TALK 'N' TRAIN
SESSIONS
Talk N train is a mental health project partnership between DC Boxing and Millennium Boxing
Sessions now run:
Millennium gym – Boxing and fitness
Sunday 10am – 11am
Wednesday 6pm – 7pm
Friday 6pm – 7pm
Dinnington Resource Centre – Circuit training
Tuesdays 9:30am – 10:30am
Wednesdays 9:30am – 10:30am
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
John Shaw said “A number of years ago a very good friend took his own life.
I witnessed the devastation left behind and vowed that in future I would try to remove the stigma surrounding mental health.
I was asked to assist with a men’s talk group ‘Men Actually Talking Together’ or MATT. This was based at Rotherham Rugby Club.
Matt was another guy who played for Rotherham and sadly took his own life.
This group does amazing things but tends to attract older men.
In Rotherham younger men and women have many challenges in life.
It’s one of the most deprived areas in the country and many suffer silently with their general wellbeing and mental health.
I’ve always used exercise and sport as a way of keeping myself mentally balanced and wanted to start a mental health group based around talking and exercise.
I’ve known Jamie Kennedy for years and have trained with him. I consider him a rock solid trusted friend and knew how much he cared about our community”.
The group have been running two sessions per week at Millennium gym, run by Simon Davies and Ian Huddleston (DC Boxing) aimed for everyone no matter what their level of fitness or boxing ability, and have been seeing some real success stories and progress being made with some of their users who suffered with anxiety, low self-esteem and depression.
John Says “Jamie has the same mindset as me so I approached him with the idea.
He was on board immediately and came up with the name ‘Talk n Train’
We had no idea what direction it would take us in but our aim was to use it as a vehicle to improve the general wellbeing and mental health of everyone who not only came to sessions but who also followed us on social media”.
The group has now expanded and started working with Dinnington Community Boxing Group, who are now running two sessions per week at the Dinnington Resource Centre. These have given the project the opportunity to work with more people across the borough and are now working with NHS and voluntary action Rotherham link workers to refer clients.
Developing the project for young people has always been an area where talk & train envisioned taking the project. The group have been working with Dinnington High school with young people outside mainstream lessons, to re-engage students, give them focus, open up about their mental health and ultimately get them back into mainstream so they can succeed in and out of school.
The group haven’t stopped there and are currently working with ‘Empire Fighting Chance’ in Bristol (through England Boxing and Millennium gym), who deliver the largest non-contact boxing programme for schools in the UK. Working with Primary Schools, Secondary Schools and alternative provisions across the Southwest of England and South Wales – Providing specialist alternative provision for students at risk of permanent exclusion.
Ian Huddleston said “We will be working on developing our “talk & train” mental health program, using the experiences Empire can offer us, to look at approaching schools around the borough so we can expand. Building good relationships with schools. We hope to instil work ethic, confidence and support which can help students with their studies to push on to gain employment or go onto college”.
FIND OUT MORE
You can find out more about talk & train at the below links:
Facebook: @talkntrain
Twitter: @talkntrain
Watch the video here: (2) Facebook
