In 2018 the British & Irish Boxing Authority signed up to the Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation.

One in four of us will experience a mental health problem every year. Yet it is still something people are worried to talk about or ask for help. This must change and physical activity can play a massive part.

We know that being physically active can help mental wellbeing. That’s why the Sport and Recreation Alliance, the Professional Players Federation and the mental health charity Mind created the Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation.

Our vision is that the Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation has played an instrumental role in embedding mental health within the sport and recreation sector and helped create a culture shift in wider society that removes the stigma around mental health.

By signing up to the Charter, we are committing to helping make this vision a reality. Together we will achieve this by:

• Using the power of sport and recreation to promote wellbeing, with a special focus on encouraging physical activity and social interaction for their contribution to good mental health.
• Publicly promoting and adopting good mental health policies and best practice within our sports and recreational activities.
• Promoting positive public health messages using diverse role models and ambassadors to reduce the stigma attached to mental health problems.
• Actively tackling discrimination on the grounds of mental health to ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
• Supporting the establishment of a network to work closely with the mental health sector to develop resources and best practice.
• Regularly monitoring our performance, assess progress and take positive action on mental health issues.

For further information on, or to join the Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation please go to: https://www.sportandrecreation.org.uk/

Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation Committee

Chairman:

Professor Michael Graham MBChB; JCPTGP; PhD; FRSM; MPhysoc; BASEM; MICR; MCSFS; PCCMH; APIL Expert; FSB – BIBA Deputy Chief Medical Officer

Committee Members:

Professor Julian S Baker Ph.D, D.Sc, FPhysiol, FHBA, FRSB, FICR, C.Biol, C.Sci – Sports Psychologist & BIBA Medical Advisory Board Committee Member

Dr. John Pates PhD; Mphil; BA (Jt Hons), PGCE, PDip. – Sports Psychologist & BIBA Medical Advisory Board Committee Member

Gianluca Di Caro – BIBA Vice President

Dave Smith – BIBA Secretary General

Mehmet Pasha – BIBA-TRNC Vice President

Dave Murphy – World Boxing Foundation

Lee McAllister – Assassin Health & Fitness Village & BIBA Pro Boxer/Promoter/Manager/Coach

Marianne Marston – BIBA Director of Female Boxing & BIBA Pro Boxer/Coach

Ben Poole – BIBA Manager & Coach

Leah Jean Horrigan – BIBA Affiliated Nutritionist

Matt Hurley – Journalist With Personal Knowledge of Mental Health Matters

Kane Corvus – BIBA Licensed Boxer & Former Mental Health Nurse

Sophie Zammit – Rebellious Boxing Australia & Knock Out Poverty Alliance (KOPA) Member