Montrose Community Trust is using the power of football to save lives and improve health.
The football trust, the independent charitable arm of Montrose Football Club, delivers a number of innovative programmes.
Chief Executive of Montrose Community Trust (MCT) Peter Davidson, tells us what they’re doing and how it’s helping the community.
MCT has a range of different initiatives running under their project banner of ‘Tackling Health.’
It gives the opportunity for locals, especially men, to get the benefit of better emotional and physical wellbeing – often called social prescribing.
Peter explains using the appeal of football has been a fantastic way to get people interested in taking part.
Project manager Logan Cruickshank runs the programme, along with project officer and part-time Montrose FC player Kerr Waddell.
Peter says: “Logan and Kerr are helping normalise the discussion – Kerr especially has been really open about his mental health and I think that helps others.”
What does tackling health do?
It aims to encourage people to take responsibility for their health by giving them the chance to take part in a range of opportunities and activities.
There are a range of projects including:
- Health Checks – an all round look at health, diet, addiction, alcohol consumption and mental health.
- Football Fans In Training (FFIT) – a 12 week programme which helps people make positive changes to eating and exercise.
- The Changing Room – a 12-week programme supporting men living with mental health issues.
- Walking football – a slower, low impact version of the traditional game.
- Walk and talk – a chance for people of all ages and abilities to meet at the stadium and enjoy a local walk.
People are referred by the social prescriber at the Links Health Centre in Montrose.
Previous funding has come from a variety of places – SAMH, Movember and SPFL Trust fund the Changing Room project.
And recently, MCT received funding from Foundation Scotland’s Primary Health Properties Fund to extend projects.
Jennifer McPhail, fund adviser from Foundation Scotland, says: “In total we have awarded funding to 12 organisations across Scotland – five in Tayside.
“As our NHS continues to be under immense pressure, this is a fantastic initiative from PHP to help improve patient wellbeing outcomes, quality of life and emotional wellbeing.”
What are the results at Montrose?
Peter explains they’ve had some great results so far.
He says the context of football, alternative times (often in the evenings) and a different venue to a normal medical setting has proved to be an attraction.
“We have a really startling testimonials.
“One of the participants who took part in our walk and talk sessions was able to reduce their diabetic medication by half, another stopped completely.
“When we ran the Health Checks pilot, we made 60 appointments available in the evening for men to get a health check.
“There were 56 booked, and more than 90% of them said they wouldn’t have taken up the opportunity at the GP or elsewhere.
“And 24 were encouraged to book an appointment with a GP due to a concern identified, which they all did.
“Two were admitted to hospital immediately such was the severity of risk to their health.”
‘Didn’t think he’d be here today’
And Peter says one testimonial from a man who attended really brings home the power of what they do.
“I heard from a man who’d taken part in one of the programmes and he told me he was in a pretty bad way.
“In fact, he had considered self-harm, even suicide.
“He said had it not been for the project and Montrose Community Trust, he didn’t think he’d be here today.”
Upcoming fixtures at Montrose
Logan explains up next will be another round of Football Fans In Training.
They are also planning another 12 week block of the Changing Room project.
“It’s soon to be a busy schedule!
“But we’ve found that social prescribing is really important because the barrier for people, especially men, is getting over the door.
“We create a positive environment for them to come in and have a blether.
“Some told us it was easier speaking in the group than to their nearest and dearest.
“For others, it was the only human contact they’d had in the week.”
Peter adds: “Love it, or loathe it, there is no denying that football is a powerful tool.
“It has the ability to reach, engage and positively influence many, in particular, men in a way like no other.”
Conversation