| It’s a Goal! A Sporting Response to Depression |
|
Within the next twenty years depression will be the world’s second most debilitating illness. We are blessed with health, wealth and leisure to an extent unimaginable by previous generations. So why is it that five million people in Britain have some sort of depressive illness each year? Last year in the UK, there were almost 7,000 suicides. Some believe that 75% of these can be attributed to depression. So what are we doing to do about it? If Britain is to really make headway in the battle against depression we need to adopt a holistic approach. Adding to treatments and therapies, further shifts in understanding, perception, responses and lifestyles. Bearhunt originated an idea to use football to tackle depression and in partnership with Macclesfield Town FC, has been awarded £220,000 to develop and run in-stadia programmes aimed particularly at males aged 13-35. The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation made a special award to Bearhunt director Malcolm McClean in recognition of his innovative thinking. |
