pca join mental Health Charter Celebrations The PCA joined with other sports organisations to mark the second anniversary of the Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation at the London Aquatics Centre. The PCA were one of the first players’ associations to sign up to the charter and Lynsey Williams and Charlie Mulraine, two of the PCA’s team of Personal Development and Welfare Managers, were present at the celebration to showcase the pioneering Mind Matters series. Mind Matters was launched in 2012 as part of the PCA’s ongoing programme to raise awareness of and help de-stigmatise issues such as depression and addictive behaviour. The Mind Matters series includes an online tutorial and features videos of professional cricketers, past and present, who have spoken openly about their own experiences. Other player associations have followed the PCA’s example and Clarke Carlisle, former Chairman of the Professional Footballers’ Association, and former England sevens rugby player Ollie Phillips shared their stories of mental health at the charter meeting at London’s Olympic Park. Clarke Carlise and Ollie Phillips on stage. ” The event highlighted the great work being delivered in the areas of mental health support by those organisations who have signed up to the Charter,” Mulraine said. ” Listening to the personal experiences of former professional sportsmen Clarke Carlisle and Ollie Philips also demonstrated how much of a positive impact organisations focused at the elite level can make within recreational sport.” Paul Farmer CBE, the Chief Executive of mental health charity MIND, Emma Boggis Chief Executive of the Sport & Recreation Alliance and Brendon Batson OBE, Chairman of the Professional Players Federation, also attended the Charter day. The Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation uses the power of sport and recreation to promote mental wellbeing through physical activity. The Charter aims to help organisations create an inclusive and positive sport and recreation environment that promotes the power of sport to tackle mental ill health. For more information about the PCA Mind Matters series, click here. For more information about the Charter visit: here.
