Funding targets mental and physical health

Two new programmes will invest over £3 million to improve mental and physical wellbeing in York and North Yorkshire.

The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority has approved funding for initiatives aimed at creating healthier, more inclusive communities. 

The £2.75 million Movement, Activity and Sport Investment Programme focuses on increasing access to sport and physical activity, particularly targeting women, girls, people with disabilities, as well as those experiencing rural isolation. 

Officials say it aims to build on existing services and improve early intervention efforts to engage marginalised groups more effectively and create “communities where everyone has the chance to thrive”.

Lisa Nandy MP, secretary of state for culture, media and sport, said: “Sport is one of the most powerful ways we can bring people together and tackle deep inequalities in our country.

“This fund shows what happens when bold local leadership meets a Government serious about change. 

“When we invest in sport, we’re not just building facilities, we’re building stronger, fairer communities where everyone has the chance to thrive.”

Meanwhile, the £715,000 Men’s Mental Health Investment Programme seeks to tackle mental health challenges and suicide risks faced by men in male-dominated and isolated professions. 

The initiative includes mapping current support services and running a workplace pilot to help employers better understand and address men’s mental health needs. 

David Skaith, mayor of York and North Yorkshire, says the programme also aims to drive improvements in how mental health providers deliver care for men.

Mayor Skaith said: “Suicide is a leading cause of death in men under 50 – it's a national tragedy and it’s something personal for me. 

“After losing my dad, I struggled with my mental health and it took opening up, socialising and getting back into sport to start feeling better again. 

“That’s why it’s so important to invest £3 million into these two programmes to improve our physical and our mental health.

“By taking a lead, we can directly tackle rural isolation and health inequalities – issues that York and North Yorkshire particularly struggles with. 

“We will do this by tackling the financial barriers to movement, activity and sport while improving mental health support in male-dominated and isolated jobs, like farming, our blue light services and construction. 

“What is good for our mental and physical health is also good for our economy. 

“This investment will ensure we keep more people in their jobs and reduce healthcare costs, while ensuring that nobody faces these challenges alone.”

Mayor Skaith at Studley Cricket Club

Wes Streeting MP, secretary of state for health and social care, added: “Every day, men across England are dying early from preventable causes. 

“Men are hit harder by a range of conditions, while tragically suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50. 

“That’s why this new initiative from the mayor is so important and will help tackle the problem head on.

“By working with employers in the area including the military, blue light services, and farming, mayor David Skaith is making sure York and North Yorkshire will be a trailblazer for supporting interventions to improve men's mental health.”

Both programmes were developed in collaboration with industry experts, including members of the Sports Steering Group and Men’s Mental Health Taskforce, to ensure they address the specific barriers residents face in the region.

David Watson, chief executive of North Yorkshire Sport as well as chair of the Sports Steering Group, added: “Low levels of activity and sport cause many issues. 

“30 per cent of our adult population are inactive, we have more over 65-year-olds than the national average, and around 60 per cent of adults are overweight or obese.

“By having discussions and acting, we can really get to the bottom of how we weave activity into our decision making, and the daily lives of everyone in our region. 

“Helping us age healthily, have less dependence on health and social care services, and improve issues of health inequality.”

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