Back Of The Net!
7 October 2009
Derwent Valley Rovers, pictured last season.
This scheme will help us provide more football for mental health sufferers across Derbyshire which is tremendous.
”Ann Edwards
The University of Derby is a key partner in a new initiative to promote football across Derbyshire to mental health sufferers.
University academic Ann Edwards helped found Derwent Valley Rovers, a city-based mental health football team which has been such a success it has featured on BBC's Football Focus and in the Independent.
Now she is involved in a new £60,000 scheme entitled The Winning Mentality, funded by the New Football Pools. The money was awarded to Derby County in the Community, for an exciting mental health football initiative that will grow provision across the county.
The launch event is tomorrow (October 8) at Powerleague Soccerdome, Pride Park from 11am to 2pm. Derwent Valley Rovers FC and Erewash Valley Valiants FC will host guests from neighbouring Nottinghamshire in the first Winning Mentality Initiative Football Tournament.
Ann said: "This scheme will help us provide more football for mental health sufferers across Derbyshire which is tremendous. Derwent Valley's players have benefitted so much from football, and now we will be able to reach players who otherwise would have not been able to play football in a safe environment."
The Winning Mentality Initiative forms part of the Every Player Counts Initiative, a leading project of the Football League Trust and supported by the Football Pools. Derby County in the Community is one of the 36 Football League Community Schemes to deliver Every Player Counts, the first National Disability football programme, this season.
This initiative's aim is to use football as a tool to help young men who suffer from mental health distress to improve their health, participate in sport and become part of a team, reducing social isolation.
The partnership between Derby County in the Community, the University of Derby, Derby Homes, Chesterfield FC, Derbyshire PCT, Derbyshire Mental Health Trust and Derbyshire Voice, will then develop a pyramid of football sessions across the county.
The initiative has chosen Chesterfield as its first pilot area. Football sessions will be delivered at Queens Park Leisure Centre, commencing on Thursday 15 October between 11am-12pm.
Players interested in participating in the sessions should telephone Pete Collins, Disability Football Development Officer at Derby County in the Community on 01332 648434 or email peter.collins@dcfc.co.uk.
For more information about this news release, contact Deputy Head of Corporate Relations
