History

First Year
May 2001 - May 2002
• In-service hospital 5v5 tournament involving clients and staff
• In-service 5v5 league then developed, with monthly fixtures

Second Year
June 2002 – May 2003
• Weekly coaching sessions for Community Mental Health Users established
• Liaison developed with other National Health Service Trusts within London to play friendly matches
• Tentative links developed so that regular fixtures and teams became more established.

Third Year
June 2003 – May 2004
• Links with professional clubs within London established.
• Continued success and growth of existing training sessions and 7v7 football matches for Mental Health service users.
• Workshops developed for Professional Club Coaches and Mental Health Workers to raise awareness of Mental Health issues and explain the power of football to break down barriers (perceptions of Mental Health Users)

Fourth Year
June 2004 – May 2005
• Consultancy services provided by Janette Hynes to other developing teams across London
• 7v7 Tournaments established across London to create framework and further develop teams

Sixth Year
June 2005 – May 2006
• Links with the London FA to establish officially the PMA league on December 2005.
• Set up of a steering group with the London FA to affiliate all developed mental health football teams to the league and to help them apply for funding through the Football Foundation
• Competitive monthly 9v9 league matches within London boroughs

Future Plans

2007-2008

• Central office to be established to provide umbrella management support system for the whole organisation
• Existing 7v7 league will develop to 11v11 from 2008
• Start to help co-ordinate teams nationwide, linking in with P.M.A league.
• Set up county 11v11 league division.
• Mental Health Teams will be independently self-funded and managed to maintain service development
• Start to work in conjunction with the Paralympics committee


2009 YEAR ONWARD THE FUTURE

• Start to develop links with county FA and begin county league games
• Links with other Mental Health League teams in Europe and Worldwide
• Start to establish/develop a Great Britain team in preparation for the 2012 Paralympics Games

Criteria to play

Any adult mental health service user who wants to utilise the service is eligible to apply. Each player can be referred by Community Mental Health Services, Day Hospitals, Hostels, CPN or self referral as part of their Care Plan Approach (CPA).

Referral forms must be signed and a medical questionnaire must be completed. Appropriateness to be included in the team will be assessed by each team manager and according to each team protocol.

Each player will receive, upon acceptance into their local PMA Football League team, a full induction and induction pack. A FA Charter Standard Club Good Practice Guide will be included in this pack. Players must sign a declaration to confirm that they understand the FA Charter Standard Good Practice Guide and agree to abide by the rules as laid out by the FA in association with the PMA.


Hackney F.C. Gain Funding From C&H TPCT.

During January 2006 Hackney FC managed to gain regular funding from City & Hackney Teaching Primary Care Trust (C&H TPCT).

Nicholas Garforth, Joint Commissioning Manager, for Mental Health for the C&H TPCT has shown great support and understanding of the benefits the individuals will endure while playing and been apart of Hackney FC. The program promotes healthy lifestyles and encourages social inclusion, development of life-skills and positive well being, whilst also addressing issues of stigma in the wider community.

As Nicholas stated “I’d just like to express my own support for the project and Janette’s personal commitment as an enormously valuable means of engaging already marginalised and disadvantaged young people in something meaningful to them. Janette’s initiative clearly also addresses a glaring oversight in the absence of a mental health strand to Disability Football”.

With the funding C&H TPCT provided enabled Hackney FC to hire football facilities (Training at ‘SCORE’ Leyton Orient FC), training equipment and football kit. Also, it has enabled three members of the team to engage in Level 1 football coaching course and in May 2006 all three were successful in gaining the qualification.

In 2007 Hackney F.C were successful in securing the P.M.A League once again, this time competition is getting tighter & next your Hackney will have a fight on their hands.

In May 2007 Hackney also took part in the E.A.S.I Cup in Munich, Germany. There were fifteen teams from around Europe. We made it to the final after playing 9 games without losing across 2 days, Scoring 34 goals conceding 2. 1-1 in final then losing on penalties (5-4). It was a seven a-side mental health Tournament.

Two players from the team will be taking their level one in F.A coaching badge in July and a further three players from the team will be doing their level two in September.

The Medical Futures Innovation Awards 2007 which the PMA mental health football league won the Patient Empowerment Award in the Mental Health & Neurosciences and also won the social entrepreneur of the year award.

This is the best and highest accolade any health professional can win and for the first year ever a mental health topic has won! Now we can get a few more people stand up and listen to the good work mental health is doing. So we all now have to look forward to more league financial support as well as the football foundation support.

The winners of the 2007 London Sports Awards

The FA Club of the Year – Hackney F.C
Many disability sports clubs are formed because disabled people want to play sport – there is often no provision in mainstream clubs to allow for local inclusive opportunities. Hackney F.C was established in an area of London that suffered not only from very few opportunities for disabled people, but also from high numbers of disadvantaged young people. This club recognised that sport provided a valuable means of engaging predominantly with those who suffered from mental health issues.

Through regular training and participation the participants benefit from the many physical health, and social benefits that are associated with sport and physical activity. The club has now co-ordinated 15 NHS football teams in Greater London.

All of the clubs are affiliated with the London Football Association and all are set to gain FA charter standard recognition and are in the process of developing a plan for long-term sustainability. One of the unique features of this model is the emphasis placed upon the players to involve themselves in the running of the clubs.

4 of the players from this club have qualified as level 1 FA coaches and are active in coaching their own sessions and mentor younger recruits. Players have designed the logo and chosen all the kit and equipment.

This localised initiative has now been transplanted to other needy mental health communities, not only in London but nationwide. This is a true success story and one which sets the standard for other clubs to follow.

Everyone involved with Hackney F.C want to say a ‘big thank you’ to our sponsors, without your support none of the above would have been possible and your work with us is proven to make a huge difference too so many lives.


If you want to know more about the project please do not hesitate to contact:

Janette Hynes, PMA League Founder
e-mail janette.hynes@eastlondon.nhs.uk