Skip to content
en English▼
X
ar Arabiczh-CN Chinese (Simplified)nl Dutchen Englishfr Frenchde Germanit Italianpt Portugueseru Russianes Spanish
020 8668 2210 admin@mindincroydon.org.uk
Mind in Croydon
Mind in Croydon
Work For Us MHFA Training Donate Crisis Support
  • Home
  • About us
    • Our history
    • Senior management team
    • Meet the Trustees
    • Our newsletters
    • Work for us
    • Reports and policies
    • Privacy Policy
  • Our Services
    • Advocacy
      • Independent Mental Health Advocacy
      • Community Mental Health Advocacy
      • Care Act Advocacy Information
    • Carers’ services
      • Carers’ Counselling
      • Carers’ Groups
      • Carers’ Support
    • Connecting with people
      • Active Minds
      • The Hub / Social Networking
    • Counselling
      • One to One
      • Anger Group
      • Anxiety Group
      • Hoarding Project
      • Counselling Placements
    • Support
      • Benefits Help
      • Croydon Health & Wellbeing Space
      • Employment support
      • MindMatch
      • Recovery Space
      • Mental Health Personal Independence Co-ordinator Service (MHPIC)
  • Training
  • Fundraising
    • Your Workplace, Events, Wellbeing Days
    • Donate
    • Fundraise for us
    • Charity shops
    • Room hire
  • Get involved
    • Volunteer
    • Become a member
  • News
  • Contact us
Work For Us MHFA Training Donate Crisis Support
  • Home
  • About us
    • Our history
    • Senior management team
    • Meet the Trustees
    • Our newsletters
    • Work for us
    • Reports and policies
    • Privacy Policy
  • Our Services
    • Advocacy
      • Independent Mental Health Advocacy
      • Community Mental Health Advocacy
      • Care Act Advocacy Information
    • Carers’ services
      • Carers’ Counselling
      • Carers’ Groups
      • Carers’ Support
    • Connecting with people
      • Active Minds
      • The Hub / Social Networking
    • Counselling
      • One to One
      • Anger Group
      • Anxiety Group
      • Hoarding Project
      • Counselling Placements
    • Support
      • Benefits Help
      • Croydon Health & Wellbeing Space
      • Employment support
      • MindMatch
      • Recovery Space
      • Mental Health Personal Independence Co-ordinator Service (MHPIC)
  • Training
  • Fundraising
    • Your Workplace, Events, Wellbeing Days
    • Donate
    • Fundraise for us
    • Charity shops
    • Room hire
  • Get involved
    • Volunteer
    • Become a member
  • News
  • Contact us
Mind in Croydon

26 Pampisford Road 
Purley 
Surrey 
CR8 2NE

020 8668 2210
admin@mindincroydon.org.uk

Website Design © 2022 C27 Media Ltd

Recent News

  • 455 Farewell Tour Raises £26,000 for Mind in Croydon
  • We stand together as Advocacy, Information & Advice Charities calling on the Prime Minister and our government to protect the Human Rights Act
  • Mind Chelsea Flower Shower Garden 2022
  • New ESS Workshops – Keeping Well in the Workplace & Making a Good First Impression
  • World Mental Health Awareness Week 2022

News Archive

  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • July 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017

Shaka and the Croydon Eagles

Shaka is another success story from the Croydon Eagles, the football team that Mind in Croydon runs in partnership with the Palace for Life Foundation. Shukhan (Shaka) Scanlan, grew up in Norwood, and loved playing football when he was younger, with his mum taking him to Pelo FC in Dulwich. Here, he enjoyed the little tournaments and went on to play for one of their League teams. Shaka went to school in Gypsy Hill, which he really liked and then after school went to study at Bromley College. However things started to take a turn for the worse around this time and Shaka dropped out of college pretty quickly.

He began to experience “sadness and bad dreams” which has taken his focus away from his interests. Shaka began to spend more and more time at home and the bad thoughts continued to grow. His sister helped Shaka to get in touch with Mind In Croydon, whose Active Minds project supported Shaka to join the football programme that the Palace for Life Foundation supports for adults who have experienced mental health problems.

Thinking back to his first day with us just over a year ago Shaka says he “liked it straight away. I liked being active and the boys were all good to me.” Now a regular member of the group, Shaka thinks the best things about coming to the program are “the matches we play in training every Wednesday, the league games we play and the camaraderie amongst the players.” Shaka does see some of the other lads in Croydon outside of these sessions from time to time, but he is happiest just coming and playing rather than trying to make a new group of friends.

Shaka acknowledges that coming to our football sessions has made a positive change to his life. He now also plays for the mental health football team that has grown out of these weekly training sessions, the Croydon Eagles. He says: “Getting active, getting out and doing things is good for the mind. It brings back good memories of when I used to play. I feel fitter and stronger and am improving again, trying to get back into playing.” If he was not involved with the programme and the Croydon Eagles, Shaka states that he would “probably be at home, not doing anything” which he believes does not help him maintain good mental health.

Things are still not easy for Shaka but he knows that these sessions are helping him do things that he thought he couldn’t do anymore. “I really look forward to coming every week.” he says. When asked if he would recommend this to anyone else who is experiencing mental health problems Shaka suggests that anyone interested should “come along and see it for themselves.”

Palace for Life Foundation Disability Manager Michael Harrington, who runs the weekly football sessions at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, offers the following insight:“Shaka was very quiet when he first came to us, and he still can be today. It was clear from day 1 that he had a great touch but his fitness levels and strength were low, leaving him struggling at times to keep up with others in the group. However attending regularly, and working hard when he is with us, has brought these levels up remarkably and he now can train and play for two hours straight through without the need for additional breaks. It is not just the football side that we aim to focus on, the social side of programs like this are equally as vital. This was highlighted to us when Shaka continued to come to recent training sessions even when he was out injured with a fractured wrist so he could see what was going on and to feel part of the group. His wrist is now healed and he is back doing what he loves the most – playing football!”

Posted on: 19th October 2017

back to news

Mental Health Directory

Search for information on mental health services in the Croydon area
 
 

Find out more

Information Line

Mind in Croydon operate a confidential mental health telephone information line: Please telephone our freephone number 020 8668 2210

Side By Side

Side by Side is a supportive online mental health community where you can be yourself. We all know what it's like to struggle sometimes, but now there's a safe place to listen, share and be heard.

Find out more

Accreditations & Awards

Contact Us

Mind in Croydon

26 Pampisford Road 
Purley 
Surrey 
CR8 2NE

020 8668 2210
admin@mindincroydon.org.uk

Support Us

  • Donate
  • Volunteer

 

Privacy Policy

  • Privacy Policy

Get Social

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Youtube

© 2022 Mind in Croydon
Registered in England 3697578
Charity No. 1073880

Website Design © 2022 C27 Media Ltd

X