| It's a Goal! Launches at Macclesfield Town FC |
 Sporting legends turn out to tackle suicide and depression...Three famous sporting heroes turned out at Macclesfield Town Football Club where they helped launch a new project aimed at teaching young people how to tackle depression. Football legend Sir Bobby Charlton, paralympic gold medallist Tanni Grey-Thompson OBE and cricketing hero Ian Botham turned out to support "It's a Goal!", a three year funded programme that will use football analogy to raise self esteem in mental health sufferers. Workshops will be held at the Silkmen's ground from March where the uplifting backdrop - Macclesfield's rolling hills- will provide a meeting place for those who would normally seek help in hospitals or doctors surgeries. Ideas man Malcolm McClean, who set up Bearhunt - a Manchester based social issues and creativity consultancy - four years ago was the brains behind the innovative project; the first of its kind in the world. He was too aware of the frightening statistics that linked depression to suicide and was desperate to give back to the town where he once lived that lacks support for the depressed. And with a $100,000 cash boost from Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, an international charity, Malcolm, now from Alderley Edge, is confident that the service will be a hit. "I wanted to do great things for people," he said. "Bearhunt is a vehicle to allow me to achieve this and make a living at the same time." "I had an idea and people believed in it. What better job satisfaction can you get, especially when it stops young people committing suicide." "My vision is that once we prove that this works it'll be adopted all round the world because depression is a world-wide problem and there are football clubs in every town all over the world too." But Malcolm realises that it is going to be tough getting his project off the ground, as sufferers of depression usually withdraw from society and isolate themselves at home making it one of the most difficult conditions to treat. Malcolm is aware that advertising is going to be essential to make sure that the right people learn of the support available to them. Posters and information leaflets are going to be put up in pubs, sports clubs, doctors' surgeries and the various charities. And he is hoping that the local officers for the Samaritans on Boden Street, MIND on Duke Street and the Drop In Centre on Chestergate, as well as GPs will refer sufferers of depression to the scheme. FearsMalcolm said: "Depressed people can be amazing actors. They go home, close the door and at night things become very different. Whereas they seem alright on an everyday basis their worst fears come out at night. If we can get these people out of the living room and into the club it'll leave them buzzing.""I grew up in Salford, one of the toughest neighbourhoods in Manchester, but I found my voice through football and then I began to take control of my life. We want to make life exciting for these young men." Talking at the launch Ian Botham shared some of his experiences and views on depression. "I think there is nobody in this room that hasn't suffered from depression. I had a friend who committed suicide." "Depression is something that creeps into every walk of life including sport. I have seen it time and again." Sir Bobby Charlton was positive that sport would make a difference to the young sufferers: "Sport seems to be the one thing which can break down barriers, a universal language, and can be a real force for good, whatever the circumstances. I really hope we can make a difference supporting "It's a Goal!" Everybody probably suffers from depression at some time in their life but it is about how you handle it. The great thing with this project is that all these people will actually have somebody to talk to, and other people who will be able to relate to them." By Sophie Hazan Published in the Macclesfield Express on Wednesday February 25, 2004 and reproduced here with their kind permission. |
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