Charity's ‘1 in 4’ team wins anti-stigma tournament

Ten local businesses and organisations battled it out in a five-a-side football tournament designed to raise awareness of mental health issues and tackle stigma, at the Cambridge City ground in Milton Road, on Sunday 11 October...and it was the team from host charity Cam-mind who took home the winners' shield.

The Cambridge-based mental health charity joined forces with Cambridge City FC to run what was the second ‘1 in 4 in the City’ 5-a-side Football Tournament. The event coincided with the weekend of World Mental Health Day (Saturday, 10 October) and was designed to highlight the fact that at least 1 in 4 of the population experience mental health problems at some time in their lives.

The event attracted teams from John Lewis, Marshall Aerospace, NHS Cambridgeshire, Cambridge City Legends Bar, Cambridge City Supporters' Trust, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge United supporters and Jagex as well as Cam-mind's own ‘1 in 4 FC’ campaign team.

The final was between 1 in 4 FC and last year's winners Legends Bar – with 1 in 4 FC eventually proving the strongest. Third place went to Jagex and fourth to one of two Cambridge United supporters' ‘Abbey United’ teams.

Aly Anderson from Cam-mind said: “This event was all about getting people together and enjoying playing football, but it was also underpinned by a serious message about tackling stigma and promoting health and wellbeing, coinciding with a range of events locally to celebrate World Mental Health Day.”

City's Community Director, Roger de Ste Croix added. “We have developed strong links with Cam-mind. They are the Club's charity sponsor and Craig Radcliffe, from our first team squad, provides weekly football training to an increasing number of Cam-mind service users, which has already had a very beneficial effect. This partnership with Cam-mind enhances our excellent Football in the Community programme and demonstrates that this Club is at the heartbeat of the local community.”

This year's 1 in 4 in the City tournament was jointly sponsored by the Co-Operative Membership and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.

Pictured is the winning 1 in 4 FC team (right) with runners up Legends Bar (left) and representatives from the event sponsors and organisers. They are (L to R) Sam Tudor (The Co-operative Membership), Kevin Satchell (Cambridge City FC Chairman), Keith Spencer (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust) and Aly Anderson (Cam-mind).

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