Mental health moves online

England Boxing has launched a series of free, 30 minute online mental health aware sessions called Box In Mind Bitesize. It will take the popular three hour course which is usually attended in person and be repackaged so it can be easily accessed during the pandemic.

The original Box In Mind course was piloted last February in London and has since been successfully rolled out across the country.

The course content, put together with assistance from mental health charity Mind, aims to increase awareness around mental health problems within boxing clubs. It also gives guidance on how to spot the signs that someone in encountering problems with their mental health and explains what they can do to get that person the right help.

Box In Mind’s switch to online coincided with Mental Health Awareness week, with England Boxing supporting this year’s ‘Be

Kind’ theme. The Bitesize programme will be run regularly by the Box In Mind tutors and will be fully interactive.

England Boxing’s lead on mental health Lynette Mayo said: “Due to the Coronavirus, all Box In Mind courses to be attended in person have been postponed until September 2020, exactly when the strain on people’s mental health is at its greatest because of the unique circumstances we find ourselves in.

“One in four people encounter mental health problems at some point in their lifetime, meaning pretty much everyone will know someone affected. Hopefully this course will help our members get a better understanding – and potentially get help for people who may need it.”

Sessions are bookable online and people can email boxinmind@englandboxing.org to register an interest.