Healthy Minds is a programme for students at Bristol struggling with mental health difficulties. The programme supports students to take positive steps to improve the way they feel through socially engaging physical exercise. When I was studying at Bristol, I saw first-hand the extent to which mental health difficulties impact a shockingly large number of students. I also saw, through involvement with the Boat Club, how team sport and group physical exercise can be extremely beneficial and bring a sense of belonging and security to students who may feel lonely or excluded.

In 2015, when I started at Bristol, student mental health wasn’t at the top of the agenda - neither for the university, nor for the coaches at the Boat Club. Following widespread reports that other university rowing clubs were experiencing similar situations with a number of terribly tragic cases of university rowers finding no other way forward, my friend and I decided to set up RTHM (Rowing Together for Healthy Minds).

RTHM aimed to turn up the volume around mental health within university rowing clubs. We centred the campaign around a shared piece of kit – specifically a baselayer t-shirt with a distinctive orange sleeve to be worn by all clubs as a demonstration of solidarity in recognition that something needed to change. The campaign took off. From October 2018 to the summer season of 2019, over 75 university rowing clubs became affiliated with RTHM (that’s pretty much all of them!). An additional ~50 non-student rowing clubs also joined, meaning that in almost every race at every regatta of that season, there would be at least one crew wearing the RTHM tops. We promoted education on mental health and how clubs can improve their practices - you can read more about RTHM in the articles I have linked below.

I am writing this to demonstrate the need for improved student mental health services and the demand for change that exists. While some universities have strong student support services, they rely on programmes like Healthy Minds to provide a comprehensive set of services, ensuring that no student slips through the safety nets. The Healthy Minds team supported us with advice and guidance when we were setting up RTHM and I can attest to the fantastic work they do. I hope you can see how meaningful this cause is to me and I would be extremely grateful for any donations.

Thank you,

Tommy

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The mental health and wellbeing of students at the University of Bristol is a key priority. Suffering with mental ill health disrupts students' academic studies and personal lives, often causing them to miss out on the transformative and enriching experiences offered by higher education.

UoBs Division of Sport, Exercise and Health (SEH) launched Healthy Minds in 2016 with this knowledge at the heart of it. The programme helps students affected by mental ill-health to get more active through user-led, personalised support. It includes sessions with an activity mentor, a tailored activity plan and support for future health maintenance, as well as access to a range of classes, clubs and sports opportunities.

Every pound raised will help to improve the quality and quantity of support offered, helping even more students.