On Saturday, 50 tradespeople competed at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge stadium in the first ever Match for the Mind, organised by IronmongeryDirect, and the event raised over £4,000 for the mental health charity Mind.
The six teams were each made up of representatives of different trades, and the tournament was eventually won by the Other Trades after beating the Electricians on penalties in the final. After finishing 1-1 in normal time, the Other Trades triumphed 7-6 in the shootout.
Bobby Funnell, playing for the Electricians received the Golden Boot award for being the top goalscorer overall, having scored five, and was presented with a golden work boot.
All players received an engraved medal.
Players were required to donate to Mind ahead of the day, and these sums were then added to the totals raised at the stadium through additional fundraising activities, such as a penalty shootout and crossbar challenge, where IronmongeryDirect gave £10 to charity for each successful effort.
In total, Match for the Mind donated over £4,000 to Mind, helping to support their vital services.
The event was attended by players’ friends, family and colleagues, as well as three famous football freestylers, including Andrew Henderson, the five-time world champion.
A representative from Basildon Mind also attended the tournament to share mental health advice with both the players and spectators.
The contest at Stamford Bridge was organised in line with the ‘movement’ theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, and aimed to raise awareness of the benefits of exercise on mental wellbeing.
IronmongeryDirect’s annual Mental Health in the Trades report recently found that more than four in five (82%) UK tradespeople experience some form of mental health issue due to work.
Jay Mccrindle (pictured), a 29-year-old plumber who played in the tournament, shared his mental health experience:
“My father died by suicide at the age of 14. I have always been plagued with mental health issues. I have been confused and unsure since losing my father. However, with the guidance of Mind and my family, I have now accepted what happened. I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to combine my two passions of mental health awareness and Chelsea by playing in Match for the Mind.”
Andrew Berrie, Head of Corporate Partnerships at Mind, discusses the benefits of staying active on people’s mental wellbeing:
“We are so grateful to IronmongeryDirect for choosing to fundraise for Mind and helping us highlight how exercise can benefit our mental health.
“Exercise has long been proved to have a positive effect on the mental health of millions. We want to help more people make moves for their mental health as this can help to manage stress and improve your sleep, mood and confidence.
“We’re in the middle of a mental health crisis, with over two million people waiting for NHS mental health services. Now more than ever it is vital that everyone has access to the right support, advice and information when they need it.
“The money raised by IronmongeryDirect will help Mind raise both awareness and vital funds so that we can move closer to a future where no mind is left behind.”
Ellis Osborn, Ecommerce Manager at IronmongeryDirect, said: “We’re thrilled that everyone had such a good day at our inaugural Match for the Mind, and that we were able to raise so much money for charity. And the Other Trades now have the bragging rights!
“Thank you to everyone who donated, took part or supported the brilliant tradespeople who played. Mental health problems are unfortunately prevalent across the industry, and that’s why we’re continuing to raise awareness, and encourage people to seek support if needed.”
To see photos and more results from this year’s Match for the Mind at Stamford Bridge, click here
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