Doncaster Mental Health FC scores £10,000 National Lottery funding goal

A Doncaster football club providing inclusive mental health support has been given a £10,000 National Lottery boost to continue and expand its sessions, helping to improve more lives across the city.

This funding comes from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK.

Based in central and north Doncaster, Mental Health FC provides weekly sessions where people play football, followed by opportunities to socialise and receive peer support, mental health advice from qualified mental health first aiders, and access to useful resources.

Physical activities and sport are known to benefit mental health, helping people to improve their mood and self-esteem, better manage stress, and boost overall physical wellbeing*.

The group was founded by project lead, Ryan Oldfield, who created the group at the height of his anxiety. Desperate to alleviate his symptoms, he knew his love of the game could help, but unfortunately couldn’t find enough people to form a team.

Ryan said: “Everyone I knew was too busy to play football and I stopped playing altogether. My anxiety was getting worse and I’d read sport can make a difference. One day I decided to take action and put a Facebook post up. Amazingly, lots of people responded and we were able to create a small team.

“Since then, the group has become bigger, and things have taken off. It’s generated a lot of interest since we formally launched four months ago. The sessions are relaxed - you don’t have to sign up, and you can bring family and friends along to support you.”

The group is connected with local mental health organisations but now, thanks to its National Lottery funding, it will be able to promote its work further, expand its sessions across other areas of the city, and invest in volunteer training and more football equipment.

Ryan added: “This funding from The National Lottery Community Fund is massive for us as it enables us to not only maintain our weekly sessions, but also provide more equipment to participants.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, we will also develop our sessions across more locations in Doncaster, helping us to reach and support more people with mental ill health.”

Mental Health FC is one of almost 1,200 charities and community groups across Yorkshire and Humber that have been awarded more than £55 million of National Lottery funding over the last year. Today it was also announced that almost £580 million has been distributed to over 11,500 community organisations across England in the past year.**

This follows recent news that The National Lottery Community Fund has doubled the amount and duration of grants grassroots communities can apply for through its flagship funding programme, National Lottery Awards for All.

With a new maximum award of £20,000 and two-year grant term, this significant change supports the funder’s ambition to invest most in places, people and communities experiencing poverty, disadvantage and discrimination. Read its strategy, ‘It starts with community’, to find out more.

Joe Dobson, Head of Funding for Yorkshire and Humber at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We’re delighted to be able to award funding to such an impressive range of local groups and projects, all seeking to support their community and meet local needs. Their passion, creativity and commitment make a real difference and they should be proud that their efforts will help to improve local people’s lives.

“Going forward, we are doubling the amount of funding grassroots groups can apply for through our National Lottery Awards for All programme, helping them to make an even bigger impact for their communities.”

National Lottery players raise over £30 million a week for good causes across the UK. Thanks to them, last year The National Lottery Community Fund was able to distribute over half a billion pounds (£615.4 million) of life-changing funding to communities.

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk

Date published: 12 December, 2023
Region: England (Yorkshire and the Humber)

Notes to Editors

* Mind

** These figures are for funding awarded from 26^th November 2022 – 25^th November 2023.

About The National Lottery Community Fund

We are the largest non-statutory community funder in the UK – community is at the heart of our purpose, vision and name.

We support activities that create resilient communities that are more inclusive and environmentally sustainable and that will strengthen society and improve lives across the UK.

We’re proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to work closely with Government to distribute vital grants and funding from key Government programmes and initiatives.

As well as responding to what communities tell us is important to them, our funding is focused on four key missions, supporting communities to:

1. Come together

2. Be environmentally sustainable

3. Help children and young people thrive

4. Enable people to live healthier lives.

Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, we distribute around £500 million a year through 10,000+ grants and plan to invest over £4bn of funding into communities by 2030. We’re privileged to be able to work with the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life.

National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK. Since The National Lottery began in 1994, £47 billion has been raised and more than 670,000 individual grants have been made across the UK - the equivalent of around 240 National Lottery grants in every UK postcode district.

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