Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust’s (BSMHFT) Reaside Clinic played host to a very special sporting event recently, as the build up to this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham gathers pace.
Over 70 mental health staff and male service users got involved in a number of sports including football, wheelchair basketball and table tennis, as part of Reaside’s own version of B2022.
Partnering up with B2022’s Community Engagement team and local initiative Dear Youngers, the event was an opportunity to get active, build confidence and further strengthen positive relationships between mental health staff and service users.
Tom Clark, Clinical Director for Secure and Offender Health at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust, said:
“This is the second time we’ve held an event like this for staff and service users to come together, using sporting games as a vehicle for social engagement, community spirit and fun. It is common for service users to spend a long time in secure care, which is a very restrictive environment compared to those in which most of us live our lives. Physical activity is so important to general health and wellbeing and events like this can be a very powerful way of promoting positive lifestyle change and a sense of community, as well as providing the opportunity to find a new passion that can be a part of an individual’s recovery journey.”
BSMHFT's Reaside Clinic in Rubery, looks after over 90 men aged over 18 every year who require mental health treatment and rehabilitation, in a medium secure setting. Dear Youngers is a mental health and emotional wellbeing programme as part of First Class Foundation UK. Working with B2022 Community Engagement Team to host a Mental Health Summit the coming weeks, presenting their findings to practitioners, public services, and community stakeholders from across the region.
Speaking about the Reaside's Games, Abigail Shervington, Lead Community Engagement Manager at B2022 Commonwealth Games, said:
“It has been a pleasure to work with BSMHFT’s Reaside Clinic and our delivery partner Dear Youngers on the Commonwealth Champions project. The community engagement team connects communities to the Games through meaningful engagement and participation. My team prides itself on inclusivity, and working collaboratively with BSMHT and Dear Youngers has afforded us the opportunity to take that one step further. It was so humbling to see staff and service users teaming up, with genuine enthusiasm and excitement created by these Games coming to Reaside.”
Images: credited by Light Rave Studios.
