A MENTAL health charity is offering free sports sessions to people struggling with their mental health.

Sport in Mind has started running free sports sessions in Andover and Basingstoke, with the aim of improving the lives of people experiencing mental health problems through sport and physical activity.

These sessions are open to anyone over 17 and take place weekly; the sessions operate on a drop-in basis, and attendees do not need a referral from a GP or health care professional to attend them.

The charity also provides the venues, coaches and equipment for the sessions as well, with an emphasis on hosting the sessions at accessible locations near good transport links.

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Sport in Mind development officer Kirsty Bowden said that this is deliberate: “One of the big things we try to do at Sport in Mind is to try and remove as many of the barriers that may prevent people from being physically active.

“The hope is that they are available and accessible by all.”

Sport in Mind was set up in 2010 in Reading. The charity has since grown, with groups offering sports sessions all over the country.

Sport in Mind started offering sessions in Andover in February, after previously holding sessions in Basingstoke.

However, with the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic in early 2020, the Basingstoke sport sessions were forced to go on hiatus, only restarting in September 2021.

Kirsty said: “It’s a case of trying again to rebuild awareness, there will be different people in Basingstoke who may look to use it, but it’s just a case of letting people know ‘Yep, they are still up and running’”.

Activities available include tennis, table tennis and yoga.

As a charity, Sport in Mind relies on the aid of both volunteers and donations; Kirsty said that both the Andover and Basingstoke sessions are accepting volunteers, as well as donations from fund-raisers.

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Kirsty explained: “We want people to get involved, and to help deliver the message of ‘come along and have some fun’!

“If you are friendly and welcoming and you value the benefit of having some fun and being a little bit active, then those people are absolutely perfect for us, and the same for fundraising.”

More information about Sport in Mind can be found by visiting its website www.sportinmind.org, emailing info@sportinmind.org, or calling 01189 947 9762.

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