I did not have a great time at school; I didn’t quite fit in any group and I excelled at nothing. It was a time of low self-esteem and confidence – a period I endured rather than enjoyed. Back then, stress and anxiety weren’t something acknowledged and many thousands of kids like me almost certainly suffered in silence, taking mental scars into later life. Luckily for me, I discovered exercise, which changed everything.
My bike was not only a means of getting from A to B; in fact, utility was its least important function. It was my independence, a way to avoid bullying on the bus, my daily dose of endorphins, and it was something in each day that was completely within my control. Before cycling became my sport, my passion and my livelihood, it was my route to mental wellbeing; an activity that led me to a club full of people with whom I had something in common, and my gateway to friendship.
The i Paper’s Mental Health Awareness Week is this week, and this year the theme is “community” – and for me, sports and community are inextricably linked. There are approximately 150,000 sports clubs in England and one-in-four adults is a member of one. These organisations provide so much more than fitness; they are a national wellbeing resource, quietly tackling some of our biggest social problems.
Male loneliness has been on the rise since 2019, according to Sport England’s Active Lives data, and life satisfaction has flatlined for more than eight years; we’re sadder and more isolated than ever, with suicide now the biggest killer of men under 50. It’s a staggering statistic, yet just as it was when I was young, male mental health is still not something discussed. It’s the taboo that was at the heart of the recent Netflix drama Adolescence, which resonated with millions and provoked some deep societal soul-searching: what is happening to our young people? What is happening to our boys?
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For boys in particular, it is often easier to connect when orbiting around an activity. It creates an environment where emotions can be expressed and eventually discussed. Just watch the crowd at a tense football match; sport already provides an emotional safe space for men to shed a tear – a much-needed outlet even if we don’t consciously recognise it as such.
Last year whilst filming for a BBC feature on sustainability, I visited a wonderful cricket club, tucked away in Whalley Range, Manchester. I’d come to see the environmental measures they’d installed, and admire their new solar panels, which I suspect were mostly used to keep the beer cold.
Cricket, either watching or playing, is giving local people a reason to gather, build friendship, create community. There are 5,000 similar clubs around the country for cricket alone, which contribute to a nation’s physical, mental and social health.
As Chair of Sport England, I know just how important these establishments are. It is our job is to connect millions of people with clubs and organisations like the one in Whalley Range, especially in the areas that need it most, to equip children and young people with the tools they need to navigate a world that feels increasingly unstable.
The number of people who are active in England are estimated to be saving £1.3bn on GP visits and mental health service usage every year. So we must protect our sports clubs, and the thousands of playing fields and clubhouses where they thrive.
It’s not hyperbole to say that as a young boy, sport saved me, and set me on a path to a balanced, fulfilling and healthy life. Connecting more people with their communities through sport and activity is the mental and physical health solution hidden in plain sight. This week, let’s celebrate our grassroots clubs and recognise their value: the unassuming lifelines tackling loneliness all over the country.
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