On 1 February 2024 Mind and Rethink combined forces in partnership with the Co-op to get the country talking and being honest about how we are feeling.
Across the UK, its delivery was supported by See Me in Scotland, Inspire in Northern Ireland and Time to Change Wales.
All recognise that what we say can hold a hidden message:
“It’s all good” sometimes means “I’m stressed and burned out”
or
“Yeah, getting by” sometimes means “I worry about paying my bills”
Football is a great leveller and a great place to start a conversation. Attending games can decrease loneliness and isolation felt by many and improve a person's mental well-being. Cheering on your team allows you to express your emotions openly and can be an act of collective joy or sorrow depending on the result of the game.
ITFC takes the mental health of its fans seriously. The foundation runs many sessions including hosting an Ipswich talk club for men, a football group for the LGBTQ+ community and a support group for those with dementia, their carers and families who have lost loved ones to dementia.
For further details of these programmes, you can contact Leanne Smith, the Community Engagement Officer, via email at leanne.smith@itfc.co.uk or by calling 01473 400987.
You can also check the foundation page for more details of current activities. These include activity groups as well as talking groups. Some combine the two and are open to anyone within the ITFC community.
If you feel you would like to support people within your community but are not sure how to get started then Mind is offering a free online training course to help you to help others. Sign-up is quick and easy and it only takes 90 minutes to complete.
You can take breaks as and when you need to. It’s self-guided so there is no assessment involved. It won’t make you an expert but it will mean you can make a difference to someone out there who needs support and companionship. That is priceless.
Let’s keep everyone talking — problems are not solved in just one day. Remember that attending football matches or activities provided by the club may be the only contact that a person has with the outside world. That’s what makes ITFC such an important part of the community.
It’s why everyone at the club buys into supporting the work of not just the first team but the foundation and the local businesses and groups that make it such a special place to be a part of.
Useful Links
Time To Talk Day Homepage:https://timetotalkday.co.uk/
Time To Talk Day - Tips To Talk: https://timetotalkday.co.uk/tips-to-talk/
Mind Training - https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/helping-someone-else/conversations-in-the-community/
Ipswich Town Foundation: https://www.itfcfoundation.co.uk/
Ipswich Talk Club: email joe.thomson1@gmail.com for more details
The psychology behind why we love watching football: https://breakingthelines.com/opinion/the-psychology-behind-why-we-love-watching-football/