Saturday drop in - Neil Parish from Clachnacuddin FC
Last Saturday during the drop in we were joined by Neil Parish, the mental health liaison officer at Clachnacuddin football club. It was a post on the Clachnacuddin facebook page advertising the promotion of good mental health as well as the operation of a drop in service that piqued our interest for this week’s drop in.
Neil told us that he’s been a mental health nurse in the NHS since 1984 and when he noticed that the club were looking for people to get involved in the field he was more than happy to offer his services as a voluntary role where he would provide support and a source of information.
Neil is hopeful that talking about mental health will help people on the team come forward and open up about their feelings, in a space where trust and communication is valued.
Currently there is a Wednesdays drop in between 10-12am with, from the 4th February, another opportunity to drop in every first Tuesday of the month. This will be chance to talk without it having to be specifically related to mental health. Neil believes that any opportunity to talk could be beneficial as casual conversation itself promotes positive wellbeing.
When asked about the stigma surrounding football and mental health, Neil agreed there is one as men are usually reluctant to discuss their problems but he hopes with his help, they can bridge the gap to help and overcome the stigma.
Overall, support will be offered through guidance in the right direction, possibly through bigger organisations like Mikeysline and Samaritans in which Clach are already working alongside. The idea is to find solutions that are specific to the person coming forward.
For more information or inquiries, you can get in touch with Neil through the Clach Facebook or on his personal email (neil27parish@gmail.com).
Reporting by Olivia Price.
