Queen of the South are getting set to kick off a new project to tackle poor mental health.
The Changing Room, delivered in partnership with Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) and the SPFL Trust, will support men between 30 and 64 through a 12-week programme.
Following on from the successful Social South project which took place during lockdown the club is focussing on the mental health of its supporters.
Dan Armstrong, community development and commercial manager, said: “The Changing Room focuses on men’s mental health specifically because we know the statistics surrounding men’s mental health.
“It’s the biggest killer of men under the age of 45 which is staggering. In general terms our fanbase has a large number of people in that demographic.
“That highlights to us as a club that there’s something we can do. We’re working with the SPFL Trust and SAMH which means we can deliver this project.
“It’s called the Changing Room because that’s where it’ll take place, in the changing room. It revolves around football it’s a 90 minute session with two halves.
“We’re there to be an ear and a voice and it’s a social environment we hope men will feel comfortable coming through the door which is the most difficult step.”
The programme aims to help with social isolation off the back of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns.
The project is restricted to 12 places at present and starts tomorrow from 6pm-7.30pm and will continue over the next 12 weeks.
Interest in the programme can be registered by emailing Community@qosfc.com.
Meanwhile the Queen of the South Community Trust is launching a local food hub in May.
It will operate as a “free supermarket” with anyone able to use it.
Mr Armstrong said: “I have always said this football club is more than just football, it has a role to play in our community, our work across health both physical and mental amongst a number of initiatives we aim to change lives of people in our community and this a further string to our bow which
will be successful and allows us to improve people’s
lives.”
The trust will be looking for volunteers to help make the food hub a success.
They will work alongside college students who will be assisting with the running of the food hub as part of their course.
