Head 4 Health remains one of Wolves Foundation’s flagship projects, offering adults the opportunity to improve their mental wellbeing through informal but educational workshops and physical activity.
Run thanks to funding from the Premier League and Professional Footballers Association with additional support from the City of Wolverhampton Council, Head 4 Health has enjoyed many success stories of participants making different levels of progress and being able to look forward with optimism and positivity.
One of those participants is Daisy, a 20-year-old student from the University of Wolverhampton.
When she was 15, Daisy attempted to take her own life, leading to a long stay in hospital, and then, during her first year of University, became reliant on alcohol to block out her issues.
Realising she needed help, it was at that time that, as a season ticket holder in the South Bank, she saw an advert for Head 4 Health in the toilets.
And, since first attending the group 18 months ago, she has never looked back.
“I realised I needed some help and so when I saw the advert I thought I should give it a go,” says Daisy, pictured with Wolves Foundation ambassador Amber Sandhu.
“I was a bit worried about coming along at first as I didn’t know anyone but I am so glad that I did.
“I am the youngest in the group, but I really feel part of it, and people who are older and more mature understand better what everyone is going through.
“It has made me so much more confident in speaking to people and has just made such a difference.
“I always know that, even if I’ve had a rubbish weekend, or a bad Monday, every Tuesday morning I have got somewhere to go where I will be able to talk to people.
“I think for people even if they haven’t got something serious going on, maybe if they feel a little bit alone, it’s such a good group to go to.”
Foundation senior health officer Jasmin Patel says staff have also seen a major change in Daisy over the last 18 months.
“From when she first came to sessions with her head down and headphones in, to now interacting and being involved in all the conversations, it’s been great to see Daisy’s progress,” she said.
“Mental health is like physical health – everybody has it and it can be up or down.
“But everyone can always relate to something that is going on in somebody’s else’s life and the way Daisy has integrated into the group really shows that.”
