order to do so, the mission is to deliver the world’s leading talent programme for disability sport, maximising player and coach potential. Find out more about each stage of the pathway below. . .

England Talent Days

FA England Talent Days will be recognised as the first selective environment in the Player Pathway. The Programme will identify and signpost players to the ‘right’ environment at that point in time (they will run on a yearly basis to ensure that players can be re-assessed and kept in the Talent System). ETDs will not be viewed as player development environments. The England Talent Day will be underpinned with the formation of local Disability Football Recruitment Networks responsible for driving player identification and recruitment.

Talent Hubs

Talent Hubs will deliver engagement sessions for players with cerebral palsy, deaf players and partially sighted players. Sessions will enable continued talent identification/confirmation opportunities and will impact younger players than previously engaged in Regional Talent Centres (7-11 and 12-16 cohorts).

Hubs will be used as a ‘check point’ for these players and will have robust processes to link players to appropriate mainstream clubs or impairment specific clubs.

It is envisaged that the number of Hubs will increase annually and will be hosted by a range of organisations including CFAs, English Football League Trusts and Premier League Foundations and Trusts.

These organisations will be supported by The FA to develop comprehensive action plans focusing on recruitment strategies for disabled players and sighted goalkeepers, training and development opportunities for staff, Futsal placements for players, educational and apprenticeship opportunities and effective marketing and communications activity.

Regional Emerging Talent Programme (5 to 11 and 12 to 16)

Regional Emerging Talent Programmes will again be viewed as the ‘check point’ environment for those players engaged in either impairment specific or mainstream football activity. This environment will support player tracking and monitoring of developmental progress and performance standards; thus informing selection for the National Emerging Talent Programme. Activity at Regional Programmes will ‘kick start’ case conferencing and will prepare players for future involvement in the Pathway via age specific technical coaching and wider four corner support. There will be a focus on preparing players psychologically for progression and Regional Programmes will allow mainstream players to engage for the first time without interruption to the meaningful competition accessed in their chosen environment. Strong links will exist with Regional Impairment Specific Clubs.

National Emerging Talent Programme (12 to 16)

National FA Emerging Talent Programmes (12 to 16) and (16-19) will be implemented to support the effective transition of players from Regional Emerging Talent Programmes to England Development Squads. Age specific programmes will be provided for each cohort with the deployment of key staff and technical coaches aligned to this. This Programme will provide bespoke support to each individual engaged to ensure that potential is maximised and the opportunity to develop is extended beyond the capacity of the environment they currently participate/compete within. The programme will include a minimum of three Emerging Talent Camps (three-day camps) for each age specific cohort to ensure that players are fully engaged in the programme. This will also enable individualised strength and conditioning programmes and health and wellbeing diaries to be implemented. Case conferencing of all players introduced to the Emerging Talent Programme will be a priority to ensure that appropriate competition, funding and support locally is sourced for the individual.

National Emerging Talent Programme (16 to 19)

The National Emerging Talent 16+ cohort will also be offered the opportunity to access education and employment within a partner club. These players will not only participate in the National Camps described previously but will be engaged via a role profile impacting completion of an agreed personal development plan impacting the four corners and focused on physical and training/competitive outcomes. This is likely to be underpinned by an initial ‘traineeship’ which will test suitability for the apprenticeship. This will in turn support individuals to secure future employment whilst preparing them fully for transition to England U21 squads. Support to individuals via TASS, Sports Aid and Backing the Best will be targeted at Emerging Talent Programme cohorts (age dependent against criteria of each programme).

 

walking football festival raises money for bobby moore fund 

On Sunday the latest Walking Football Festival was held at Lanivet Community Centre, this event was a special fundraiser raising money for The Bobby Moore Fund (Cancer Research UK).

The day was a huge success with 10 teams attending all playing in the small sided format of the game with the aim of raising awareness of the opportunities in Walking Football in Cornwall and also raising valuable funds for The Bobby Moore Fund.

Bobby Moore was just 51 years old when he died. Shortly after his death in 1993, Bobby’s widow Stephanie Moore MBE set up the Bobby Moore Fund which is a restricted fund of Cancer Research UK to fund pioneering bowel cancer research.

Now in its 26th year, the fund has raised over £26 million and continues to go from strength to strength. Since Bobby’s death, mortality rates for bowel cancer have fallen by more than 30%, but sadly it still kills 44 people in the UK every day, so we still have so much more to do.

Team 10 teams that took part helped to raise over £700 towards the cause, a fantastic achievement from our walking football community. 

Teams that took part: Troon Walking Football (X2), Lanivet Pandas (x2), Morwenstow walking Football, Penwith Nomads Walking Football, St Austell Walking Football, Newquay Walking Football, St Agnes Walking Football, St Austell Saints

  

Powerchair football is a unique sport that provides opportunities for people with a high level of impairment to access the game of football. It is the only active team participation sport for people who use electric wheelchairs.

The game is for anyone who uses a powered wheelchair or those who have limited movement in a manual wheelchair. The sport is fast-paced, dynamic and very enjoyable to watch. The unique nature of powerchair football allows all ages, disabilities and both genders to compete together.

The FA works in partnership with The Wheelchair Football Association (WFA) and County FAs to develop the sport of powerchair football in England. The WFA was formed in 2005 and is currently run by a group of voluntary trustees. The FA funds a full-time national powerchair football development manager, who is employed by the WFA to retain and grow participation levels.

how cornwall powerchair supports players as the only team in cornwall

About Cornwall Powerchair FC

The club was founded in 2006 and provides all people, of any ability, the chance to enjoy a sport that is highly competitive. The fast-paced action and highly skilled manoeuvres make this a game that is not only fun to watch, but very addictive to play.

Cornwall Powerchair Football Club has a number of club chairs so you can practice with them at the sessions. Eventually, really keen players will fundraise to get their own chair. We ask that you bring your own hoist and helpers if you need it to transfer.

There are a lot of rules to the game don’t worry, the club coach and other players will take time to teach you – you will always be given activities you can fully participate in when you come to training,  whatever your level.

Cornwall Powerchair Football Club is the only club in Cornwall and is based in Newquay. Come along to one of the sessions to watch or to try it yourself – email us if you want to ask any questions, or have a chat first.