Fighting Chance Foundation ‘FCF’ receives funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.
05/08/2022
This funding will set up a ‘mantra‘ pilot hub which will offer its support to Petworth, Midhurst and surrounding areas of West Sussex.
The ‘mantra‘ programme is one of the FCF’s newest programmes brought about by the devastating statistics of male suicide and the realisation that there is not enough support out there for men and young boys.
The hub will be an open-door safe space for any man to drop in for free and have access to support – intervention is key when someone is in crisis or just needs someone to talk to.
‘mantra’ will use the martial arts community to offer a discreet place where men can meet and offload their burdens. The initial hub will be at the Fighting Chance Foundation Office in Golden Square, Petworth and will open its door late September, offering support every Monday from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. The date will be released via social media and locally advertised.
Fighting Chance Foundation COO, Sarah Shelton-Agar, said;
‘This programme is close to my heart. We felt frustrated about the lack of support available for men and young men and started to build the ‘mantra’ programme a year ago, when we were affected by a few young men known to the FCF team who chose suicide over life.’
With funding, FCF would like to roll out ‘mantra’ hubs throughout the UK, using the martial arts community.