Mental Health and Wellbeing

Stafford Harriers is a road running club committed to supporting the #RunandTalk initiative led by England Athletics and supported by Mind the mental health charity, which aims to improve mental health and wellbeing through running in England by;

- Getting people to talk about mental health, sharing experiences and removing stigma

- Supporting people experiencing mental health problems to be physically active through running, whether that is in starting, returning or continuing to run.

Whilst we cannot provide mental health support we are able to listen and point Harriers in the right direction of organisations who can.

Why run?

The impact of getting active on mental health is;

- Reduces Stress
- Improves Mood
- Improves Sleep
- Lifts Self Esteem
- Slows Cognitive Decline
- Lowers Risk of Depression

Adapted from Sports England 2017.

Our Sessions

At Stafford Harriers we hold a number of different sessions for beginners running through to the progression level for more advanced runners. All sessions are based in and around Stafford.

Each session is led by Run Leaders accredited by England Athletics and we have a number of mental health champions to make links between the club and mental health organisations to encourage people to start running.

Why not come along to try us out? We operate a “try before you join policy” which means you are invited to try out any sessions over a two-week period to enable you to establish which suits you best.

For more information visit www.staffordharriers.org, email queries to info@staffordharriers.co.uk or message us on Facebook or Instagram.

Tom Davall & Mark Oliver,
Mental Health Champion,
Stafford Harriers

Mark Oliver

Mental Health Champion
Mark says he has particular interest in promoting running as an opportunity for people to talk about their mental health at the same time as improving their physical health. Mark has completed a mental health first aid course through work and is keen to implement his knowledge through the Club.

Tom Davall

Smaraitans

https://www.samaritans.org/

Whatever you're going through, a Samaritan will face it with you. They are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Minds Crisis services and planning for a crisis

Additional Info

Befrienders Worldwide

befrienders.org
Worldwide directory of emotional support helplines.

C.A.L.L. (Community Advice & Listening Line)

0800 123 737
callhelpline.org.uk
Provides listening services, information and support for people experiencing a mental health problem in Wales. Also provides a text messaging service.

CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably)

0800 58 58 58 (5pm–midnight)
thecalmzone.net
Provides listening services, information and support for men at risk of suicide, including web chat (5pm–midnight).

Helplines Partnership

helplines.org
Directory of helplines available in the UK which you can search to find support suited to you.

Mind Infoline

0300 123 3393 (Monday–Friday 9am–6pm)
info@mind.org.uk
Details of local Minds and other local services, and Mind's Legal Advice Line. Language Line is available for talking in a language other than English.

Mind Recovery Net

mindrecoverynet.org.uk
Publishes information on recovery colleges, including a searchable list of providers.

The Mix

0808 808 4994 (Sunday–Friday 2pm–11pm)
themix.org.uk
Support for under-25s including email support and text messaging.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)

nice.org.uk
Produces clinical guidelines on recommended treatments for different conditions, including guidance about joint crisis plans.

Next Generation Text Service

ngts.org.uk
Provides a talk/type relay service for anyone who has difficulty hearing or being understood when speaking over the phone. The cost of making phone calls through this service depends on your telephone service provider.

NHS 111

call: 111
111.nhs.uk
Non-emergency medical help and advice for people living in England, and certain areas of Wales.

This information was published in October 2018 – to be revised in 2021. References are available on request. If you would like to reproduce any of this information see our page on permissions and licensing.

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