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18.
September
2017.
Great season for CNWL's mental health football team

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18 September 2017

For immediate release

CNWL's mental health football team in for great season

CNWL's award winning mental health football team struck gold again recently at the MK Don's presentation evening with two patients scoring the ‘Player's Player' Award and the ‘Manager's player' Award.

Since the team was founded on the 10 October last year by CNWL's Amy Humphries, Fitness Lead for Milton Keynes' Inpatient Mental Health Unit the Campbell Centre, the team have gone from strength to strength. They'll be entering the BOBBI league for the mental health team on 26 September and are hoping to have created a mental health ladies team by the time of the next MK Dons presentation evening.

Amy Humphries said: "The football team really helps to improve the service user's mental health. Exercise releases endorphins which chemically balance the brain's mood levels. As sessions go on, the patient's mood and motivation changes and they've also made great friends with other players so the team helps with their social life too. They wear the kit and are proud to play for the MK DONS."

Next on the calendar is the Oxford Social Inclusion Cup 2017 which takes place on the 10 October from 11am to 3pm.  Hosted by Streets Revolution CIC, in partnership with Oxfordshire Football Association, the six-a-side football tournament seeks to raise awareness of people suffering mental distress and people experiencing homelessness to mark World Homeless Day and World Mental Health Day.

"We'll be going with a team of service users and we can't wait!" Amy continues, "The team have been practising really hard. We have a MK DONS coach Dean Clarke who runs sessions on the ward twice a week and the team trains every Thursday. It's going to be a great season."

For media enquiries please contact:

Jessica.Cooke3@nhs.net

02032145763

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Stephenson House, 75 Hampstead Road, London NW1 2PL
Tel: 020 3214 5756 e-mail:
communications.cnwl@nhs.net