Who are we

Sport in Mind ® is an independent multi-award winning mental health charity (unaffiliated to Mind and not part of the local Mind network) that was formed in Reading, Berkshire in 2010 with a simple mission:

"To improve the lives of people experiencing mental health problems through sport and physical activity"

We are the UK’s leading mental health sports charity and deliver physical activity (sport, walking, dance and movement, gardening and exercise sessions) projects in partnership with the amazing NHS in order to aid recovery, promote mental wellbeing, improve physical health, combat social isolation and empower people to move their lives forward in a positive direction.

We are passionate about using sport and physical activity for good, but we're not just here for sporty, super fit people - our service is here for EVERYONE! If you've not taken part in sport or exercised for a while we know it can be quite daunting to join a sports group (We feel the same!), but the truth is getting involved with Sport in Mind isn't about how good you are at sport or how fit you are, it's simply about HAVING FUN and giving people are bit of a break from everything else that's going on in their lives.

We've seen firsthand the positive impact physical activity can have on people's mental health having supported the recovery of over 12,500 people (sporty people and people who say they've never liked sport). We believe there's a sport or physical activity out there for everyone and Sport in Mind's aim is to ensure every single person in the country has the opportunity to improve their mental health through a physical activity session they enjoy.

Our Work

Sport in Mind's innovative programmes are delivered in partnership with the NHS and are co-designed by people with personal experience of mental health problems and healthcare professionals. We deliver sessions to support the recovery of people living with mental health problems in the community and also inpatient care as we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to take part in sport and physical activity irrespective of how unwell they are.

In addition to delivering physical activity programmes to benefit people with mental health problems, our charity is also very passionate educating people about mental illness and the benefits of being physically active. Sadly, there are still many common misconceptions about mental illness in society today and we use the power of sport to bring people together to talk about mental health and help change attitudes.

Due to the impact our work has had on the communities we operate in, Sport in Mind has gained national and international acclaim. In 2019, our charity received the highest honour a UK charity can be awarded - the Queen's Award for Voluntary Services.