Mental Health Awareness Week: Taking Action Through Football and Community

This Mental Health Awareness Week, Maidenhead United and the Maidenhead United FC Community Trust are highlighting the many ways supporters, players, participants and local residents can take positive steps to support their mental wellbeing. 

 

Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 takes place from Monday, 11th to Sunday, 17th May, with this year’s theme focused on Action – encouraging people to take practical steps to support good mental health. 

 

At Maidenhead United, football has always been about more than results on the pitch. Whether it’s attending a matchday at York Road, joining a community session, volunteering, or simply connecting with others through a shared love of the game, the club and Community Trust provide opportunities for people to come together, stay active and feel part of something. 

 

Supporting our partners Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), we’re spotlighting the different ways you can take action through Maidenhead United. 

 

Physical activity can play an important role in supporting mental wellbeing, helping to improve mood, confidence and routine. Through the Maidenhead United FC Community Trust, there are opportunities for people of different ages and abilities to get involved in football, exercise sessions and physical activity. 

 

From wellbeing walks to walking football, and adult exercise sessions catered for all ages and abilities, the Community Trust continues to use sport and movement as a way of helping people stay active, connected and supported. 

 

One of the most powerful parts of football is the sense of belonging it creates. 

 

For many supporters, a matchday is a chance to meet friends, spend time with family and feel connected to the local community. Outside of a Saturday afternoon at York Road, our weekly activities can provide structure, routine and a welcoming space to meet new people. 

 

Our Magpie Meetups, held at various locations across Maidenhead every month, offer an opportunity to meet other people, feel welcome, and enjoy good conversation, companionship and a sense of community. 

 

Maidenhead United in the Community also plays an important role in supporting young people across Maidenhead and the surrounding area. 

 

Through coaching, after school clubs, holiday camps and inclusive football sessions, young people are given safe and positive environments where they can develop confidence, teamwork and resilience. 

 

Football can help young people express themselves, make friends and feel part of a team – all of which can make a meaningful difference to their wellbeing. 

 

The club is also proud of its ongoing work around mental health awareness, including its partnership with CALM, which has helped bring important mental health and wellbeing messaging into the heart of the local community. 

 

Thanks to the generosity of nine local and national businesses, Maidenhead United proudly displays the CALM logo as the front of shirt sponsor across all of its teams, including men’s, women’s, futsal, and Juniors outfits. In addition, it also provides the club with the ability to share life-saving messaging across its digital media channels, reaching tens of thousands across our local community and beyond each week.