Mental Health Champions

The England Athletics Mental Health Champions programme aims to establish a network of volunteer champions in running clubs and groups across England to support people who are experiencing mental health problems to start running, get back into running, or continue running as well as to improve the mental wellbeing of their existing members.

The programme supports #runandtalk, an England Athletics campaign to improve mental health through running in England by:

  • getting people talking about mental health, sharing their experiences and removing stigma;
  • raising awareness of mental health problems; and
  • supporting people experiencing mental health problems to start, return to and continue running.

Stockton Striders currently has one Mental Health Champions, Paul Johnson. Our friendly champions have experience of mental health problems themselves or through close family or friends and are passionate about improving mental wellbeing through running.

The role of the Mental Health Champions at the club is to:

  • work with the club to support its members to improve their mental health through running; and
  • support people who are experiencing mental health problems to start running, get back into running, or continue running.

The champions have links to projects run by Middlesbrough and Stockton mind.