Grassroots football participants are being urged to get moving more for their mental health as we help to raise awareness of Mental Health Awareness Week from Monday 13th to Sunday 19th May.

We're joining Active Essex in supporting the Mental Health Foundation to encourage everyone to think about the mental health benefits of moving more and finding what works for each individual. The month of May is an opportunity to set new goals and make small changes to look after our wellbeing. It brings new possibilities to reflect on how we move.

Getting moving outside has a range of benefits, from increasing concentration and reducing stress to lowering blood pressure, which not only creates a positive start to the day, but also ensures our long term mental and physical wellbeing is cared for. Activities like gardening and walking are all inclusive and low-impact movements which increase the time spent outside, allowing us to refresh.

Building activity into our daily routine with small changes like active travel can be a step towards a healthier lifestyle. Active travel may not always be possible, but changes such as parking further away or moving a meeting so you have to walk to attend are great first steps! Motivation to actively travel can be made easier if joined by friends, colleagues or family members.

Mental Health Awareness Week focuses on the benefits of movement for our mental wellbeing. The beauty of physical activity and movement is that there are so many choices and opportunities which means there’s something for everyone. The Active Essex ‘Move With Us’ campaign also highlights how young people should be encouraged to get moving outside.

Get involved by sharing your #MomentsForMovement for your mental health. Find out more at by following this link and interact with the #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek hashtag on Twitter/X, tagging @EssexCountyFA. You can also find mental health guidance in the menus above, and on the ‘EssexFootball’ Facebook page.