Mental Health United recreational football club initially started as a 12-week block with the aim of bringing students and staff at Ayrshire College’s Kilmarnock campus together to enjoy sport and speak openly about mental health. Today, you can find the club, which has now been running for over six years, training every Thursday evening after classes finish at the college.
Ayrshire College Active Campus Coordinator Tarik Yesildogan helps to coach and facilitate the weekly
sessions and shared how the club is supporting both students and staff:
“The club has become an incredible space where members of the college community can come together, enjoy sport, and express themselves without any judgment.
“We all have struggles in life, and sometimes just finding someone else who is going through something similar and talking about those shared experiences can make all the difference.”
Richard Hughes is a Health and Social Care lecturer at the college and brings his experience as a trained mental health nurse to the club’s halftime ‘team talks’.
“Our team talks are a really important part of the club,” he told us.
“Each week, we speak about something football-related and link it to mental health and how people feel and react in certain situations. These conversations are where we see the guys really open up and connect with one another.”
One member who has felt the benefits of joining the club is Health & Social Care student Andrew Ollier, who, after some encouragement from both Tarik and Richard, came along to Mental Health United shortly after starting his course last year.
Andrew’s life story
At 45, Andrew has lived an intense and eventful life. After a short stint in the army, Andrew moved to Abu Dhabi at 18 years old to join his brother’s intellectual property enforcement company.
“As soon as I got out there, I realised I could really make something of this opportunity and started working really hard,” he shared.
Over the next twenty-plus years, Andrew worked in the investigations industry, specialising in undercover investigations against illegal factories in Asia, the Middle East and Africa for over ten years.
“My career took me all over the world, I visited over 50 different countries and had some amazing experiences,” he told us.
During that time, however, Andrew faced challenges in his personal life.
“In 2015, I bought out the company and built it up again myself. By that point, I was living in Cyprus and really felt like I had it all,” he explained.
“The nature of the work was just non-stop, though, and the pressure built up. By 2020, I found myself in a pretty dark place and had fallen into addiction.”
Over the past 4 years, Andrew has endured a difficult divorce and loss of his company, but has worked hard at his recovery, completing three separate rehab programmes.
New beginnings
Last August, a period in rehab resulted in Andrew volunteering to support others going through the same journey.
“When I started rehab in Glasgow, I had already gone through the programme twice before, so I found myself supporting other people,” he shared.
“Then, when I was ready to be discharged, they asked if I would like to come back and volunteer.”
After a few months, Andrew was informed about the qualifications he would need to obtain if he were to consider gaining employment in the sector. Whilst looking into his options, he came across Ayrshire College’s Health & Social Care course.
“That was a really exciting step for me, but at that stage, my mental health still wasn’t great,” he told us.
“That’s when I found out about Mental Health United.
“It really felt like the perfect timing for me as I was not only looking to improve my mental state but also get fitter as I’d gained a bit of weight over the years.”
Andrew grabbed the opportunity with both hands and went along to his first session.
“Like with anything new, anxiety gets you at first, but you just have to take that first step.
“I was definitely apprehensive about going along, but I quickly made some great friends and started to feel a lot better about myself.”
Andrew is now excelling at college and has gained part-time employment within Blue Triangle Housing Association’s new addiction support service. Later this year, he is set to be fast-tracked straight through to his HNC as a result of his high academic performance.
“I’m really pleased how college and my job are going, and the football club has been a big part of that.
“I’ve had a very intense but equally amazing life, and sport has always been something that has helped me.
“Back in school, it was the thing that made me feel part of something, and now in my adulthood, it has helped me make connections in college with people who have been through similar things.”
The lasting impact
It’s not just Andrew who has noticed the change in himself since joining the club. Active Campus Coordinator Tarik has been pleased to see how much Andrew has come on after encouraging him to attend the sessions.
“The most important part is that Andrew now feels good about himself,” he shared.
“It’s plain to see how much it is helping him physically and socially, too. He has told me how much it helps to clear his head.”
Reflecting on Andrew’s time at the club, Richard recalled a session when Andrew’s son joined him whilst up on a visit.
“That was a real highlight for me.
“Andrew had told me that he doesn’t get to see his kids as much as he would like, so it was really special to see them working together doing something they both enjoy.
For Richard, Andrew’s progress illustrates the impact of Mental Health United and, ultimately, the power of sport.
“Having the community at the college is just amazing.
“Obviously, the main part you see is the football itself, but behind the scenes, we’re providing additional support, we’re signposting members to services, and working to get them where they need to be.
“It’s a huge privilege to be part of the recovery journey for a lot of these guys.”
Andrew is now looking forward to starting his HNC later this year and is feeling excited about the future.
“I look back and I’m really content. I’ve seen so much of the world and experienced some amazing things, but this is a new chapter, and I can feel like this is where I’m meant to be.
“Every day, something else is progressing in my life; I’m doing well in college, my health is getting better, and I’m building better relationships with my kids.
“That is because I’ve put in the work and taken those steps that feel scary to take at first.”
More info
Watch: Mental Health United Video
