Brentford FC Community Sports Trust is delighted to announce that we will be delivering the Active Minds programme for free in schools for two cohorts during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Active Minds is a physically active educational program focused on three key areas: Mental Health and Building Emotional Resilience, Diabetes Awareness and Nutrition and Healthy Eating. The programme is specifically designed to raise awareness of critical areas of health and wellbeing.

"We are really excited to be working in partnership with Brentford FC Community Sports Trust to deliver the Active Minds programme to local Primary Schools. We really believe in the power of physical activity to not only help develop children’s physical needs but also aid their personal development, and help develop confidence, teamwork, communication and resilience. We cannot wait to get started and to work together to deliver the programme around the London Borough of Hounslow and beyond. It is a proud moment and one we look forward to." Andy Beeston, Founder of Active Minds.

Active Minds is supported by the Premier League and Professional Footballer's Association. Administered through the Premier League Charitable Fund, the funding helps football clubs to tackle inequality and respond to local challenges, supporting people and their communities to be more inclusive.

Areas of Delivery

The Trust will be offering the programme to full classes of year 3 or 4 pupils (20-30 participants),

or as a targeted intervention to those who need extra support (2-6 participants). This PSHE (personal, social, health and economic ) intervention consists of six 45–60-minute lessons, to be delivered over a 6-week period.

The sessions can be delivered at different times of the day, for example, PSHE lessons, Breakfast, lunchtime or after-school clubs or alongside PPA time and existing interventions.

Encouraging Discussion

Jamie Holme, Health and Wellbeing Project Officer at Brentford FC Community Sports Trust said, “I have a master’s degree in Sports Psychology and I have experience delivering PE lessons within schools as well as athletics coaching in my spare time.

“I am currently finishing my training to become a chartered psychologist, and I am passionate about improving people’s understanding of resilience, and supporting them to recognise adversity. I look forward to working with pupils in schools across west London to improve their emotional literacy, using play-based lessons to encourage discussion.”

Premier League and PFA Community Fund

This season, 24 professional football club community organisations across the Premier League and English Football League are delivering projects supported by the Premier league and PFA in their local communities.

Nationally, these funded projects have engaged more than 230,000 unique participants in more than 330,000 sessions across England and Wales. Projects are supported by current and former professional football players, and scholars, to enhance the impact on participants.

To find out more about the national fund, please visit premierleague.com.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the Active Minds programme, please contact health@brentfordfccst.com