LTA host Sport in Mind for Mental Health Awareness Week
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This week the LTA hosted Sport in Mind’s first ever meeting of Governing Bodies to talk about language in mental health and sport.
Sport in Mind is a national partner of the LTA, and also a charity partner of LTA Tennis Foundation. As part of their partnership with LTA Tennis Foundation they are able to use the National Tennis Centre (NTC) free of charge to host an event each year.
Sport in Mind is the UK’s leading mental health sports charity that exists to transform the lives and mental health of children and adults through sport and physical activity.
The charity delivers physical activity (sport, walking, dance and movement, gardening and exercise) projects to support the recovery of children, young people and adults living with mental health problems in the community and inpatient care. This is in order to aid recovery, promote mental wellbeing, improve physical health, combat social isolation and empower people to move their lives forward in a positive direction.
On Monday this week Sport in Mind brought together representatives from football, volleyball, equestrian, badminton, youth, rugby, pickleball and others to come together at the NTC to learn from and network with each other. The event happened in Mental Health Awareness Week which this year celebrates the power and importance of community.
Matt Elkington, LTA EDI Programme Manager – Disabled People, who leads the partnership with Sport in Mind, said, “It was great to have so many people from governing bodies come together to discuss the importance of language in mental health and sport. It was a privilege to host their first event, and I look forward to continuing our partnership. Language is key to engaging people who might be struggling but are worried about reaching out for help.
"We work with an organisation, also funded by LTA Tennis Foundation who deliver programmes that are designed to support someone’s mental health, but instead of saying that in the name, it is called “Feel Good Tennis” - and that's exactly what it does, it makes the person feel good without even having to talk about mental health – that is the power of language.”
This week’s event is part of the wider partnership the LTA and LTA Tennis Foundation have with Sport in Mind which is delivering rewards year round.
With funding from the LTA Tennis Foundation, Sport in Mind has expanded its existing tennis sessions for adults and launched a new programme specifically for children. These sessions are now being delivered across seven counties, with 18 venues supporting over 250 participants to access tennis. As the grass court season approaches, these numbers are expected to grow even further.
One individual, an adult male, who lives with Anxiety and OCD and has taken part in Sport in Mind’s tennis sessions since April 2021 said, "After a breakdown in 2019, I turned to Sport in Mind as a way to occupy my time and reconnect with something I love—sport. What started as a way to pass the time became a vital part of my recovery. The sessions, especially tennis with coach James, have given me structure, laughter, and a supportive community.
"I’ve met people who understand, shared experiences, and slowly rebuilt my confidence. It’s not always easy to take that first step when you're struggling, but this has been a small yet powerful move in the right direction. Sport in Mind has helped me feel healthier, more social, and more hopeful."
It was great to have so many people from governing bodies come together to discuss the importance of language in mental health and sport. It was a privilege to host their first event, and I look forward to continuing our partnership.
We are also seeing a positive ripple effect from the partnership across other venues and LTA Open Court leads and has been encouraged to see the development of additional programmes focused on improving mental health through tennis. It has also seen a growing confidence in the use of inclusive language — supported by a factsheet we developed in collaboration with Sport in Mind last year to support people around the use of language.
The partnership has also had a positive impact for the LTA itself, as with support and guidance, we have introduced several initiatives for colleagues to ensure they have access to mental health support should they seek it. One of these initiatives was the introduction of Mental Health First Aiders – people specially trained in mental health who care passionately about supporting colleagues' well-being and mental health and can offer colleagues at the LTA a confidential, non-judgmental space to talk.
Beth Marriott, National Partnerships Manager said, “It was fantastic to see so many NGB's come together on Monday to discuss such an important topic, and thank you to the LTA for hosting such a powerful event during Mental Health Awareness Week.
"Sport in Mind are so proud to have such a strong partnership with the LTA, and each year we see it go from strength to strength, supporting more individuals with their mental health. As an organisation we are excited to see our well-established partnership build further - continuing to make a huge impact throughout the tennis community and beyond.”
Mental Health Fact Sheet
In partnership with Sport in Mind, we have developed a Mental Health fact sheet to support people to understand more about mental health and wellbeing, and the positive role tennis can play.
