Created: 06 November 2024 07:59

PHC used social media to highlight the mental health awareness program

Pembroke Hamilton club’s young stars were among members of the local community to raise awareness of mental health issues recently.

Players and staff used the month of October to highlight the stigma surrounding the topic and support people struggling with mental health issues.

Natalie King, Chair of the PHC Education Committee, has been instrumental in the campaign and believes the community will benefit from the initiative.

“October 10 was World Mental Health Day and we believe it’s important to promote mental wellbeing to raise awareness and provide support for people experiencing mental health issues,” King said.

“This need has been highlighted at PHC in recent years as our club has been greatly affected by the losses of members such as Marco Warren, Mazhye Burchall and Leroy ‘Nibs’ Lewis.

“Focusing on mental health helps create a more supportive, understanding and resilient community. We believe that an informed community improves access to mental health services and resources, allows individuals to seek the help they need without fear of judgment, and can lead to early interventions and better outcomes.”

PHC players wore green armbands during games in October

The program had buy-in from PHC members, with players wearing green armbands during games and spectators being asked to wear green when attending matches to highlight the issue.

There was also a social media blitz and the Bermuda Hospitals Council was on hand to offer advice and the opportunity to chat with mental health professionals at two home matches at PHC.

“To help raise awareness, our senior men’s football team wore green armbands to every match they played in October, we encouraged fans to wear green to matches and we had mental health giveaways at matches home,” King said.

“In addition, we have partnered with the Bermuda Hospitals Board to set up a pop-up stand at PHC Field during our home games on October 8 and 20. The stand gave people an opportunity to learn more about mental health and talk to a professional about their mental health needs.

“We have an amazing social media team who posted a video highlighting our senior players promoting mental health and posted various mental health tips during the month.

“We encouraged our members to show their support by participating in the second annual Steps to Mental Wellness 5K fundraiser on October 6th. Finally, we organized a presentation for our PHC coaches, highlighting mental health and working with young people.”

The program has been warmly received by the PHC community and the general public in Bermuda, and King hopes the club’s efforts will have reached people in need of support.

“The main goals we have are to reduce the stigma that often prevents people from seeking help,” King said.

“We do this by encouraging open discussion, to foster a supportive environment where individuals feel comfortable sharing their struggles and seeking support, to improve access to resources, making sure people know where and how to get help when when they need it and to highlight that mental health plays an important role in your overall well-being.

“We were delighted to see such positive responses to our mental health initiatives. The community involvement and support has been fantastic and we hope our efforts are having a significant impact.”