Leicestershire County Cricket Club Launches ‘Clear Your Mind, Clear The Boundary’ in collaboration with Lamp

In collaboration with Leicestershire Action for Mental Health Project (LAMP), Leicestershire CCC is launching a new initiative to help tackle the rising number of people battling mental health issues.

Using cricket as a vehicle, the ‘Clear your mind, clear the boundary’ concept will see a two-day project run at Uptonsteel County Ground from 10am until 4pm on 18 and *19 September 2022.

*Please note that the 19 September session has been cancelled due to the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The initiative will consist of two thirty-minute sessions designed to empower individuals of all ages and backgrounds to speak up and start their recovery journey.

The first session will take place in the Mike Turner Indoor School, allowing attendees of all abilities to ‘hit out’ their frustrations through a net session batting against softballs, with the aim of utilising physical activity to release feel-good hormones and promote positive energy.

Attendees will then be offered the chance to open up and have an engaging one-to-one talk with one of LAMP’s mental health volunteers, backdropped by the calming scenery of the Uptonsteel County Ground pitch.

LCCC and LAMP have recognised the importance of introducing a new initiative following the increase in people reporting struggles with their mental health.

Studies have shown one in four people experience a mental health problem of some kind each year in England, but only one in eight are currently receiving any kind of treatment.

Joshua Carpenter, Marketing Executive at Leicestershire CCC, said:

“We believe managing mental wellbeing should be a top priority, so we were incredibly keen to create a project that combined cricket with a way to discuss mental health. This is the first mental health initiative we have launched, and we see cricket as the perfect tool to spark those initial conversations. We encourage anyone struggling to come to Uptonsteel County Ground and simply talk to someone, in a safe place with no judgment, and leave with their mind a little lighter.”

LAMP provide vital information and support to help challenge stigma, increase awareness and help those whose lives are affected by mental health.

Matthew Barton, Corporate and Community Engagement Officer at LAMP, said:

“Our aim is to navigate people through the complexities of mental health support, and empower them to speak up so they can rebuild their lives.’ We want to use this event to ensure our communities are aware of the assistance that’s out there, so they can find support that is right for them.”

The initiative will take place on Sunday (18 Sept) and Monday (19 Sept), with both a weekend and weekday date set in order to make the event as accessible as possible.

Participation for attendees is flexible, with individuals able to come at a time which suits them, as well as choose whether to partake in either or both of the available sessions.