Macclesfield Harriers and Athletics Club are very pleased and proud to have Mental Health Champions appointed by England Athletics at our Club.
Your Mental Health Champions are Kim Eastham, Melanie Whittaker, Michael Thorley, Pat Ahern and Phil Gaskell.
The Club Welfare Officers are Sue Stockdale & Mark Wheelton
Mental Health Champions are committed to improving mental well-being through running. Our Champions can be contacted through the club or directly via the MENTAL HEALTH CHAMPIONS CONTACT FORM
MH&AC recognise that running has many health benefits both mentally and physically including:
- Reduced anxiety and happier moods through the release of endorphins
- Reduced feelings of stress as your body is better able to control cortisol level
- Clearer thinking by breaking up racing thoughts
- Greater sense of calm with space to think things over
- Increased self-esteem and sense of achievement
- Reduced risk of depression as evidenced by research studies
The objectives of Mental Health Champions are to:
- Support – Proactively support the mental well-being of club members and provide information about local services and organisations that can offer further dedicated support
- Promote & Advocate – Share information about England Athletics #runandtalk and other related campaigns
- Talk – Be available for conversations about mental health with other club members
The MH&AC Mental Health Champions are there to provide positive, open and non-judgemental support.
Champions will not:
- Diagnose or offer treatment
- Mental Health Champions do not act as practitioners for providing mental health support
More information can be found here on the England Athletics Website