We’re moving on but are still here for you
Support group reveals new home
Renfrewshire men’s mental health support group Kickin’ On has found a new base.
The voluntary group, which uses football as a vehicle to support its members, is leaving its Linwood home at the Mossedge Centre for Johnstone’s new Thorn Athletic Sports Academy.
Last week group organisers highlighted issues with the Linwood site after receiving complaints about a lack of social distancing during sessions.
Kickin’ On, started by brothers David and Mark McKenna, who have both battled mental health problems in the past, revealed its football therapy sessions have a new home.
They insist the move was sparked by growing numbers and difficult logistics rather than any falling out with Mossedge owners, Linwood Community Development Trust (LCDT).
A statement read: “Kickin’ On are happy to announce that, from Friday, our football therapy group will be starting a new journey at Thorn Athletic Sports Academy
“Having tried our very best to resolve the issue of the space we required in Linwood, we couldn’t get something agreed that we felt was suitable for the group.
“We will now have our football therapy session, bootcamp and talk session all in the one place.
“Although it is with sadness, we had to move through our own choice, when we look at the bigger picture this will benefit Kickin’ On all round.”
The group, which was started in February to tackle the growing problem of men suffering poor mental health, hopes it will still connect with members.
They added: “We might be moving on from Linwood but we are here for everyone no matter where we are.
“We have guys from Erskine, West Lothian, Glasgow and so on who come to us.
“We hope that continues. “We hope this will be seen as a good thing as we start to serve not only Linwood but the wider Renfrewshire community and as we have seen, we have participants from beyond our own local area.
“Please let it be known, we aren’t moving out of any pressure or complaints from anyone and this isn’t down to a lack of trying to find a solution by either us or LCDT.
“It’s purely down to being able to guarantee we have all the space we need every Friday without fail.
“From the beginning we have said our talking support group after the football is what Kickin’ On is all about.
“If we do not have suitable space to host this after our football then it’s just the group having a kick about and you can go anywhere for that.
“The truth of the matter is the numbers who attend our group have far exceeded our first expectations.”