28 Not Out - Max Hunter Fund Mental Health Awareness Week Roadshow 2024
28 Not Out - Max Hunter Fund Mental Health Awareness Week Roadshow 2024
“I just wanted to say again a massive thank you for last night! Please pass on a big thank you to Patrick as well, it was nice to hear someone be very open and honest about their personal battles in life.”
“After sharing my story, I feel exhausted and drained, particularly emotionally but actually in a really good way because it’s so rewarding to know you may have had an impact on or changed someone’s day/life.
People always say it’s amazing what we do but selfishly it’s very cathartic and therapeutic for us too and helps us as well as others.”
Mental Health Awareness Week is an important date in the Mintridge Foundation calendar as we always turn our attention to the Max Hunter Fund - a fund created to keep our much-loved friend’s fun, caring and sporting memory alive after Max died by suicide in 2019. We hope to be changing perceptions and challenging stereotypes in the process. We deliver mentoring programmes across the UK focussing on Max’s favourite sports and encouraging a new dialogue around how to look after our mental health just as we do our physical in schools, sports clubs and colleges across the UK.
Our Roadshow took us to Northamptonshire County Cricket Club as our first stop.
Mintridge Foundation Ambassador and former cricketer, Patrick Foster shared his harrowing lived experiences of addiction and mental health with the audience and enlightened them on the dangers of neglecting their mental health when faced with a setback.
With Patrick’s lows, there have been some incredible learnings and life-affirming moments, and Patrick shared some brilliant insights with players and coaches about what they can do to support themselves and others in all areas of their lives; simple changes to our dialogue with friends to grasping the opportunities that life presents you. These are changes that Patrick has altered significantly.
Patrick shared his story with raw emotion and vulnerability. Key themes included how to improve our mental health but remain true to the fun and close environment that team sport and being part of a community can bring. Thank you to everyone that joined us.
“So very, very powerful, thought provoking, emotional and for some, life changing. I am overwhelmed by the response and feedback from staff and students. Thank you for making this happen and to Ben and Patrick for their raw honesty, compassion and kindness. Their stories have touched a lot of people today – including myself.”
Our Roadshow journey continued to Epsom as Team Mintridge returned to Nescot College two years on from our previous visit.
Patrick was joined by British, European and World Indoor Rowing Champion and fellow Mintridge Ambassador, Ben Gallagher who openly shared about the challenges that he has faced since leaving the military with life-changing injuries.
While Patrick shared with the cohorts of students about how he suffered in silence during his pathological gambling addiction and how he hated himself, Ben shared a very different tale of how he could his physical injuries, but it was the mental challenges that were far harder to confront and deal with. What shaped both of Ben and Patrick’s recovery stories that the audience could take away with them was the art of the possible, the power of talking and the small wins in life (like eating a chocolate ice cream).
There are occasions when the Mintridge team can see the power of the programme impact so quickly and our trip to Nescot was definitely one of those days. Students and staff alike opened up to Mintridge, to their teachers and to their peers and we are extremely grateful to Ben and Patrick for enabling these conversations.
Thank you to the teams at Northants and Nescot who welcomed Mintridge with open arms and allowed stories to be shared and difficult conversations to be had.
We are always available should any support, help or advice be needed.
“The mental health talk was very interesting and I loved the two stories. Thank you for inviting them to talk to us .”
“I feel so privileged to be in the position I am now, having been through so much negativity, to be able to deliver these programmes through the Mintridge Foundation. I can have an impact on people’s lives through sharing my story which is amazing place to be.
Sharing my story can be a little tiring but ultimately it helps me process what I’ve been through, acts as a form of therapy and I realise how lucky I am to be in a position to stand on stage and share my journey after everything I’ve been through.
It is very rewarding when you hear of someone that it has impacted and that makes it all worthwhile.
It’s important to share lived experiences of adversity, complex trauma and mental illness. In doing so I believe those listening build a small element of resilience and if they are unfortunate to experience something throughout their lives it might help them deal with, talk about or seek help at the right time.
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“Thank you so much for coming in and arranging the speakers, it was truly inspirational.
Both Ben and Patrick are great role models so thank you for sharing your experiences with us all.”
“I used to find it emotive (to watch back footage from Might Bite’s race). I now feel a huge sense of relief that it’s all over and that I am not still living that life. ”
HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE 28 NOT OUT MAX HUNTER FUND?
You can text 28FBC to 70085 to donate £5 should you wish to do so.
Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message.
Contacting the Mintridge team regarding our Challenge Event Calendar.
“This is important and brings together the power of networking, talking, kindness & supporting each other - all key pillars in mental health.
In 2022, I persuaded my fabulous former boss to invite me to a Women in Sport event for International Women’s Day I confess that I was keen to meet the main speaker, Rebecca Adlington (who was amazing).
When I arrived, I confess to feeling very out of depth - surrounded by incredible female athletes. As I was trying to eat a croissant elegantly and come up with my sporting prowess back story (darts??) I was approached by a lady with a huge smile and incredible energy – Alex Wallace.
We started talking and I felt a huge connection to the work she is pioneering around mental health and sport. We exchanged business cards and hooked up on social media.
I introduced the Mintridge team to our college and a first event was held in 2022 bringing together Mintridge ambassadors with college students.
Fast forward two years and one of our Mental Health First Aiders came to speak to me about a week of activities she was planning for Mental Health Awareness Week. She asked for my help to bring in an inspirational speaker. I immediately thought of Alex and sent her an email to ask if she could help. Well of course she could and within the space of a few weeks, we had a full day of talks in place.
What an incredible impact they had on around 500 staff and students.
Alex was joined by Patrick Foster and Ben Gallagher who told their incredible stories.
Ben, your bravery and resilience are humbling nature, set against your incredible sporting prowess and distinguished military career. As a gold medalist at the 2023 Invictus Games and endurance athlete extraordinaire - I am in awe. I hope to see you in Paris 2024 at the Paralympics - taking home the gold in the rowing. Thank you for sharing your journey.
Patrick, I’m still reflecting on your story and raw honesty as a professional cricketer whose life was changed through a gambling addiction. Your searing honesty and journey to recovery and helping others has struck a chord with so many. I know I speak for many of us in saying how much you made us reflect personally and how much we valued your advice on wellbeing and supporting our friends and family.
I must thank the supporters of the Max Hunter Fund - set up in memory of Max who died by suicide in 2019. Your generosity in supporting the event is hugely valued and appreciated.
Mental Health Awareness must be more than a day or a week of events - it must be something we talk about every day. Alex, Ben and Patrick - you have made us as a community stop, think and reflect. There is more to do but we will keep talking and supporting each other with kindness and compassion. Thank you.
”
About Us:
The Mintridge Foundation is a UK-wide charity dedicated to turbo-boosting young people's development and opportunities through the transformative power of sports. Our innovative programs and collaborations inspire, mentor, and guide the next generation to thrive.
