Written evidence submitted by Richard Loftus, founder of Well Run Brum
Introduction
The Parliamentary Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee is seeking views on the health of sport in local communities and, as the founder of a community movement launched in March 2024, I welcome the opportunity to submit written evidence to the Committee for its consideration based on my experience.
Well Run Brum is a community movement which brings all abilities together to get men’s mental wellness on track through social running in Birmingham.
These free-to-access fortnightly 5KM runs provide social support for men at a conversational pace.
Each run begins with a guest speaker - a pace maker for the conversation - providing inspiration and motivation before setting off on a 5KM run around the city.
Despite Well Run Brum only launching in March 2024, at the time of writing almost 50 men have taken part - with more than 70% returning. With this in mind, I believe I am well placed to comment on the terms of reference of the Committee’s inquiry.
This evidence is submitted by Richard Loftus, the founder of Well Run Brum.
Background
Men are experiencing a mental health crisis.
Men are typically socialised in a manner that dissuades them from acknowledging or displaying vulnerability. From my own experience, I know it can lead to greater moments of crisis.
1 in 4 people experience mental health issues each year, with men being far less likely to seek help. A YouGov survey commissioned by Mind found that most men’s preferred alternatives to being prescribed medication are face-to-face therapy and physical activity.
Two in five men say they feel worried or low on a regular basis (source: Mind, 2020).
Men are less likely to ask for help when they are struggling with poor mental health. They account for only 36% of referrals to NHS psychological therapies. (source: Mental Health Foundation, 2021)
One study in men with depression found that only 8.5% were receiving mental health support. However, two-thirds had thoughts about suicide or self harm in the previous two weeks.
The Birmingham Suicide Prevention Strategy highlighted the risk of suicide is highest among working age men between 30-49yrs and that within the region, 76% of suicides were men.
Focusing on raising awareness of mental health issues and suicide amongst men and reducing the stigma on men talking about their mental health can be effective interventions.
In a survey of 2,000 men living in the UK, commissioned by Better, 96% of men agree that participating in sports and exercising positively benefits their mental health.
In Birmingham, 260,000 people are inactive representing 30% of the population, which is higher than across the UK. The health cost of this inactivity is £21.9m. (source: Sport Birmingham, 2022)
Sport and physical activity can help improve the nation’s physical and mental health, preventing many avoidable conditions and easing pressure on our NHS.
Well Run Brum’s current output is already demonstrating there is a need for a community-led activity which prioritises mental wellbeing through physical activity. The level of re-attendance reflects the initiative’s ability to deliver impact. The feedback from those who have already attended Well Run Brum’s free-to-access fortnightly 5KM runs shows the positive difference it is making to the men who are taking part.
“It is one of the things I look forward to every two weeks.”
“Such an uplifting experience.”
“Such an incredible movement for men’s mental wellness.”
What is the current quality and availability of facilities for grassroots sport? What interventions are needed to improve this provision?
• To ensure that communities feel confident that they belong, Government needs to provide the spaces in which they can do so in their local area.
The great thing about running is that you can do it almost anytime and anywhere. Just put on your trainers and go!
Whilst it is the case that there is a lack of availability of facilities for grassroots sport, it is also the case that there is inadequate opportunity for communities to access the spaces that already exist meaning that they are under utilised.
Just a few months after launching, Well Run Brum was able to secure one hour’s exclusive use of Alexander Stadium, the largest athletics stadium in the United Kingdom. To enable runners to have access to this world-class athletics venue, which hosted the athletics as well as the opening and closing ceremonies at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, sent a powerful message that when health and wellbeing is prioritised in a world-class way, we unlock the potential for greatness in every aspect of our lives.
More grassroots community groups should be enabled and given the opportunity to utilise quality facilities like this.
When recently seeking the availability of other tracks near to the city centre, it was disappointing to discover that a 400m track within 2 miles of the city centre was unavailable for use due to required refurbishments and no estimated timeframe for those works to happen. The alternative athletics track offered by the Trust operating on behalf of the local council was over an hour’s travel utilising public transport and therefore unsuitable for our group.
However, facilities which support grassroots sports can come in many innovative forms that don’t have significant financial impacts. There are examples around the country of encouraging the use of outdoor space for running - kilometre markers are permanently painted on the promenade at Worthing along a 5KM out and back route. This simple but effective provision could be rolled out by local councils across the country as part of a government initiative.
• Government needs to explore more innovative interventions that inspire everyday physical activity and support the delivery of initiatives by grassroots sport groups.
What sources of funding are available for grassroots sport and are they sufficient? How can funds be distributed more effectively and application processes be improved?
Community cohesion is ultimately a sense of belonging to a place and a group. Funding can help to improve access to sports facilities, provide a shared kit to unite individuals and train volunteers so they are equipped to nurture and foster the necessary environment for that cohesion to exist.
It has proved difficult to identify sources of funding for a community initiative that is not formally recognised as a voluntary or community organisation.
I have been fortunate to become an UnLtd Award Winner. UnLtd finds, funds and supports social entrepreneurs - enterprising people with solutions that change our society for the better. This Award will help me to push forward in Well Run Brum’s quest for Social Change and to further explore the most appropriate legal structure for growing Well Run Brum as a social enterprise, allowing Well Run Brum to secure grant funding from charitable trusts and foundations. This would enable the growth of the free-to-access initiative by building a team of volunteer Coaching Assistants and Leaders who are equipped to support both the physical and mental needs of participants.
• Ultimately, for grassroots sports to thrive sources of funding need to be made more readily available with simplicity to access the funding being the key component. Layers of bureaucracy with conditions on who can apply make accessing funding excessively burdensome and therefore unattractive to those who need it most.
• Government needs to better collaborate with charities and funders to seek alternative safeguards when awarding funds which don’t prevent individuals in communities from accessing available monies.
How can volunteers be better supported and what is needed to attract and retain more volunteers to grassroots sport?
As already stated, regular participation in sport and physical activity has shown to have significant benefits on both our physical and mental health.
Whether founding a new initiative serving a specific purpose or volunteering to support an existing community programme, grassroots sporting initiatives like Well Run Brum exist solely on the good will and dedication of individuals within communities who are driven to give their time and energy to serve a greater purpose.
I have delivered Well Run Brum’s fortnightly programme for the past ten months entirely unfunded. I have invested my own personal finances to ensure I am compliant, completing England Athletics’ Leadership in Running Fitness qualification and I have also dedicated my time to secure the support from a significant number of impactful speakers.
The reality is that if I found myself unable to deliver and lead one of the fortnightly runs, the activity simply would not take place.
• Government needs to support individuals who are inspired to support their local communities and this shouldn’t be restricted to the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport alone. There needs to be much greater collaboration across government.
Investing in grassroots sports within local communities can have a significant benefit, easing pressure on the NHS and therefore Health and Social Care as a whole. In recognising that physical activity can have a powerful impact on mental wellbeing, it must become an integrated element of mental health care pathways.
• If we want more individuals in our communities to inspire others through participation in grassroots sports, financial barriers to completing qualifications which better equip them to do so need to be removed.
• If we want more individuals in our communities to lead grassroots initiatives, government needs to support businesses in enabling employees to do so through tax incentives or relief.
How can grassroots sport be made more engaging and accessible to under-represented groups?
1 in 4 adults in the West Midlands are doing less than the minimum amount of activity advised for good health. People from deprived and racialised communities are even less likely to get enough exercise. (source: West Midlands Mental Health Commission 2022-23)
Whether it’s mental health or representation, prevention is better than cure. Prevention is about tackling the upstream causes. In the context of under-represented groups, its imperative to ensure that all groups are represented and included from the earliest opportunity.
• Government needs to focus on prevention of poor mental health through physical activity, starting at a young age. The Department for Education should incentivise schools, higher and further education institutions to engage with grassroots organisations in local communities for delivery of out-of school hours programs.
Collaborative working would ensure that children and young people receive the support of a cross-section of society to grow up safely and healthily, fostering a shared responsibility for their development. This would reduce under representation in later years and reduce isolation by fostering relationships across generations and diverse groups which will.
In addition to that, there is also value in grassroots sports forming part of a recovery solution.
• Government needs to ensure that physical activity delivered in communities at grassroots is built into mental health care’s treatment ‘pathways’.
• Mental health services should provide signposting and access to more grassroots organisations, embedded in individual's local communities and centred around physical activity opportunities - whether they are waiting for support or currently receiving it.