Mental Health Awareness Week takes place annually and this year’s campaign begins today and will continue through to Sunday 16 May.The Foundation will once again be supporting the campaign, which aims to educate and increase awareness about mental illness, with a packed timetable of activities, toolkits and educational tips for participants and parents.This week will have a focus on the five ways to wellbeing (Keep Learning, Take Notice, Give, Be Active, Connect) and also see the launch of a brand-new scheme of work alongside Mental Health Charity, Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing and Hounslow MIND.The new initiative will form part of our Chelsea Champions programme, with Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing and Hounslow MIND practitioners supporting our Chelsea Champions extra-curricular provision at Fulham Boys School.The sessions will run for an initial six weeks and will include physical activity, workshops focusing on nutrition, mental health, sports, stress, staying motivated, exercise, mood regulation, positive interactions, and teamwork.Chelsea Foundation senior project officer Jonny Drabble said: ‘It’s great that the Chelsea Champions Programme is working alongside Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing and Hounslow MIND on mental wellbeing sessions within Fulham Boys School.‘Mental health has never been as important as it is now and it’s great to have Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing and Hounslow MIND working alongside us to increase the impact we are making with our schools. We hope this is the start of collaboration in all of our six Chelsea Champions schools.’

Rajini Broer, MHST lead and deputy head of Youth Services (HFEH), added: ‘Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing, and Hounslow MIND are bridging the gap between physical health and mental health by working on a joint project with the Chelsea Football Club Foundation.‘Using football as vehicle, we will be providing psychoeducation, information and advice to support young people to highlight the importance of maintaining good physical and mental health.‘We at Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing, Hounslow MIND are really excited about this partnership in meeting the needs of the emotional health of children and young people in our local community.’David O'Donnell, pastoral engagement and pupil support officer at Fulham Boys School, commented: ‘We are really excited about partnering with Chelsea FC and Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing and Hounslow MIND to deliver a programme that will open up channels for young men to be aware of and talk about the importance of their mental health and wellbeing.

'This has always been an important issue but after the upheaval and changes over the past 18 months it is essential that we assist our young men in having these conversations.’In addition to our new scheme in collaboration with Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing and Hammersmith MIND, our Education department will also be delivering ‘Check-in with Chelsea’ sessions this week.As part of a specially designed Extra Time resource for Mental Health Awareness Week, each session will be linked to the five ways to wellbeing and will take place in primary and secondary schools, in addition to our college programme, where students will undertake daily activities linked to the programme.You can keep up to date with all of the Foundation’s Mental Health Awareness Week activity on our Twitter @CFCFoundation and you can download our Chelsea Champions Mental Health Toolkit and Extra Time resources below.

Mental Health ToolkitExtra Time resources