About > Safeguarding > Derbyshire Mental Health Friendly Clubs

Derbyshire Mental Health Friendly Clubs

Mental health continues to be a major priority for us all. With too many lives lost to suicide and lengthy waiting lists for support services, it’s clear that early intervention and prevention has never been more important.

Prevention is key. The more people who feel confident to offer support, signpost to appropriate services, and encourage open conversations, the greater the impact we can have. Creating spaces where people feel heard and reassured can help prevent situations from escalating to crisis point.

Thats why we have launched the Mental Health Friendly Club initiative, supported by a number of organisations across Derbyshire, including Derbyshire Public Health, Erewash Voluntary Action, Compass Changing Lives and Mind Derbyshire.

How to become a Mental Health Friendly Club

We regularly speak to clubs that genuinely want to support their members but feel unsure about the best way to do so. They want to do the right thing — at the right time — but can feel overwhelmed about where to start. Mental Health Friendly Clubs is a collaborative approach, bringing together services that can provide tailored support to your club. This might include:

Mental health awareness training
Practical tools and resources for effective signposting
Train-the-trainer courses to support peer mentoring programmes
Bespoke workshops or training relevant to your club’s needs

This initiative is centred around you and your club. Our shared aim is to create safer, more supportive environments with a culture of listening and understanding — contributing to the wider strategy to reduce suicide and improve mental wellbeing across Derbyshire.

By becoming a recognised Mental Heath Friendly Club, you will receive:

A digital badge to use across your marketing and social media
A certificate to display in your clubhouse or share with members

The only expectation is that this is not a tick-box exercise, but a genuine commitment to raising awareness in a way that works for your club. That could be as simple as sharing leaflets or newsletter content — or as involved as hosting events or training sessions. It’s about what is realistic and achievable for you.

Find out more!

The best way to find out more is to attend one of our short 30-40 minute introduction sessions. It’s just an opportunity to hear more about the initiative and ask any questions.