At Middlesex Football Association, the mental health of our staff, our members and the football community is incredibly important to us. To demonstrate this commitment and to ensure we are in the best place to be able to offer support, our Senior Leadership Team including Rectory Park, have recently completed their First Aid for Mental Health qualifications.

Alongside our hosts, Middlesex Cricket and Middlesex in the Community, at Lords Cricket Ground, staff developed their understanding of how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health issues in others. Just as physical first aid prepares us to manage medical emergencies until professional help arrives, our staff are now equipped to offer a crucial safety net for anyone within our community who may be experiencing an emotional or psychological crisis.

A key component to the First Aid for Mental Health course is recognising and reducing the stigma associated with mental health. This stigma can leave individuals afraid to seek the help they need due to fear of judgement or discrimination.

Following their training, our staff are working to remove this outdated notion and create an accepting environment across football in Middlesex which they hope will empower individuals to talk openly about mental health and seek any support needed without fear.

Middlesex FA would like to say a big thank you to the ECB, Middlesex Cricket and Nuco Training for funding and delivering this hugely important course for our staff.

If you have any questions or want to access support for this topic, please contact management@middlesexfa.com