The Fitness in Mind project team are the proud winners of the Active Essex Physical Activity Project of the Year for 2014. The award was announced at the ceremony at Colchester United FC last night.

The evening had an amazing atmosphere with over 250 guests attending and the event. Fitness in Mind, a joint project designed by Essex Mental Health Community and Brentwood Leisure Trust, is a peer-led fitness programme, encouraging people with Mental Ill Health to trying different activities, including Yoga, Boxing, MMA and Dance, free of charge, to encourage Mental Wellbeing and improve their quality of life. The results of the first phase have been incredible.

Project Co-ordinator David Kennard said “After just 12 weeks of the project running, we had 12 users take out membership at The Brentwood Centre, these are people who may not have stepped a foot outside their house for many years. Now in phase 2, we have heard that 7 members have gained the confidence to get back into part time or volunteer work programmes, the success stories keep coming.”

The project was nominated for Physical Activity Project of the Year and Volunteer Rhianna Worth who has been working with Fitness in Mind since its launch in May was nominated for Young Volunteer of the year. Rhianna did fantastically well for her nomination and came away with a Highly Commended Certificate, and Fitness in Mind won the award taking home a glass trophy, framed certificate and voucher from Active Essex for £100 to be put towards the ongoing running of the project.

On collecting their award Roger Davinson, Chief Executive of Brentwood Leisure Trust said “The Fitness in Mind project has had outstanding results, lifting the confidence of its members and improving their Mental Wellbeing.”

The whole team involved in the project are looking forward to next year, and improving the lives of people of all ages with Mental Health issues.