Thanet: Football initiative aims to improve men’s mental health

A football initiative set up to help men open up about their mental health is being rolled out across Kent.

Head in the Game was launched in Thanet in 2021, and now has nearly 40 regular members aged between 18 and 58.

At each session, players gather in the centre circle and share how they are feeling on a scale of zero to ten, before and after the match.

Similar schemes are now set to take place across the county in an attempt to help those struggling.

At the weekly Project Talking Football meet-ups in Minster, players discuss dealing with issues including depression, anxiety and bereavement.

"We're here, we talk, we play football," said Kyle Ingram-Baldwin, who plays each week. "We share the deep and darkest things that we want to share."

Fellow player Mike Arnold, who has struggled with depression and substance abuse, said society is progressing "slowly but surely" when it comes to men's mental health.

"My generation of guys didn't have that when we were at college and in our 20s at work," he said.

"I went into work feeling suicidal some days, and I didn't mention it."

A second team was later established in Maidstone, with the aim of eventually having one in every town in Kent.

Charlie Rowley, who also plays at the sessions in Minster, said the weekly match is an "escape" for players.

"In this world, there is a stigma for mental health - people don't want to talk. We should get rid of that stigma," he said.

If you've been affected by mental health issues, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line.

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].